Hptm. Helmut Bergmann

[mhuxt]

OK gents;

I'm now Officially Confused. Was this officer lost on 6/7 July 1944, or 6/7 August 1944?

Cheers,

Mark

[Gordon Raddock]

Hi Mark

I'd like to add to the confusion!! According to Obermaier's "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939-1945 Band 1" Bergmann failed to return from a mission over the Invasion front on the night of 6/7 August 1944. Chris Shores' "Aces High Volume 2" states that Bergmann was the victim of Flt Lt Edward Richard Hedgecoe and Flt Sgt JR Whitham of 85 Sqn on the night of 6/7 December 1944.

Sorry, not much help!
Cheers
Gordon

[ju55dk]

Obermeier is right. According to the WASt-Verlustmeldung the Bf 110G-4 Wnr. 140320 3C+CS was lost 06-07.08.1944 in the area Mortain-Avranches. Aircraft did not return from a nightmission! Crew:
Hptm. Helmuth Bergmann, Fw. Günther Hauthal and Fw. Wilhelm Schopp all missing.

Junker

[mhuxt]

Many thanks gents. Was hoping for WASt info as I couldn't find anything to support 6/7 July - must have been a mis-print or simple finger trouble.

Gordon - yes, on checking my data, I found I also had the additional entry for Hptm. Bergmann on 6/7 December, which I've duly removed.

For what it's worth, I had a conflicting entry for the same incident, which gave Hedgecoe / Whitham as possibly having shot down: "Bf 110 G-4 Wrk.Nr. 740078 G9+HZ of 12./NJG 1, which crashed north of Handorf, killing Staffelkapitaen Hauptmann Hans-Heinz Augenstein and radar operator Guenther Steins. Gunner Uffz. Kurt Schmidt baled out WIA." As Augenstein was also a Rittkreuztraeger, perhaps the confusion stems from there. Source was one of the Osprey Combat Aircraft books.

Cheers,

Mark

[Paris7]

ju55dk

Thank you for clarifying things, Hpt Helmut Bergmann is of great interest to me, he seems to have been quite a pilot. He shot 7 Lancasters down on 10/11 3 44, my father was the pilot of the 6th Lancaster he claimed that night. It seems Helmut Bergmann was celebrating his promotion earlier that day (10th April 44); thankfully my father managed to bail out and escaped capture, several of his crew wern't so lucky.

I would be very grateful if you could tell me more about Bergmann and the Luftwaffe base at Chenay France, I am unable to pinpoint it as there are several French places named "Chenay", I'm guessing it is just north east of Reims?
Is there any record of where Hpt Bergmann flew from on the night of 6/7 Aug 44? Do you know, was he still based at Chenay?

[Adriano Baumgartner]

If Hptm Bergmann was not shot down by the 85 Squadron crew ( Hedgecoe ) on 6/7th December 1944, WHO claimed him and his crew on the night of 6/7th August? Flak? Or a RAF Mosquito?
Any information about who claimed this ace and his crew would be welcomed to this thread!
All the best for all and thanks for adding sharing new information ( at least for me! )
Adriano

[Leo Etgen]

Hello guys

Here is what I have been able to compile on this ace so far. I hope that you find it useful. Any corrections or additions will be very welcome.

http://rapidshare.com/files/233489858/Bergmann.zip.html

Horrido!

Leo

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Mr. Etgen -

Please forgive me, but is that a "pay-per-view" site? In other words, anyone who might wish to see your file has to pay $54.00 or something? I've never seen a site like that before so I am a little confused.

Thanks.

[Chris Goss]

Bergmann was shot down by John Surman of 604Sqn. I have written numerous articles on Bergmann if anyone wants to know more

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Larry

Rapidshare is a file sharing site where one can upload files so that others can then download them to their computer. You have to click on "Free User" under what appears to look like a clock and then on the next page the "Download" button. Unfortunately, Rapidshare only allows for a file to be downloaded 10 times before the link expires. If you are a Premium member then the files that you upload are never deleted and so on but you have to pay. You still should be able to download the file. Any corrections will be very helpful.

Horrido!

Leo