More information on the KG55 losses on 11/12th August 1940:
The
Luftflotte 3 Einzelmeldung for this date reported that aircraft of III/KG55 took off at 21.15 (20.15 BST) to attack the Rolls Royce works at Crewe and the aircraft factory at Filton, Bristol. One of these aircraft was later reported as overdue, while a final report stated that the missing He 111 had crashed between Melun and Paris and the aircraft ad been destroyed, while the crew of five escaped by baling out. This was He 111P G1+HT of 9/KG55, which is presumed to have been damaged by AA fire during the night-time attack on Bristol, crashing at Rambervillers northeast of Épinal. This was over 200 miles east of III/KG55's airfield at Villacoublay, near Paris, and it is assumed that the crew baled out from the damaged aircraft, which then flew on its unguided course to the crash site.
The
Einzelmeldung was incorrect in its assessment of the fate of the crew, which only numbered four. The pilot Uffz Schmidt and the observer Uffz Held were killed, while Uffz Bubel and Fw Paulussen were injured. The aircraft was a write off.
A second He 111 of III/KG55 operating from Villacoublay was reported as force landing at the airfield with engine failure. The aircraft suffered 25% (repairable) damage and the unnamed crew were unhurt. Some sources state that this was a non-operational incident, but it is possible that this aircraft was part of the same mission as He 111P G1+HT, but turned back with engine failure, probably shortly after takeoff.
Mason, Ramsey/Cornwell, Balss and Dierich list the loss of He 111P G1+HT, with three of them citing a fighter attack as the cause of the damage. Mason links the loss to claims by Hurricanes of 257, but this combat over Portsmouth took place approximately 12 hours earlier and did not involve KG55. It is more likely that the Heinkel was damaged by AA fire as no claims were made by RAF night fighters on this date. Also note that Balss states that the two wounded crew members became PoWs, but this is not the case, they came down over France – Uffz Bubel flew later with 8/KG55 and was killed on 1 November 1940, when his He 111 was shot down during a mission to London. The loss of this aircraft has been discussed on the forum at:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=60714.
Mason, Ramsey/Cornwell and Balss list the damage to the second He 111 of III/KG55, with general agreement in the details.