Where are the graves of two Luftwaffe airmen??????

[Melvin Brownless]

Hello fellow forum members,

Does anyone have any burial/grave details for two Luftwaffe airmen who were killed when their Ju 88 crashed on British soil during the afternoon of the 1st April 1941. I have searched all our Aircrew Remembrance Society burial details and the German War Graves website and can find nothing!

The two airmen in question are; Pilot Lt Paul Meyer aged 21 and his gunner, Uffz Hermann Riechmann aged 20. Their aircraft was shot down by two Hurricanes of No.242 Sqdn and crashed 3 miles E of Beccles, Suffolk.
They were flying a Ju 88A-5 Wnr.0614 (3Z + LN) and their unit was 5./KG77.

Can anyone help us please?

Regards,

Melvin Brownless

www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com

[BC]

Hi Melvin:

The two Germans you cite have no recognised graves in the UK as both were blown to pieces in the crash of their aircraft. The Ju 88 dived vertically into the ground at Fisher's Marsh, Basey Fisher Farm, Henstead, Suffolk and exploded, making a crater 40 ft across.

I found a little more info last year in a file at the Suffolk Record Office in Lowestoft relating to "Deaths Due To War Operations". It was principally concerned with air-raid victims and bodies washed ashore, but the two at Henstead were mentioned. Mr L P Wilson, M O of Health, was informed by F/O Squires, IO RAF Horsham St Faith that the two were Lt Paul MEYER, aged 21, and Under Officer (sic) Hermann RIECHMANN, aged 20. The reports on both men have at the bottom "There were no remains for burial".

Over the years MANY groups and individuals have sought permission to dig the site, but the owner - who is aware of the missing German crewmen and considers it a "War Grave" - will have none of it.

Hope this helps.

BC

[Melvin Brownless]

Hello Bob,

Many thanks for your reply, was going to send you an e-mail tonight but you beat me to it! I am going to write to you tomorrow regarding our plans to erect a memorial plaque at the crash site in memory of these two airmen.

Thanks again,

Melvin

www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com

[JägerMarty]

Originally Posted by BC

Hi Melvin:

The two Germans you cite have no recognised graves in the UK as both were blown to pieces in the crash of their aircraft. The Ju 88 dived vertically into the ground at Fisher's Marsh, Basey Fisher Farm, Henstead, Suffolk and exploded, making a crater 40 ft across.

I found a little more info last year in a file at the Suffolk Record Office in Lowestoft relating to "Deaths Due To War Operations". It was principally concerned with air-raid victims and bodies washed ashore, but the two at Henstead were mentioned. Mr L P Wilson, M O of Health, was informed by F/O Squires, IO RAF Horsham St Faith that the two were Lt Paul MEYER, aged 21, and Under Officer (sic) Hermann RIECHMANN, aged 20. The reports on both men have at the bottom "There were no remains for burial".


Over the years MANY groups and individuals have sought permission to dig the site, but the owner - who is aware of the missing German crewmen and considers it a "War Grave" - will have none of it.
Hope this helps.

BC

That's good to know