Seenotflug KDO He59 losses Aug 1940

[Andy Saunders]

I have been in recent discussions with Peter Cornwell on the subject of the possible 8 August 1940 He59 loss.

The late Heinrich Weiss evidently had logged this incident 25km south of the IOW although there is no evidence of the loss in the Luftwaffe Quartermaster's Returns or the Namen Verlustmeldung documents. The conclusion Peter Cornwell came to is that on the balance of probabilities this incident did not happen. That said, I know that Peter and I would welcome anything that might substantiate what Heinrich Weiss had recorded, or further detail as to his source. In the absence of such coroborative evidence I feel a very big question mark must hang over this loss, although of course Sqn Ldr Harold Fenton (238 Sqn) did claim to have shot down the He59 that sent him into the water. The full story of the day may be found here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Convoy-Peewi.../dp/1906502676

Whilst I have nothing on the 26 August episode, there was an interesting episode that day when the crew of a He.111, G1+GN, 5/KG55, were rescued off the IOW by a German air sea rescue launch. The He 111 was piloted by Fw Karl Brunning. Here he is on board the rescue ship with Oblt von dem Hagen seated. This photo was given to me by Brunning when I visited him in 1977 who told me that they were picked up in The Solent making this a rather audacious rescue!

As a matter of interest, what are the uniforms of the rescue crew? Is this the Seenot service - if so, Kriegsmarine or Luftwaffe? The uniforms appear a compoletely seperate service. Is it the DGzRS? I feel I ought to know....but don't!