[Brian Bines]

Howard my only suggestions on this nights actions are , Rad claimed his victory at 02 40 hrs. while the attack on the Lancaster is given as around 03.00 hrs. with the bomber crashing at 03.19 hrs. . Rad claimed his victim either went down on land or at sea (combat report) by Shotley , while the ORB says down in the sea , he also reported one man baling out. Rad's claim may link to the loss of Ltn Helmut Barzel reported as missing while his Bf Uffz Hartmann was initially reported as missing but in GQM amendments dated 19-10-1943 he is shown as dead, body recovered ?
It would seem if Schmitter made the attack on the Lancaster at round 03.00 hrs he is likely to have fallen to S/L Arbon at 03.33 hrs. the other RAF claims being before 03.00 hrs. Schmitter and his Bf baled out but were unable to climb into their dinghies so fired off flares which were spotted by a Flak post at Zeebrugge and they were picked up.
As regards the other Luftwaffe loss Fw Werner Benner is reported as dying at Furnes ( Veurne ) Belgium on the 25th being buried at military cemetery at Lommel , while his Bf Uffz Reimers is missing but later declared dead . I assume this was a crash at sea off the Belgium coast with Benner being rescued or baling out wounded and drifting in over land , either falling to W/C Mack at 23.22hrs or F/L Goodwin at around 02.50hrs . In Mack’s combat report he noted the e/a had four very bright blue exhausts and was relying on its very high speed , Mack closing at around 360 mph. Goodwin was vectored onto an e/a which he followed on radar for 25 mins. Eventually he got a visual identified as a Me 410 approaching searchlights beacons by Dunkirk, the e/a flashed its downward recognition lights and the S/Ls were doused . The E/A was then at 800 feet he attacked and it crashed into the sea in flames.
RAF claims being W/C Mack at 23.22 hrs , W/C Cunningham an Fw 190 at 01.45hrs Uffz Lembach SKG 10 killed, Capt Rad at 02.40 hrs, F/L Goodman at around 02.50 hrs and S/L Arbon at 03.33 hrs . With S/L Matheson’s take off at 02.28hrs any possibility of a friendly fire incident would eliminate Mack and Cunnigham on time and Rad on location . Unfortunately the events of this night will be open to conjecture with only the Arbon claim as Schmitter looking confirmed , S/L Matheson would appear to have been lost in the Channel with no firm evidence of the cause .
The KG 2 history by Ulf Balke indicates V/KG2 were operating from Epinoy this night.