[Andy Mitchell]

Brian,

I have the following from "The First Pathfinders" by Ken Wakefield.

Page 50

"Of the seven aircraft of our staffel two did not return. The hansel crew (hansel, Harbel,Hansen and Bohne) turned up in bergen eight days later after being captured. hansen had lost a leg. This is the crew that I liked best of all; they were all great chaps. Anyway, thank god they are all back again. Soon I will be able to speak to them." (There is a footnote here that indicates that the crew were captured by the British - and also that they were all killed later in the war.)

"What happened to Rippke and his crew nowbody knows.it was their first flight against the enemy. Among them was Unteroffizier Thieme who has been married for only one week."

These quotesd are from Hillmar Schmidt's diary whish is used quite heavily in this chapter of the book.