JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

Good afternoon gents;

In 1975, the remains of the crew of a JU88 were rapatriated from France to Germany.

This JU88 had been shot down by the French maquis in the East of Toulouse in Aug 1944, had crashed in the forest near Mazamet, and remained forgoten until October 1975 when it was rediscovered for the first time 30 years after the crash.

Then, the remains (bones..) were sent back to the respective families in Germany (at least I was told).

Does this story ring a bell to anybody?

Would some german friend be able to provide more date about the crew (names/unit) ?

Thanks and cheers.

GC

Re: JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

Gilles,

without more detailed information Your request seems very hard to clear up.
I would suggest You to enter a local newsaper archive in the area the crew first was buried until 1975. Maybe they had edited a report about the excavation. Good luck/bonne chance.

y/f
Norbert

Re: JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

Danke Norbert,

I did try locally all I could to gather information (interview village representatives, check newspapers of 1975, check also local police and army archives) but I did not get anything.

Precision: when the aircraft was found in 1975, the crews remains were still inside the JU88, so they were not buried.

Good evening.

GC

Re: JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

The KG26 book shows that II/KG26 flew anti-partisan missions in the area in August 1944 but I have no further details. The crew of Uffz. Ewald Powering (Uffz. Kurt Stolberg, Uffz. Erwin Machek, Ogef. Franz Glashauer ) are shown as missing over France on the 23rd August this might be worth checking, but there are no more details in the book. Perhaps a Grave search might show if the loss of this crew is a possibility,

Regards

Brian Bines

Re: JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

thanks a lot, Brian.

I checked my files and the crash happened in fact on 20 July 1944.

Best regards

GC

Re: JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

Brian,

All these KG26 members are also presented as "Bodenpersonal"

...


Rémi

Re: JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

Thanks Rémi and Brian,

any advice on how tracing their graves or their history would be welcome.

Cheers

GC

Re: JU 88 crew remains rapatriated from France to Germany in 1975
 

According to NVM Powering was Schreiber and the rest 1.Wart. Reason fo loss "Bei Infanterieverband.". Definitely on Ground and not related to any aircraft crash.

Matti