Recon. Losses July 1940

[Brian Bines]

On 10-7-1940 a Do215 of Auf.Gp/Ob.d.Luft. crew of Ltn. Blindon, and a Do 17P of 4(F)/121 were reported as crashing in France following combat, seeking help with the full crew details.
Did 603 Sqd. claim a Do17 80 miles off Aberdeen on the 23rd July, is this in addition to the shooting down of A6+HH on the 20th?

Thanks

Brian Bines

[Chris Goss]

The 2/AufklOBdL loss was VB+KM Wk Nr 0031 which landed at Le Havre following an op flight. Lt Georg Rack(F) was apparently wounded, Lt Helmut Blindow (B), Uffz Friedrich Klostermann (BF) and war reporter Magnus Stift were all fatally injured. No mention of combat though. Rushmer, Berry & Benson claimed a Do 17 75 miles east of Aberdeen at 1315 hrs on 23 Jul 40

[Brian Bines]

Chris, many thanks for the information,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Peter Cornwell]

10 July 1940: 2./Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L Dornier Do215B-4(0031). Crash-landed and burned out near Le Havre, cause not stated. BO Lt Helmut Blindow killed, BF Uffz Friedrich Klostermann, and BS Sonderfuhrer Magnus Stift (of Lw.Kr.Ber.Komp.4) both seriously wounded - later died, FF Lt Georg Rack badly wounded. AircraftVB+KM100% write-off.

20 July 1940: 1.(F)/120 Dornier Do17P-1. Shot down by Blue Section of No.603 Squadron (F/L W. Cunningham, F/O R.McG. Waterston, P/O B.G. Stapleton) during reconnaissance sortie and crashed in the sea 30 miles east of Aberdeen 12.05 p.m. FF Lt Hubert Heuer BO Fw Walter Hinz, and BF Uffz Gerhard Bergmann all missing. Aircraft A6+HH 100% write-off.

23 July 1940: 1./KüFlGr. 606 Dornier Do17Z-3 (3487). Shot down by Blue Section of No.603 Squadron (F/L F.W. Rushmer, P/O R. Berry, and P/O N.J.V. Benson) 75 miles east of Aberdeen during reconnaissance sortie 3.15 p.m. FF Uffz Helmut German, BO Lt zur See Otto Hermann-Geschke, BF Oberfw Friedrich Trampler, and BM Uffz Werner Olson all missing. Aircraft 7T+BH 100% write-off.

[Brian Bines]

Peter, many thanks for the great information you always provide,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Peter Cornwell]

Brian,

I am selective in my response to such queries so 'always' is probably not entirely accurate but your comment is appreciated nonetheless. If I'm able to provide information requested easily and quickly then I will invariably do so unless an answer has already been provided and I have nothing further to add or I simply chose not to. However, I prefer not to do others' research for them, particularly when much of the information is already 'out there' in published form, so blanket enquiries (usually generated by duff gen) will inevitably fall on stony ground I'm afraid. Thanks for your comment - you're welcome.

[Black6]

Please can anybody help me with the eventual fate of a pilot Ltn Georg Rack ?

BBCA/Vol.1 (p.22) records a Do215 of Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L which crashed near LeHavre on 10 July 1940 after returning from a sortie. It gives the crew as Ltn Blindow, Ltn Rack and Sonderf Stift killed plus one man wounded.

I have the same crew mentioned in an earlier post by Peter Cornwell above 2(F)/Ob.d.L.crash landing Do 215B-4, VB+KM, near Le Havre, 1645 hours when the aircraft burned. I believe it had flown a sortie in the Jersey area. Ltn (FF) Georg Rack, survived, Ltn d. Res. (BB) Helmut Erich Paul Blindow KIA, Uffz (BF) Friedrich Klostermann KIA, Sonderf (BS) Magnus-Rudolf Stift KIA.

The three KIA/Died of wounds soon afterwards, were buried at Le Havre (St Marie) at the time.
Helmut Erich Paul Blindow (19/53503), Leutnant d. Res. (u. Krim-OA, Kripo) born 23 Feb 1909 at Zachan krs. Saatzig.

Magnus-Rudolf Stift, Sonderführer Z, born 12 Jan 1906 in Wien serving with Lw. Kriegsberichter-Komp. (Mot) 4.

Friedrich Klostermann (54/53503), Unteroffizier Bordf, born 2 Feb 1919 at Waldenburg, Schlesien

thanks Peter

[Chris Goss]

The last post on this was 12 years ago and Peter had now fully retired from such things

[John Manrho]

He was wounded, no report on him after this date.

[Black6]

thanks John