[Larry]

Thanks for your replies.

Leutnant Hans Schneider of 1.Erg/JG2 was credited with a Blenheim shot down 12 miles north of Cherbourg at 15.10 hours on 17th July 1941 at the very same time that Blenheim P4832 was in the area. P4832 was seen with one engine on fire before it ditched in the sea about 15 miles north of Cherbourg by Spitfire Pilots of 118 Sqn. It was the only Blenheim lost that day in NW Europe that was not on a training flight. I have the testimony from Howard-Williams of 118 Sqn to say that he later saw the crew on the wing in the water.

F/Lt Rayment was being directed in his task by F/Lt Len Pittendrigh, and although he says in letters I have that the pilot was distracted by something on the water, like an escaped barrage balloon and radioed to say he was investigating it, all contact was lost after this. The CHL station at Worth later confirmed two unidentified tracks in the area (possibly the two Bf109s from 1.Erg/JG2).

In view of the ditching it's fair to say they two men later drowned or died of exposure, and I bet they were washed up somewhere in France and buried as unknown.

As for the aircraft the CHL tracking of the aircraft for test purposes gave a fairly accurate position for it but nothing has ever been found or a search contemplated.