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Re: Dornier 217 crashed in Salerno 16 sept. 1943
Ulf Balkes KG100 book page 266 has crew of Ltn Helmut Ridder in Do217 E-5 6N+KN of 5/KG100 w.n. 5630 missing on 16-9-1943 with target Salerno. Ff Ltn Ridder missing, B Uffz Rudolf Goschl ( umlaut over o) missing, Bf Uffz Rolf Oeser missing and Bm Ogef. Hans Kein POW.
Looks like the target may have been HMS Valiant and the Dornier would have carried a PC 1400 X. According to the 'K' interrogation report the aircraft started from Istres area at 2130 hrs but failed to find its target, the bomb was jettisioned, and while flying north at a height of 5000 feet Dornier was shot down from behind by a Beaufighter. However the location of the crash is given as in the sea 50 miles West of Naples at 0130 hrs. perhaps it made it back to land.
There are further losses in the Salerno area on the 17th W.N 4575 and 5609 with crews rescued and on 17/18th w.n.5616 and 5626 missing. If any of these w.n's are found in your recovered pieces it would give a definite identity.
Regards
Brian Bines
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