Death of Oblt Ernst Bratke, 1 April 1945

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

I would like to have details of the loss of Oblt Ernst Bratke of NAG 6 who died on 1 April 1945, probably while flying a Me 262.

Thanks in advance

Laurent

[John Beaman]

Laurent:

What's the source of your information? There's not one even close for that date, and, there's no available information with that name in either the 109 or 190 losses. At this period, of course, records are fragmentary.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks for checking, John, I should have said more in my first post but I was in a hurry.

My source is an incomplete entry on the www.crashplace.de database. I am one of the administrators of this database, and my role is to check entries and complete them, especially by adding sources. A slow work, as the database has now 15104 entries, but 10646 are now up to the standars I have (identified sources, and as many info as possible).

The full text of the entry is the following:

"Flugzeugführer: Oberleutnant Ernst Bratke. Stab NAG 6 Gestartet vom Fliegerhorst Vörden. Grab auf dem Kriegsgräberfriedhof Diepholz.

Der Stab NAGr.-6 war im Frühjahr 1945 mit Behelfsaufklärer vom Typ Me 262 A1-U3 und Standartjägern Me 262 A1-a ausgerüstet. Der Behelfsaufklärer U3 verfügte über zwei Fotogeräte die in der Flugzeugnase vor dem Cockpit eingebaut waren, an der Stelle wo sonst die vier Maschinenkanonen MK 108 im Standartjäger A1-a saßen.Aus diesem Platzmangel verfügten die meisten Behelfsaufklärer über keine Bewaffnung.

Nach Smith und Creek starb Oblt.Ernst Bratke am 1.4.1945 bei einer Notlandung am/im Dümmersee.An diesem Tag lag der Stab und 1./ NAGr.-6 in Lechfeld, die 2./NAGr.-6 lag in Kaltenkirchen und in Hohne."

The source given "Smith und Creek" should be the Me 262 series by J. Richard Smith and Eddie J. Creek, but I don't have these books, so can't check.

There is effectely an Oblt Ernst Bratke buried in Diepholz and who died on 1 April 1945 at Borckum. See:
http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche...15CE054C72B611

[RT]

1 4 45 2 NAGr,6 Brandis FP L FAWS ME262A-1aU3 500100 Besch, Schubert herbert ltn f überf, Lechfeld-Unterschlauersbach-Brandis
1 4 45 NAGr,6 Dummer See raum Oldenburg N ME262A x Bratke ernst oblt f


Rémi

[John Beaman]

Hi Remi:

Can we have the source of your listings?

THX

[RT]

No secret nd no big treasure found there just the O'Conn.-262 book, to add not a bad biik at all

Rémi

[RT]

Not a bad book sorry..

[John Beaman]

Thanks, Remi. I should have looked there!
It is a great book, and "required" if you are interested in the 262.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

I understand that Remi's source is the "Me 262 production log" book. Can one of you tell if there is anything on this book about Bratke that what is said above ?

Thanks in advance

[Dan O'Connell]

01/04 Oblt. Ernst Bratke of NAGr 6 was killed during an emergency landing in the vicinity of Dummer See/Oldenburg.