Luftwaffe dump Elham Kent

[PeterVerney]

I lived in Elham, near Canterbury, East Kent and can remember opposite my home was a farmyard with a barn and stables, in Back Row Elham.
During 1940 any Luftwaffe aircraft which crashed in the vicinity was brought here.
I guess they were examined for the latest equipment etc.
Does anyone know of this site and if there are any records anywhere

[VtwinVince]

Presumably the remains of Oblt. Priebe's 109 would have wound up there.

[PeterVerney]

I have to say I can only assume so. I was only 8 years old, but one of my firm memories is of Priebe coming down on his parachute. I thought he was going to catch on the church spire, he landed about 100 yards away in the playing field on the edge of the village.

[Dave Wadman]

Hello Peter,

If you can find a copy of 'The Battle of Britain - Then & Now', you will find two photos of the Elham dump on p552; one taken in 1940 and one taken circa mid-1980s. The site of the dump was at the back of Autumn Cottage beside the old main road now renamed 'The Row'.

The ISBN for the Battle of Britain book is: 0-900913-46-0. You might want to check the reference section of your local library as copies of the book are often to be found there.

Also, you could contact Peter Cornwell here on the discussion board who probably has some more info on this and other dumps.

Hope this has been of some use.

Regards

Dave

[Brian Bines]

I think a book called 'Harvest of Messerschmitts' had a section on the dump,
Regards
Brian Bines

[John Vasco]

Brian,

Quite right about 'Harvest of Messerschmitts'. The photo in BoBT&N is also in 'Harvest', on page 140, but in 'Harvest' there is also another photo showing the starboard side of Ofw. Beeck's Bf 109 E-4, 'Yellow 10', of 6./JG 51 at the dump.

[PeterVerney]

Many thanks for all replies.
I have "Harvest of Messerschmitts" which gives a very good representation of life in the village at that peculiar time, as well as a commentary on the war as it happened. Having lived there throughout the war I have strong memories of some incidents.
However I would like to find any paperwork relating to that dump, I have tried searching the National Archives site to no avail

[VtwinVince]

Peter,

That's very interesting that you witnessed Priebe's descent. I was good friends with him for many years, and we often talked about the romanticized versions of his shoot-down that circulated after the war and definite establishment as to who the victor was in that combat.

[Flitzer]

If you've followed this thread so far you will be interested in the book Priebe wrote in 1990, Thank you Canada. Amazon shows one used at $1.50, hardcover no less. Hardly anything on his combats prior to the day of his shootdown, the book is mostly on the rest of his life, POW in Canada, postwar manager for Lufthansa in Canada. The book will fit well on your bookshelf next to Ulrich Steinhilpers three volume set that starts with Spitfire on my Tail.

http://www.amazon.com/Thank-you-Cana...8690230&sr=1-1

[VtwinVince]

'Thank you, Canada' is a good read, I picked up an autographed copy from the author.