Losses of Kampfgeschwader 100, June 1944

[Henofred]

Hello,

I am looking for details regarding the loss in the beginning of June 1944 (perhaps 17 - 18 June..) of a plane from KG100, 2kms S.E. of Cosne, France. Members of the aircrew were buried in Bourges.

Regards,
Frederic

[George Hopp]

It was one of three a/c on a III. Gruppe transfer flight from Toulose to Lezignan. They were just landing, with wind gusts of 80-90 km/h, when at 300m altitude one wing fell off the a/c, due to the bolts of the wing attachment point tearing away. It was an a/c of 7./KG 100, and all were killed. The name of the location is given as Coane. Hmm, anything else? The date was 17.6.44. The pilot was Ogfr. Kurt Helbich, and the a/c a Do 217 K-3, W.Nr. 4739. The 6th casualty was Kurt Mohr, a BMW engine specialist. Due to the high wind gusts 3 further a/c ended up making crash-landings, but without casualties.

All from Ulf Balke's "Kampfgeschwader 100 'Wiking'," page 305.

Hope this helps,
George

[Henofred]

Hello George,

Thank you for your answer.
So, I don’t have other one detail.

I have simply the name of the aircrew, buried at Bourges, names which correspond exactly to those of the ones killed on Lezignan airfield.

The website “Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.” points out for two members of crew: Ogefr. Haase Theobald killed 2 km südöstl. Casne (surely Cosne) on 17.06.1944 and Gef. Bertmann Fritz killed at Cosne 18.06.1944.

The place of accident would correspond then better with a burial at Bourges (Center France) which is 60km S. S.-W. of Cosne and wherein there was a German military graveyard at the time. Lezignan airfield (on south France) belongs at least to 450-500 km from Bourges and I don’t understand why this aircrew would have been buried as far from its place of accident.

All the best,
Frederic