[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

To bring this to conclusion, thanx to Pieter H., Peter Cornwell has now revised our EoE Loss entry as follows:

"12 May 1940 Western Front Amend: 4./KG55 Heinkel He111P-2. Engaged by Sgt Farnes, Sgt McKay, and Sgt Morfill of No.501 Squadron near St-Hubert during sortie to bomb rail targets near Rethel and port engine destroyed. Harried south-west with starboard engine alight and finally belly-landed at ‘Buisson Roualet’, near Machault, (France) 2.45 p.m. FF Lt Hans Junk, BF Uffz Heinz Thöne, BM Uffz Wilhelm Ege, and BS Gefr Harald Wendt all killed, BO Uffz Ernst Rasper captured wounded – later released. Aircraft G1+DM 100% write-off. (Photos)
Post-war testimony of the only survivor confirms that the pilot was killed and the rest of the crew all wounded during the fighter attacks. Though the observer, Ernst Rasper, managed to get the aircraft under control neither the mechanic, Wilhelm Ege, nor gunner, Harald Wendt, survived the subsequent belly- landing. Rasper and Thöne then came under fire from local police and civilians as they emerged from the aircraft and Heinz Thöne was shot in the back after they had surrendered."

I think that this case has been very satisfactorily resolved. When I posted this question, I thought it unlikely that this would ever get a satisfying resolution, but it proves the collective research power of cooperation between the many researchers who are looking at such issues and digging out the answers. There are many such problems yet to be solved.