belly landing near Vimy, May 18th 1940
 

Hi all,

He 111 B3+JT of 9./KG54 made a belly landing on May 18th 1940 N of Vimy in a field near the "Bois de l’Emprunt". The crew was killed by French troops.

I'm trying to locate this Emprunt forest without any luck. Does anyone have an idea where this forest is located?

Re: belly landing near Vimy, May 18th 1940
 

If you Google you still find references to it, but unfortunately Google Maps nor Michelin mention it. But I assume it is the wood SW of Vimy where the WW1 trenches are running. That's the only wood near Vimy.


Cheers, Pieter

Re: belly landing near Vimy, May 18th 1940
 

Murdered by French colonial troops from Senegal...

Sources:
Radtke, KG54, page 344; Cornwell, BoF, page 317

Re: belly landing near Vimy, May 18th 1940
 

Having seen the photos of the exhumations and the evidence, it was locals who were found guilty one of whom was executed in 1941

Re: belly landing near Vimy, May 18th 1940
 

Hello

See:Geoportails.gouv.fr
enter vimy

The "chemin de l'emprunt" ,entry of "bois de l"emprunt" of the same name, is along the SNCF track (in black on the map) at the beginning "les blockaus".

Among civils that day who shot the crew were also french soldiers of 42°RI
michel

Re: belly landing near Vimy, May 18th 1940
 

Thanks everyone for your help. Very much appreciated.
So it looks like there isn't much wood left of the "bois de l'emprunt" but now at least I know where about this a/c came down.