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Re: An intro plus a question; Luftwaffe losses - 25th August 1940
Simon,
In answer to your question, the EoE Project Loss DB for 25 August 1940 lists as follows:
* "25 August 1940: 6./JG53 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4. Shot down by F/O K.W. Tait of No.87 Squadron in combat over Weymouth and crashed and exploded on Chesil Beach 5.30 p.m. FF Hptmn Alois Maculan missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.
This event is well documented but the nature and location of the crash precluded the recovery of the aircraft or its pilot - he has no known grave."
Most German Casualty records, known as NVM still survive, but getting access to them from German authorities if you're not a relative is presently problematic. Several followers of this board, however, have copies of many of these. These usually list the next of kin, along with their addresses at the time, which can be a starting point for locating descendants. Copies of the NVM acquired in more recent times have that information censored off, but earlier acquisitions often have that info intact.
Some German mission records still survive, and there is a narrative manuscript of the German side compiled by the deceased researcher, Henirich Welss, consisting of some 6-7000 typewritten pages in German for the 1939-mid-1940 period in the West. The EoE Project has acquired this and all copyrights to it and the relevant parts to your inquiry have been translated into English, but not yet published. This material probably isn't going to give you more specific information about the loss than that quoted above, but the manuscript will likely tell you more specifically the missions and targets that were flown that day, including by which units.
This should give you a start on your research.
Regards,
Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator
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