7./KG4 Newcastle on Tyne 02.07.1940

[bill norman]

Anyone have any details of the three Ju88s and crews of 7 KG4 that raided Newcastle and Jarrow in late afternoon of 2 July 1940 ? The raid was led by Hajo Herrmann.

BN (www.billnorman.co.uk)

[Larry Hickey]

Bill,

According to the translation (from German) of the Heinrich Weiss Manuscript for July 2, 1940, I provide this excerpt (Copyright IHRA 2012):

"Despite unfavorable weather the 9th Air Division attempted to strike the Vickers-Armstrong Factory plant in Newcastle-on-Tyne with three Ju 88 bombers of 7./KG4. Two crews reported dropping 8 SC250 bombs, which were accurate and caused some explosions. Then the German bombers encountered enemy fighters and climbed up into the clouds. Heavy AA fire came from downtown and from the eastern outskirts (of the city). The barrage-balloons were positioned at an altitude between 1300 and 1500 meters. A new airfield, still under construction, was spotted approx. 10-15 km east of the city.

The bombs fell in Newcastle and Jarrow, on the southern bank of the Tyne Estuary. They inflicted material losses and killed 13 civilians and wounded 121.

Flak splinters hit one of the engines of the Ju 88 bomber coded “5J+BR”. The pilot tried to nurse his shot-up plane back to base but shortly after crossing of the coast the engine started to burn and the plane was forced down near Iheringsfehn, 10 km NNE of Lee in the East Frisian Island Chain and was an 85% write-off:

7./KG4 Ju 88A-1 “5J+BR” (5066) 85% Forced-landed in its own territory after being damaged by flak.
Uffz. Wilhelm Knobling (pilot) WIA
Uffz. Gerhard Levadowski (auxiliary observer) WIA
Uffz. Hans Krahn (wireless operator) WIA [end of page]
Gefr. Karl Rauchfuß (flight engineer) WIA"

Our EoE loss list for this date provides this information:

"July 2, 1940: 7./KG4 Junkers Ju88A-1 (5066). Wrecked in crash-landing at Jheringsfehn, north-east of Leer, due to engine failure. FF Uffz Wilhelm Knobling, BO Uffz Gerhard Lewandowski, BF Uffz Hans Krahn, and BM Gefr Karl Rauchfuß all badly injured. Aircraft 5J+BR 85% damaged - write-off."

I should note that I'm sure that Peter Cornwell will be revising this entry further based upon the info from Weiss.

If you have anything that you can add to this account or our loss list, including information from the British fighter interception, events on the ground, etc., please contact me. I'm wondering whether anywhere there might be photos of this Ju88 FL on the German island.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[Jim P.]

Larry, it would appear that this machine was repaired and put back into service.

Ju 88A-5, 5066, Beckers, Uffz. Ferdinand, , , , Fluglehrersch. d.Lw., , , NO+CO, , 25-May-43, Killed in crash due to pilot error., , Lw.Bfh.Mitte/Deutschland, BA-MA Signatur RL 2 III/775, Flzg.Unfälle bei Schulen und usw., p.122; BA-MA Signatur RL 2 III/783, Flzg.Unfälle bei Schulen und usw., p.223, Medcalf, Brandenburg-Briest, 100%, H, , , Heinkel Flzg.Werke Oranienburg in May-40.

[Larry Hickey]

Jim,

Hmmm. 85% wrecked brought back to service is a lot of repair. Nothing is ever simple. I wonder if either of these entries might be an error. Of course, with a million or two spent, a 99.9% loss found these days can be flying in the airshow circuit in a few years. Find a constructors data plate and with enough money and time a whole new a/c can be built around it.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[bill norman]

Larry, thanks for the information. Though I do not have proof - at the moment - I suspect that the fighters belonged to No.72(Spitfire)Sqdn based at Acklington or No.607(Hurricane) based at Usworth. The information I had prior to your posting was included in my ' Luftwaffe Losses over Northumberland & Durham, 1939-45' (Leo Cooper, 2002) pp48-51 and was based on Herrmann's own account in his autobiography, 'Eagle's Wings' (Guild Publishing edition, 1991) pp62-65. I can supply a copy of the extract from my 'Luftwaffe Losses..' but it is too long to send via this forum. Send me your own email (by PM?) and I'll forward a copy.
BN (www.billnorman.co.uk)

[RT]

Ju88 NO+CO hv to be the 5067 ...


Rémi

[edNorth]

No, NO+CO was 5066,
only accident 25.05.1943 was 5065 NO+CN (ATG assembled, not Heinkel)
besides NO+CB to NO+CV appears uninterupted block 088/5053 to 5073
(Flugbuch Baltabol)

[Jim P.]

Ed, that certainly makes more sense. Can I pm you for more information on this?

[Peter Cornwell]

Larry,

No correction necessary. Current entry in the loss lists stands as follows:

7./KG4 Junkers Ju88A-1 (5066). Engine damaged by AA fire during daylight sortie to attack the Vickers-Armstrong Elswick works at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Caught fire during return flight resulting in crash-landing on moorland at Kleinhesel, near Jheringsfehn, north-east of Leer. FF Uffz Wilhelm Knobling, BO Uffz Gerhard Lewandowski, BF Uffz Hans Krahn, and BM Gefr Karl Rauchfuß all badly injured. Aircraft 5J+BR 85% damaged - write-off.
Possibly the aircraft that attempted to bomb oil storage tanks at Jarrow 6.15 p.m. the primary target being shrouded in low cloud and heavily protected by a balloon barrage. The bombs missed and exploded in a working-class district 300 yards west of the intended target causing thirteen civilian deaths, with 123 more injured, and many others rendered homeless.

[Larry Hickey]

Peter,

My post was a year ago (2012), and you updated this on 25.09.12 after my post. So both of us are right; you've just posted the updated and current info on this loss.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator