Red-Cross marked He59s July 1940

[Chris Goss]

Oblt Hermann Riedel and his crew from (I think from memory) 8 Staffel. Full story of their being shot down, picked up, shot down again and then picked up 2 days later in a minefield (during which a Do 24 tried to pick them up but crashed on landing in the sea) is in my Luftwaffe Bombers Battle of Britain and was in Flypast a number of years ago. I also have film from Hermann showing the whole thing he managed to use his cine camera the whole time (but not during the attacks)

[ju55dk]

It's correct that Riedel came from 8/III/KG 26. They were finally rescued on the 16. of august and set ashore at 15.00 hours in Borkum. The Bm of Riedels crew suffered a light wound.

Source:
KTB Seenotzentrale (Luft) Nord.

Junker

[Brian]

Thanks Chris

I have most if not all of your books beside me!! And what a story you put together on Oblt Riedel and his adventures! I wish I had more time to read just a few of the books in my personal library - I buy them, put them on the shelves and ..............!!

I note that the ASR Do24 that picked up the two crews was also white-painted and Red-Cross emblazoned, as were some Do18s I believe. Did any of these come under attack?

Holiday almost over?? We must meet up for that pint one day soon!

Cheers
Brian

[Chris Goss]

Brian: Half way through but still got 3 months to go. After Xmas, off on another operational job (based in UK) so no rest for the wicked! Could murder a pint of good British ale........

[Brian]

Hi Chris

I'll probably have a nice cold pint of good English ale tonight - I'll think of you!!! Glug! Glug! Glug!

Cheers
Brian

[Tom Willis]

Hi Seaplanes

I have as follows:

838 WL-AKAR with Seenotflug-Kdo 1; which suggests it went back to D-AKAR in July 1940

2606 DD+BC with Seenotflug-Kdo 2;

Hope this helps

Regards

Tom Willis

[pbhawkin]

HI all,
As an aside and not wanting to divert this thread I just wanted to say I feel Churchill's order on shooting down these type of planes was an overreaction (I am aware of the intelligence gathering in one He-59 pilot's notebook). I am sure that any armed aircraft could 'persuade' a Red cross marked plane (and therefore unarmed) to change it's course or activities without actually shooting it down.
As a doctor and ex-serving Army Medical Officer it is obviously a subject that is a little close to my heart!

[Seaplanes]

D-AKAR was WL-AKAR in 1939 but it went back to D-AKAR much earlier than July 1940.

He 59 DD+BC was actually W.Nr. 2600. This Stammkennzeichen has also been misquoted as DD+BG.
W.Nr. 2606 flew as D-AFFK up to its loss on 15.08.40.

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by pbhawkin

HI all,
As an aside and not wanting to divert this thread I just wanted to say I feel Churchill's order on shooting down these type of planes was an overreaction (I am aware of the intelligence gathering in one He-59 pilot's notebook). I am sure that any armed aircraft could 'persuade' a Red cross marked plane (and therefore unarmed) to change it's course or activities without actually shooting it down.
As a doctor and ex-serving Army Medical Officer it is obviously a subject that is a little close to my heart!

Stephen Bungay's book, 'The Most Dangerous Enemy' covers this issue perfectly. Well worth a read, if you can get hold of a copy.

[Seaplanes]

I can give the following info on the Seenotdienst losses and accidents for July 1940:

01.07.1940 Seenotflugkdo. 3. He 59 W.Nr. 1994 D-ASAM 100%.
Took off at 04.05 for rescue of crew of He 115C W.Nr. 3242 M2+CL of 3./106 that made a forced landing 30 miles east of Whitby off the English east coast. The last contact with D-ASAM was at 10.46. At 13.30 the plane was considered as lost due to lack of fuel. The crew was:
Uffz. Ernst Otto Nielsen (F) not wounded
Lt. Hans-Joachim Fehske (B) not wounded
Ob.Gefr. Erich Philipp not wounded
Uffz. Stuckmann (Bm) severly wounded
All became POW's. The same was the case of the crew of M2+CL
The date for this accident is also given as 02.07.40, but according to the KTB of Seenotdienst (Luft) Nord for July 1940, it did take place on 01.07.40.

09.07.1940 Seenotflugkdo. 1. He 59 W.Nr. 1726 D-ASUO 100%.
Forced down on Goodwin Sands off Ramsgate. The aircraft took off from Boulogne to look for a missing Bf 109. Forced down by Pilot Officer J L. Allen a Spitfire of No. 54 Sq. RAF at 08.00 pm.. Aircraft captured damaged.
Fw. G. Maywald POW
Uffz. H. Natmann POW
Uffz. W. Anders POW
Uffz. E. Schiele POW

11.07.1940 Seenotflugkdo. 1. He 59 W.Nr. 1846 D-AGIO 100%
Shot down in the Channel by an Avro Anson of No. 217 Sq. RAF. Aircraft also reported as hit by a destroyer. Crew rescued.
Also seen crew of four captured as POW’s in their dinghy off the Channel islands.

20.07.1940 Seenotflugkdo. 4. He 59 W.Nr. 838 D-AKAR 100%.
Abandoned by its crew some 8 km south of Selsey during attempts by F/O Hubbard, P/O Grier and P/O Dulton of No. 601 Sq. RAF to escort the He 59 to the shores.
Crew was apparently Fw. Degel (F), Fw. Luppe (B), Gefr. Rosenthal (Bf) and Hauptgefr. Filz (Bm) all taken as POW's.
This loss is also reported on 23.07.40 in the KTB of Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M. for July.

25.07.1940 Seenotflugkdo. 5. He 59 W.Nr. 839 DA+MK. Reporte first as 30 - 60% damaged, but later 100%. Crashed during take-off from Norderney for a transfer flight. No casualties.

28.07.1940 Seenotflugkdo. 3. He 59 W.Nr. 1989 D-AROO 100%
100% Shot down by enemy fighters during ASR-sortie in the English Channel. Pos. 51° 12’ N, 10° 40’ E. Shot down by Sgt. Robinson of No. 111 Sq. RAF at 3.20 p.m.
Oblt. Erich Chudziak killed
Uffz. Ernst Melzer killed
Uffz. Josef Baumüller killed
Gfr. Willi Paddags killed
Uffz. Josef Buess rescued

28.07.1940 Seenotflugkdo. 3. He 59 W.Nr. 1851 D-ASUC 100%
60% Damaged by fire from enemy fighters during ASR-sortie in English Channel. Landed on the water approx. 16 km west of Boulogne. Aslo reported as 100% accident.
Fw. Niwiadowski (F) wounded
Lt. Helmut Sandgaard (B) wounded
Gfr. Feugel (Bf) wounded
Gfr. Berg (Bm) killed
Obgfr. Nüchter killed