Hurricane kill 2.9.40 Thames Estuary 12.50

[Bill Haldane]

Hi everybody, I'm trying to find who shot down the above Hurricane 1 P3875 Sgt. W L Dymond 111 Squadron about 12.50 (British Time) 2.9.1940 and from Tony Wood's kill list have narrowed it down to either Ofw. Max Bucholz 1/JG3 or Oblt. Richard Hausmann 9/JG54. Unfortunately neither of these records are timed. So can anybody shed any further light on who was over the UK about 12.50pm. Also if anybody has any photos of 111 Squadron aircrews, from 1937 up to 1940 that show this 23 year old, I'd be obliged. Thanks for any help, Best Wishes, Bill

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Bill,

If only such research was that easy to resolve. The KTB of I./JG3 indicates that they took-off at 11.50 a.m. for an escort sortie to a target south-east of London during which they engaged fighters and claimed three victories. (Don’t be too quick to dismiss these claims simply because they were not the right type – one was even for a Morane.) However, this same source confirms that the claim by Oberfw BUCHHOLZ took place during a later sortie over Maidstone (4.55 – 6.10 p.m.) so clearly not involved in the loss of Sgt DYMOND.

III./JG54 also flew an escort sortie to Eastchurch around mid-day on September 2, 1940, elements of the Stabsschwarm and six aircraft of 9./JG54 certainly being involved. Unfortunately, I have no knowledge if the claim by Oberlt HAUSMANN was during this sortie or another escort mission they flew over the same area later that afternoon.

You seem to be satisfied that Sgt DYMOND fell victim to a Bf109E and I agree that this could well be so. But he was involved in an attack on He111s escorted by both Bf110s and Bf109s so anything is possible.

[Bill Haldane]

Hi Peter, Thank you indeed for your information supplied. I can now scratch one candidate. However I take your point that in the melee of a dogfight it could possibly have been a Bf 110. I was stating it was a Bf109 because that was what was said when the fact that he had been shot down was reported to his wife by Sgt. J. T. Craig, who was also on the sortie. Now I have to find out which ZG geschwader was involved on the mission and try to pinpoint another candidate. Well it keeps me out of the garden !!!! Thanks again and any further info greatly appreciated, Bill

[Erik Mombeeck]

Hi,

Hausmann was a very nice person. I had the chance to correspond several years with him and to visit him too. I copied his log book. For this date it shows that he flew from 16.48 to 17.53 hrs from Guines. No remark (he usually noted when he had combats, victories, escorts...).
Hope it helps

Regards

Erik

[Peter Cornwell]

Erik,

Thanks for sharing. It clarifies the incomplete claim details for HAUSMANN recorded on September 2, 1940. He possibly took a squirt at something that afternoon but didn't consider he had inflicted sufficient damage to warrant filing a full-blown claim. So another 'red herring' is scotched.