Recon. losses July 1940

[Brian Bines]

Are crew details available for two Do17Ps of 2(F)/123 missing on 7-7-40, and for the He111 of 1(F)/120 shot down (602 Sqd?) near the Firth of Forth on 8-7-1940. I understand Ltns Nest and Vedder were in one of the Dorniers and the Heinkel included photo expert Ltn. Bank ,

Thanks

Brian Bines

[Brian Bines]

I believe there is a Swedish book on the Battle of Britain that is due to be published in English, does anyone know if it will contain detailed loss lists that would answer queries like this,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Chris Goss]

I have details on the 120 loss but am tied up for the next few days. As to the Swedish book, I would not hold your breath as there are a few problems!

[Peter Cornwell]

Here are the details you require Brian,

2.(F)/123 Dornier Do17P. Shot down by S/L J. R. A. Peel and P/O E. C. J. Wakeham of Yellow Section No. 145 Squadron 20 miles south-west of The Needles 5.30 a.m. during reconnaissance sortie over Portland - Isle of Wight - Cherbourg. (Ff) Fw Walter Plotzitzka killed, (Beo) Fw Rudolf Scherzinger and (Bf) Uffz Richard Storch both missing. Aircraft 4U+KK 100% write-off.
Walter Plotzitzka was later washed ashore in France and is buried at Bourdon.

2.(F)/123 Dornier Do17P. Shot down by S/L The Hon. J. W. M. Aitken and F/O W. P. Clyde of No. 601 Squadron 15 miles off Cherbourg during reconnaissance sortie to Bournemouth and Lyme Regis 10.26 a.m. (Ff) Lt Hans-Joachim Nest, (Beo) Lt Bernhard Vedder, and (Bf) Uffz Friedrich-Wilhelm Elicker all missing. Aircraft 4U+FK 100% write-off.
Bernd Vedder was later washed ashore in Belgium and is buried at Lommel.

1.(F)/120 Heinkel He111H-2. Engaged east-south-east of St Abbs Head by Green Section of No. 602 Squadron reconnaissance sortie to the Firth of Forth and port engine set alight under attack by F/O P. C. Webb 7.35 p.m. Crashed in the North Sea. (Ff) Fw Rudolf Zöphel, (Beo) Lt Werner Bank (Staffelbildoffizier), and (Bm) Uffz Erich Kuhn killed. (Bf) Fw Kurt Goldau and (Bs) Uffz Erich Rentschler both missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.
Rudolf Zöphel was later washed ashore on the island of Amrum and is buried in Westerland along with Werner Bank. Erich Kuhn came ashore at Spiekeroog and is buried at Wangerooge.

[Brian Bines]

Chris, thanks I did put in an advanced order for the English edition of the book last year but was then told the order was cancelled due to problems.

Peter, Thank you very much for the detailed info. on these losses, now WAST do not give out info. this is really appreciated,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Stig Jarlevik]

Guys

The Swedish book is surely Bergström's Luftstrid över Kanalen (Air battle over the Channel), and to put in a quick review I must say it basically follows the traditional books about the Battle, except that it gives much more room for the German side, which also goes for the photo coverage.

The book itself is good but suffers from an incredibly bad proof reading.

It has NO daily listings of losses from either side

Cheers
Stig

[Brian Bines]

Thanks for that Stig from the review I read I had thought loss lists were to be included,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well Brian

Since I don't know why the "hick up" has occured with the translation and publishing in Britain, it might well have to do with the UK publisher feeling the book needs a bit more stamina and not just "another-book-about-the Battle of Britain-type". But again that is perhaps to put more foresite into publishers....hmmm

Personally I feel that anyone who tries to tackle the Battle and do a "book" about it would need a three volume aka 1500 pages to do so, including victory claims and loss columns. Perhaps a fourth volume would be needed to cover the German point of view that the Battle did not end until the early summer of 1941.....

I also feel someone should disregard all "official" points, when things started and ended and instead make a personal impact. Also those extremely irritating days between the end of the Battle of France and the official start of the Battle of Britain should be covered. So far only piece meal bits are known to me. At least Mason back in 1969 started on July 1st, but he is, as far as I know, the only one who has dared to do so...

Out of those on this site, I guess Peter is the only one capable of producing such a work, but finding a publisher....well, THAT is another and perhaps even more difficult matter

Cheers
Stig

[Larry Hickey]

Stig,

Creating a massive 3-volume work on the BoB such as you describe would be necessary for a definitive work on the BoB is already underway. A publisher already exists for this project. Many members of this board, including many of the top researchers in the field, are part of that project, known as "Eagles Over Europe," which in seven primary volumes and probably as many secondary volumes of additional photos and appendices is projected to tell the story of the airwar in Europe from the beginning of the Polish Campaign to the end of 1940.

Regards,