Ofw.Bernhard Nickel 20.10.40 8/KG55.

[steve sheridan]

Hi, on this date Ofw.Bernhard Hickel and crew on return from operations suffered the loss of their aircraft when a " hung up" incendiary bomb exploded and completely destroyed their a/c. which was burnt out.

The a/c in question was coded G1+HS of 8/KG55 but I don't have a Werk Nummer or subtype. Source " KG55 In Focus" by Hall and Quinlan and on the net WW2 Images Archive ref. AO2348P Would there be a NVM report for this loss that might provide further information?

The following day III/KG55 reported the loss of Heinkel 111H-2 W.Nr 2663 on
21.10.40 which was destroyed in a mid air fire. I'm wondering whether this is the a/c above with the Hickel crew! Does anybody have more on this loss?
Any clues to these incidents or whether there linked would be welcome.
Best regs,
Steve.

[steve sheridan]

Please note the name is Hickel not Nickel as per the title!
Steve.

[Nick Beale]

You should find the losses reported in the QMG lists online from the Bundesarchiv. For the file reference, see the thread on “GQM Verluste and Unfälle” on this forum.

[John Manrho]

Ofw. Hickel indeed in WNr. 2663.

[AndyMa]

According to "Bau der Heinkel He 111 in Deutschland bis 1945" (Koos) He111 WNr.2663 was a He111P-2.

[Andy Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

You should find the losses reported in the QMG lists online from the Bundesarchiv. For the file reference, see the thread on “GQM Verluste and Unfälle” on this forum.

Sadly, RL2-III/1175 (Bd 3. 3 Sep 40 - 2 Jan 41) has not yet been digitised on invenio. (Neither has RL2-III/1174 (Bd 4. 3 June 40 - 2 Sep 40).

[steve sheridan]

Gentlemen thanks very much for your help, so it would appear that according to John Manrho's information Ofw Hickel was flying W.Nr 2663 and the subtype was P-2. Can we determine the time of the loss, is this given on the NVM for 20th or 21st of October.
Best regs,
Steve.

[Nick Beale]

It might be worth a look at the daily sitreps on the German Docs in Russia site. These aren’t usually detailed enough to deal with individual losses but you may get clues to targets and times of operations:

https://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/...de/grid/zoom/1

[Andy Mitchell]

Steve/Nick,

III./KG 55, on the night of 21/21.10.40, took part in the attack on London.

This from Einzelmeldung Nr 3 vom 21.10.40
"by 11 He 111 between 22.35 and 23.20 hrs. 44 SC 250, 21 Flam 250, 28 SC 50. Dropped after dead reckoning and Knickebein. Partial fire observed through thin cloud layer." (note that this Einzelmeldung is not timed although Nr 4 from this date is timed at 12.15 hrs)

There is a separate report on the Grossangriff gegen London vom 20./21.10.40 - but this only mentions the loss of 1 Do 17 of KG 76 and 1 Ju 88 of KG 77.

The Einzelmeldung Nr 1 vom 22.10.40 mentions the loss of 1 Do 17 of KG 76 and 1 Ju 88 of I./KG 51.

I am assuming that the loss occurred on 21.10.40.

However, III./KG 55 also took part in the raid on London on 19/20.10.40 as well. (7 He 111 - Einzelmeldung Nr 3 vom 20.10.40). In Einzelmeldung Nr 4 vom 20.10.40 there is a record of 1 He 111 of III./KG 55 aborting the operation due to technical issues.

Hope that this is of some help.

[steve sheridan]

Thanks Nick and Andy, some good reports to investigate further.
Perhaps Matti may have a NVM report for this loss to further clarify things as regards to time or date?
Kindest regs,
Steve.