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Re: F8+KR III/KG40
Hello Oxby R,
This 7./K.G. 40 plane, with Lt. Georg Leins as pilot, took-off for a night raid on Liverpool from Rennes were III./K.G. 40, commanded by Hptm. Robert Kowalewski, was based since October 4th, 1941. Staffelkapitän of 7./K.G. 40 at the time was Oblt. Rudolf Graeber. The full chain of command was: Ob.d.L.-L.Fl.3-F.F.A.-K.G.40-III./K.G.40-7./K.G. 40.
F8+KR fell victim to a Beaufighter of No. 68 Sqn. with P/O M.C. Shippard, pilot, and Sgt. D.A. Oxby (what a coincidence!), navigator. It broke up in the air and crashed near Gwalchmai, Ilse of Anglesey. It is right that only the bodies of Uffz. Alwin Tepe (Bo.), Uffz. Gerhard Fischer (Bf.) and Gefr. Rudolf Terstegen (Bs.) were found and now rest at Cannock Chase. Lt. Leins fell into the sea according to Volksbund records.
F8+KR and the crew were topic of the book "The Ghosts of KG 40" by Jack Oakey, published in 1998, partly a work of fiction but drawn on facts (or the other way round?). Only the ghosts from that book might be the cause of mysteries.
Regards,
Günther Ott
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