KG77 Crash Downham Market 4 May 1941

[derek hicks]

I have the Flugbuch of the pilot (Lt. J. Wreschnick) and am trying to add to my research of this episode. Any information would be gratefuly received.

[Brian]

Hi Derek

I expect you've seen Jack Foreman's 'The Turning Point', but if not, he says that Ltn Joachim Wreschnik's Ju88 3Z+CL of 3/KG77 force-landed at Welney Wash, Downham Market shortly before dawn, crew made prisoner.

Michael Bowyer in 'Air Raid' says 3Z+CL (WkNr.4269) suffered double engine failure following a raid on Liverpool, and that the pilot ordered the crew to bale out, leaving him to crash-land and destroy the aircraft, which he was unable to do.

What else did you wish to know? Perhaps others may be able to help.

Cheers
Brian

[Brian Bines]

According to a brief report in Flypast of May 1987 Ltn. Wresschnick's aircraft was damaged by a Nightfighter which stopped the port engine. He ordered his crew to bale out and then himself made a belly-landing and tried to set fire to the Ju 88. All crewmen taken POW's, following the attack on Liverpool on 3/4 May 1941,
Regards
Brian

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi All
By a strange coincidence I am reading about this incidence in No place for chivalry by Alastair Goodrum and he quotes from various sources including the RAF crash report
"At dawn the next morning (May 5th, my addition) Norfolk police reported a Junkers 88 crash in Welney Wash, south of King's Lynn. Aircraft of I./KG77 raided Liverpool that night and Leutnant Joachim Wreschnik in Ju 88A-5, WNr 4269, coded 3Z+CL, was on his way home when things started to go wrong. RAF crash inspectors looking over the Welney aircraft found the port engine had failed and burned, but apparently not due to combat action, and the starboard engine also showed sign of damage. The original code of DE+ES was visible beneath the standard camouflage paint"
Sounds more like mechanical failure to me
Cheers
STig