Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Friedrich was shot down on Apr.17/43 near Hochspeyer by an RAF bomber he was attacking. There are two likely candidates.
Just after midnight Halifax HR758 was engaged in a combat that began over Borrstadt continued to Gollheim and was finally shot down 2 miles north of Borrstadt. They are believed to have shot down their attacker.
At 1 am Stirling BK659 was 15 miles west of Mannheim on a track for Hochspeyer when it engaged a two engine German fighter and they believed they shot it down after seeing an explosion in the air and on the ground 30 seconds later.
I believe the records only show one German loss in the area that night.
Is there any way of determining what time Friedrich was shot down?
Also can anyone confirm that Friedrich was was wounded as well as his Bordfunker?
Thanks
Dave Wallace

Re: Gerhard Friedrich 16./17.April 1943
 

Bf 110F-4 WNr.4755 of 10./NJG 4, Oblt. Gerhard FRIEDRICH (pilot and Staffelkapitän), Ofw. Wilhelm Giesen (radio operator); Both WIA 17.April 1943 due to enemy fire, crew parachuted. Location: Hochspeyer/Berzweiler

I haven't a particular time listed.

GRM

Re: Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Thanks GRM
May I ask your source for that?
Regards
Dave Wallace

Re: Gerhard Friedrich 16./17.April 1943
 

Sources:

Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #9)-Vol.16

Balss, Deutsche Nachtjagd, p.90, Deutsche Nachtjagd, II, p.132

Höhler, Deutsche Nachtjagd Personalverluste, p.110

GRM

Re: Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Much appreciated GRM
Dave

Re: Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Friedrich was shot down at 01h00

Rémi

Re: Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Hi Remi
Thank you so much for that extra information. It seems to confirm that Stirling BK 659 of 214 Squadron shot Friedrich down. May I ask where the information came from?
Cheers!
Dave Wallace

Re: Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Sorry I didnt note the source ...


Rémi

Re: Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Hello,

where is the exact site of the crash ? Hochspeyer is quite a distance from Berzweiler.

The only crashsite at Hochspeyer is a V. Wellington shot down and crashed 16./17. April 1943

Uwe Benkel
Arbeitsgruppe vermisstenforschung
Mail: mu.benkel@t-online.de
Homepage: www.flugzeugabstuerze-saarland.de

Re: Gerhard Friedrich shot down near Hochspeyer Apr.17/43
 

Hi Uwe
The only information I have seen says that Friedrich and his radar operator both came down by parachute near Hochspeyer, presumably the aircraft crashed near where they landed.
The Stirling BK659 of 214 Squadron, coded BU-N, was at 11,000 feet, heading west when the combat began. The Stirling fired just over 1000 rounds at the 2 engine fighter, saw an orange flash in the haze they had seen the fighter disappear into, then 30 seconds later they saw an explosion on the ground.
Thanks for your input on this!
Regards
Dave