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a Me109 wreck has been unearthed this last week end in Hazebrouck area (Northen France). Pilot body has been discovered still with the wreck, with his identity tag (but no name?) : 68454-173 (informations given by the local newspaper : La Voix du Nord.

Re: me109 unearthed

Hi, located the article. Sadly the text is mostly french to me....

Quote:

Hier à Hazebrouck, l’occupant du Messerschmitt retrouvé lundi a été exhumé
Hommage au pilote 68454-173

HIER, à 15h15 à Hazebrouck, les voix se sont tues au bord du trou de six mètres de profondeur creusé la veille après un an de recherches difficiles (notre édition de mardi). Le casque de sécurité posé sur la terre argileuse, Arnaud Gillet, spécialiste des combats aériens de mai-juin1940, prend la parole et annonce, d’un ton solennel: «Nous venons de retrouver le corps d’un pilote allemand tué au combat et mort pour sa patrie. Je vous demande une minute de silence.»
Un mouchoir, un paquet de cigarettes, un porte-monnaie contenant des marks, un portefeuille… Autant d’effets personnels retrouvés hier dans un dédale de pièces aéronautiques tout aussi parfaitement conservées, plus de soixante après le crash d’un Messerschmitt 109 piloté par le matricule68454-173. Dont on devrait probablement connaître rapidement l’identité.
Une découverte qui ne doit pas grand-chose au hasard. L’ambition originelle de ces fouilles – menées par Air France en partenariat avec le musée de La Coupole et la Direction régionale des affaires culturelles – était en effet de retrouver le Spitfire et corps de Jan Plesman. L’avion du fils du fondateur de la compagnie néerlandaise KLM avait été abattu le 1erseptembre 1944 à 11h20 à Hazebrouck. Mais lundi, les passionnés chargés de l’enquête avaient dû se rendre à l’évidence: les témoins ne s’étaient pas trompés, mais simplement, il ne s’agissait du bon avion.
Reste une découverte «absolument exceptionnelle », selon Yves Le Maner, du musée de La Coupole. « C’est parce que l’avion n’a pas explosé au moment du choc avec le sol que nous avons pu retrouver tout cela», ajoutait-il.
Le mystère de Jan Plesman, demeuré intact, reste d’actualité. Des appels à témoins devraient être relancés. Tandis que l’appareil du matricule68454-173 sera analysé à Hazebrouck et que son corps, si non-identifié, sera inhumé au cimetière militaire allemand d’Andilly (54).
Perrine DIÉVAL

Maybe someone will care to translate?

The link to the article is:

http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/vdn/journ...ION/ART9.phtml

I guess someone with access to the list of missing personnel from the Red Cross will be able to crack this one.

Regards,
Andreas

Re: me109 unearthed

YESTERDAY, with 15h15 with Hazebrouck, the voices are kill at the edge of the six depth meters hole dug the day before after one year of difficult research (our edition of Tuesday). The safety cap posed on the argillaceous ground, Arnaud Gillet, specialist in the aerial combats of May-juin1940, speaks and announces, of a solemn tone: "We have just found the body of a German pilot killed with the combat and died for its fatherland. I ask you for one minute of silence." A handkerchief, a package of cigarettes, porte-monnaie containing of the marks, a wallet... As many personal effects found yesterday in a maze of aeronautical parts also perfectly preserved, more than sixty after the crash of Messerschmitt 109 controlled by the matricule68454-173. Which one should probably know the identity quickly. A discovery which does not owe large-thing randomly. The original ambition of these excavations - carried out by Air France in partnership with the museum of the Cupola and the regional Management of the cultural affairs - was indeed to find Spitfire and body of Jan Plesman. The plane of the son of the founder of the company Dutchwoman KLM had been cut down the 1erseptembre 1944 with 11h20 with Hazebrouck. But Monday, the impassioned in charge ones of the investigation had had to go to the obviousness: the witnesses had not been mistaken, but simply, it was not about the good plane. Remain an "absolutely exceptional" discovery, according to Yves Maner, of the museum of the Cupola "It is because the plane did not explode at the time of the shock with the ground which we could find all that", added it. The mystery of Jan Plesman, remained intact, remains of topicality. Calls to witnesses should be started again. While the apparatus of the matricule68454-173 will be analyzed in Hazebrouck and that its body, if not-identified, will be buried with the German military cemetery of Andilly (54). Perrine DIÉVAL

Re: me109 unearthed

The Deutsch Dienststelle can supply information about the name behind this EM. Beware that it will take them three monts to reply.

Dennis

Re: me109 unearthed

It's Uffz. Horst Seemann, 9./JG 1, and reported missing on 4.9.1943 in St.Omer-Dunkirk area......I assume his fate will now be solved soon and proper burial arranged.

Re: me109 unearthed

I forgot to mention that John Manro that works faster!

Dennis

Re: me109 unearthed

Hi

My record of this loss, which will then be properly updated

http://www.ahs.no/ref_db/lw_loss_pub...?lossid=106170

Regards,
Andreas