8 December 1944

[Wim de Meester]

that date 32 Ju 88 from I./- and II./LG 1 together with I./KG 66 mined the Scheldt river and estuary (Unternehmen Zeisig). Though successful, they suffered 3 losses, two by n/f and one by the guns of the 105 AA-Brigade. This AA unit claimed also 3 He 111 of TGr. 30 off the Belgian coastal area.
Who can - if this info is correct - help in identifying a/c and crew of these planes?

[Brian Bines]

The LG1 history has 9-12-44 Ju88S-3 L1+?M 4/LG1 330959 falling to 105 AA Brigade FF Fw Gunther Bohlmann, B Fw Erich Kuhn, Bf Ofw Siegfried Meier,Bs Ogef. Arnold Hillmeister all missing Raum Groede.
9-12-44 Ju88S-3 L1+?N 5/LG1 330169 FF Ofhr Oskar Fink, B Fw Robert Durmeier (umlaut over u) missing two crewmen returned not named - LK with NJ .Raum Westerschelde
8-12-44 Ju88 S-3 L1+NH 1/LG1 330964 FF Fw Reinhld Butz, B Uffz Mathias Dorfner, Bf Uffz Harry Puchner (unlaut over u) Bs Uffz Werner Lieberwirth all killed in crash SO Groningen following engine damage.
All three Verminung Schelde
I have NVMs for both I/KG66 and I/TG30 which do not record any losses this night 8/9th ,

Regards
Brian Bines

[Nick Beale]

A TGr. 30 aircraft assigned to Dunkirk on the night of 8-9 December returned to base with its cargo. This is the only one that might have been near the Scheldt since the others operating went to the Channel Islands and the Biscay Fortresses. I don't have any indication of TGr. 30 losing aircraft that night. I./KG 53 had been due to operate its He 111s against London with V-1s but this didn't take place.

LG 1 reported that two aircraft had failed to return, at least one of them from the I. Gruppe (which had dispatched 17 or 19 Ju 88s on the minelaying mission).

[Marcel van Heijkop]

Hi all,

Back from Holiday. Just checked my notes: I./KG66 was active (at least first Staffel, not all aircraft succesful) and indeed no losses for this date.

Hope this helps,

Marcel
(I./KG66 Research)