KFlGr losses 30th September/1st August 1940

[Hans Nauta]

Dear all,

I'm struggling with some KFlGr losses at the seaplane base Schellingwoude, The Netherlands, during the night of 31st July/1st August 1940.

During this night two Hampdens attacked Schellingwoude and two He.115's were lost. Lt z See Starke and Lt z See Richter were wounded during this attack.

According to the, rather dated, Battle over Britain by Mason, these two crewmembers were lost however during two seperated missions of 3./KFlGr506 off the British coast.

To make things more complicated on 1st August also 2 He.115's of 3./KFlGr106 and 1 Ar.196 of 1./BFlSt196 of 3./KFlGr106 were lost at Schellingwoude as a result of landing accidents!

Unfortunately the KTB of the nearby airfield of Schiphol doesn't record any of these losses, so I hope somebody can shed a light on this.
Hope also somebody can add details regarding the identity or crewmembers of the lost He.115's of 3./KFlGr106 and Ar.196 of 1./BFlSt196.

Thanks in advance,
Hans Nauta

[Brian]

Hi Hans

I think you need a little more water with your whisky! Just what date are you referring to?

Cheers
Brian

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your quick response. Yes, should have left the booz on the shelves tonight...

The exact date is the night of 31st July on 1st August 1940.

Best regards,
Hans

[Seaplanes]

First of all, no losses of seaplanes were reported for 31.07.1940. For 01.08.1940 two He 115s from 3./506 were reported missing off the east coast of Scotland. 3./506 was then based at Stavanger, Norway and consequently had nothing to do with Schellingwoude.
On 01.08.1940 the following units were transferred to Schellingwoude:
Stab K.Fl.Gr. 106 from Norderney.
3./106 with He 115 from Borkum.
3./906 with He 115 from Norderney.
1./196 detachment with Ar 196 from Thisted, Denmark.
In addition the Seenotdienst operated a small detachment of one or two aircraft (He 59) from Schellingwoude.
On 01.08.1940 1./196 reported 70% damage to Ar 196A-2 W.Nr. 0066
when landing at Schellingwoude. No casualties.
Also the He 115C W.Nr. 3239 of 3./106 was reported 100% when making a crash landing at Schellingwoude. No casualties.
The same unit reported one crewmember killed when he fell overboard during take off from Schellingwoude.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, guys.

Just to make sure....

In Genst.Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (IC) Nr.3709/40 g.Kdos of 04.08.1940 these aircraft are listed as lost. The date given however, implicitly by the document header, is August 2nd (Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden am 2.8.1940). Other aircraft losses in the same document are marked with the date 1.8. while these are not.

There are in total 4 losses (the 1./196 Ar 196, the 3./106 He 115 and the two 3./506 He 115, commanded by Lt.z.See Starke and Richter respectively). There seems to have been no personnel losses for the Ar 196 and the 3./106 He 115.

Your reference is the KTB Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M. seaplanes?

So I should correct the loss date for these aircraft to 1.8.?

Best regards,
Andreas B

[Seaplanes]

Thank you Mr. B for making these points. I do not know what came over me when I wrote my first posting, but I have now dug into the matter and can give the following corrections to these losses and accidents:

01.08.40 3./106 He 115C W.Nr. 3239 100% Schellingwoude. Crashed during landing due to pilot error. No casualties. Crew rescued.

02.08.40 3./506 He 115C W.Nr. 2767 S4+FK (DC+GR) 100% missing off east coast of Scotland while on a torpedo sortie. Crew of three missing.
Lt.z.See Hans-Joachim Richter (B), Uffz. Heinz Löffler (F) and Fw. Hermann Hansen (Bf).

02.08.40 3./506 He 115C W.Nr. 2758 (DC+GI) 100% missing off the east coast of Scotland while on a torpedo sortie. Crew of three missing. Lt.z.See Wilhelm Starke (B), Fw. Siegfreid Gast (F) and Fw. Alexander Waldmann (Bf).

02.08.40 1./196 Ar 196A-2 W.Nr. 0066 70% crashed during landing in Schellingwoude. No casualties.

12.08.40 3./106 Obgefr. Karl Hagemann killed when he fell overboard during take-off from Schellingwoude in a He 115.

All info from KTB August 1940 from Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M.

The camel is already swallowed

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, guys.

Just checked a bit further. A 3./106 He 115 is also listed as lost on 1.8. in the loss reports of 13.08.1940.

It is thus possible that we have one aircraft from this unit lost on the 1.8., and one on the 2.8.

BTW, the person that fell overbord is also mentioned in this report

Comments?

Best regards,
Andreas B

[Hans Nauta]

Dear Seaplanes and Andreas,

Thanks a lot for your contribution!

Seaplanes, the reported crewmember who fell overboard was in fact BF Obgefr Karl-Heinz Hagemann, ErkM 73172/48. However, this occured on 12th August 1940, not 1st August 1940.

Best regards,
Hans Nauta