[Brian]

Marcel wrote in connection with I/NJG1:
The first cruel setback inflicted on the Gruppe was the loss of Feldwebel Thier who was shot down near Paderborn by a Bf110 flying a lone night fighting sortie. It appeared that Thier had suffered radio failure and as there was zero ground visibility at Rhein, he had elected correctly to divert to Paderborn. With his navigation lights illuminated he found himself easy prey for a pilot doing a little "moonlighting" in the air. An over-ambitious single-engine pilot from the field at Paderborn was also airborne on his own initiative on a "night-fighting" sortie; as ever in such cases his first and only victim proved to be the brave crew of one of our own aircraft in difficulty.

Can anyone provide a date for this incident, and any additional details? PS: I believe the date of the incident was 23 June 1940. Was Thier killed? And what off his crewman?

Cheers
Brian