German Luftwaffe Victory June 1944
 

On June 17 1944 A Handley Page Halifax Mk. III from 77 Squadron RAF Full Sutton UK was shot by a German night fighter it exploded in the air at around 0410 over the villages of Dodewaard and Ochten 18 km NW of Nijmegen in Holland. Killing the crew, except the Radio Operator W/O Arthur John Owen, who was thrown clear of the plane and was only slightly wounded. He was taken prisoner and was taken the a hospital in Arnhem. The same day he entered the hospital he was visited by the German pilot who shot his plane. The German pilot spoke English fluently, because he studied in Oxford. After this first visit, the pilot visited Arthur Owen on a regular basis, before he was transferred to the eastfront, he brought soft fruit as Owens teeth were damaged. After this Owen was taken to Stalag Luft 3 Bankau or Sagan? (Stalag Luft 3 is Sagan, Stalag Luft 7 is Bankau) from 30th June 1944 till 15th jan 1945 from there taken to Stammlager IIIA Luckenwalde, 50 km south of Berlin, from 8th feb 1945 till 21 May 1945 Can someone please help me finding the name of the German Pilot or put me in the right direction to find out more from the German perspective.

Re: German Luftwaffe Victory June 1944
 

The Halifax in question was MZ715. Crew of P/O Alan Ian Crain (Western Australian)
Perhaps Theo Boiten can help with who the opponent was

Re: German Luftwaffe Victory June 1944
 

Hello ,

N° 77 sqdn lost 4/5 aircraft that night over Holland , but there is no trace in Mr Theo Boitens book about MZ715 being shot down by a nihjtfighter.

Greetings
Alain57

Re: German Luftwaffe Victory June 1944
 

Here's the (prob.) matching NJ claim:

Hptm. Adolf Breves: 5 Stab IV./NJG1 Lanc/Halif nr. Rhenen (JM 14): 4.000 m. 01.50 prob. 77 Sqn Halifax MZ715

Will explain fully in one of the upcoming vols in the Nachtjagd Combat Archive series.


Cheers, Theo