Surrey Luftwaffe crashes
 

The attached insignia - were given to me many years ago by a family friend who said that they were taken from one of the crew of a German aircraft that crashed near Brockham, Surrey during the war.

To my knowledge there weren't any crashes in the village itself, the closest being :

Junkers Ju 88A-14 Wk Nr. 140099 which crashed at Blackbrook on 14/15th March 1944 - all crew killed in the crash.

Heinkel He 111H-2 Wk Nr. 2720 which crashed at Swires Farm on 30th August 1940

Junkers Ju 88A-1 Wk Nr. 8095 which crashed at Folly Farm on 27th September 1940

If possible, I would like to work out the identity of the most likley candidate among the various crew members that the insignia may have belonged to. I have crew names for each of the above aircraft courtesy of the excellant work of Aircrew Remembrance Society but I'm not sure that any of these men were of the correct rank - Flieger I believe. I am hoping that one of the Forum experts may be able help.

Re: Surrey Luftwaffe crashes
 

Yeomas,

That would be "Flieger" or if the collar had white tress around it it would be "Unteroffizer"

Peter

Re: Surrey Luftwaffe crashes
 

Peter,

Many thanks.

I think then the most likely candidate aircraft is the Junkers Ju 88A-1 of 2/KG77 Wk Nr. 8095 which crashed at Folly Farm on 27th September 1940 coded 3Z + HK.

All four of the crew held the rank of Unteroffizier :

Wilhelm Menningham the radio operator was tragically killed when his parachute failed to open - his body being found in Leatherhead and his parachute some 10 km further south.

The three remaining crew members all managed to bail out safely. If it is assumed the pilot Rudolf Schumann was the last to leave the stricken aircraft then he would have landed closest to the crash site. So I think he was the one who landed near to the Norfolk Arms in Mid-Holmwood. The other two crew members landed at Bradley Farm (north of Dorking) and Scammells Farm which is only about 2 miles from Brockham.

If it is assumed that the rank insignia were those of the crew member who landed at Scammells Farm then they would have belonged to either Albert Ackerman the gunner or Hans Tenholt the observer.

I have made lots of assupmtions here I know but I would apprecaite any futher comments from other Forum members.

Does anyone know if Wilhelm Menningham is still buried in Leatherhead ?

I will put toghether a plan showing the locations and post seperately.

Re: Surrey Luftwaffe crashes
 

The remains of Wilhelm MENNINGMANN were repatriated to Germany post-war - possibly to Dortmund his birthplace.

Re: Surrey Luftwaffe crashes
 

Peter,

Thank you for the correct spelling of Wilhelm Menninhmann's name and for the advice regarding the repatriation of his remains.

Re: Surrey Luftwaffe crashes
 

Sorry managed to get it wrong again - MENNINGMANN