ID possible

[Stijn David]

Hello


Is there a identification possible from wich German plane (and who the crew was) that was shot down by machinegun fire from the trawlers Charmouth M242 and the Rattray M246?

These were fishing in latitude 53º 30' N., longitude 12º 04' W., at [2?].30 G.M.T. on the 27th November 1940.

The following item appeared in the Daily Express on Nov.30th:

"Five German airmen have been rescued from an uninhabited island off the coast of Kerry, south-west Eire, after being marooned there for 2 days, it was learned last night. Their bomber crashed about six miles off the Blasket Islands. In rubber boats they reached a rocky islet, and lived on their iron rations until people on the main island (which has a population of 160) saw their distress signals. Now they are interned. (The Blaskets are approximately 60 nautical miles SE of the position given by the trawlers).

The plane was shot down either on the 27th November or the 28th November 1940 for the english coast.

All help is greatly appreciated and thanks in advance

[Matti Salonen]

Quite possibly this:
1940-11-25, 2./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906, BV 138A-1, 381, 8L+CK, Blasket Islands, Kerry (Pl.Qu. 8495), Notlandung und von eigener Besatzung zerstört. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Uffz Krupp, Willi, interniert
Beobachter Oblt.z.S Neymeyr, Konrad, interniert
Bordfunker Uffz Sack, Erwin, interniert
Bordmechaniker Fw Biegel, Hans, interniert
Bordschütze Ogfr Kalkowski, Ernst, interniert

Matti

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Stijn,

I cannot help much but the German aircraft mentioned was lost on 25 November 1940, so could not have been the aircraft involved with the trawlers on the 27th.

It was a BV 138A-1 with the code '8L + CK', werk nr. 381. The unit in question was 2./KuFlGr 906. My Luftwaffe information is not very complete but I cannot spot any possible German loss on the 27th that might match an encounter with the trawlers. Apparently both trawlers were damaged by gunfire and the Charmouth by bomb damage from near misses. The location given is "off Milford Haven" (from 'BRITISH VESSELS LOST AT SEA 1939-1945'), but your coordinates indicate a position approximately 100 miles west of Clifden, Co. Galway.

In my experience there were many such optimistic claims against aircraft by trawler crews during the early part of the war. One cannot blame them either !

Hope this helps,

Martin Gleeson.

[Stijn David]

Hello Matti & Martin


Thank you very much on the already helpfull answers. Even iff not an exact match it is a possibility.

I agree that indeed quite often there will be a part of bluff on one side and on the other side the dates can also be rather strange. Especially as the information i have on the downing of the plane does come partially from a belgian who was active on these vessels. So no exact science from my side.


Cordial greetings,