Ju 88 A-5, WNr. 4332, IV./KG 3, lost 17 January 1943

[Brian Bines]

George

The crew of Fw Horstmann (4332)are shown as being killed in a crash at Poix airfield and are buried at Bourbon , while the crew of Ltn Gallipp (3311) are shown as missing following ditching at sea with the body of the Bs being washed ashore . I took it that 3311 fitted in with fell into the sea off Boulogne.

Regards
Brian Bines

[George 118]

I agree, Brian. The Ju 88 A-5 of IV./KG 3 mentioned in Simon Parry’s book is not 4332 but 3311. The question is whether it fell victim to W/C Wight-Boycott or to W/C Raphael.

[Brian Bines]

George

From combat reports and various I have that W/C Wight-Boycott of 29 Sqd. shot down a Do217 at Westerham and 2 Ju88s one at Brenzett and the other at Caterham

F/L Esplin of 29 Sqd shot down a Ju 88 at Bethersden Kent

W/C Raphael of 85 Sqd engaged a Ju 88 at 5500 ft setting the port engine on fire the e/a dived down to the sea but at 300 ft Raphael pulled up and the e/a disappered into sea haze . On landing he was told the e/a was seen to dive down to the sea at the time and location of his combat which he claimed as destroyed .

As far as I can see the Luftwaffe lost 4 Ju88s and one Do217 shot down with a further Ju88 crashing at Poix , a Do217 returning with combat damage and a Ju 88 that returned after one crewman baled out over England

[Brian Bines]

Hi George

I am afraid the crew of Lt Galipp in 3311 must now be discounted as being on the London raid of 17/18th January . I have access to another researchers Michael Balss Luftwaffe Losses and Claims collection and this shows 3311 was lost in a ditching west of Marseille . This is verified by the position 4469/O4 Ost which I can now find from the posts of Andy and Chris in answer to my Thread on asking the location of this reference , and that Flg Paul Hauptmann the Bs of the Galipp crew is buried at Dagneux in the S/E of France
A magazine article by Simon Parry from Dec 1986 titled ‘Wing Commanders Night Out ‘ covers this raid and states that a Ju 88 of IV/KG53 returning from London made a distress call that they were ditching with the position given as off Boulogne it would seem this was from the Galipp crew but just the wrong location . Balss only shows 2 losses for IV/KG 53 that night the Galipp crew and the Horstmann crew at Poix .
I have an NVM with the loss of 3 crews of KG 6 but discounted the last one as it had a cross though the names but on checking found that the crew of Hpt Erbs of 3/KG 6 were killed at a crash 20 Km N/W of Poix being shot down by a N/F . Possibly the aircraft that W/C Raphael last saw as disappearing into thick haze over the sea but almost making it home ?

Brian Bines

[George 118]

Brian
I agree with your comments. Several sources mention Ju 88A-14 Wr.Nr 4356 of 1./KG-6 crashed at the King St. Railway Crossing, Breznett, Kent as "3E + CH", whereas in the file RL 2-III/1185 (p.140) it appears as "3E + IH". Which is actually correct?

Regards
George

P.S. W/C Wight-Boycott was commanding 29 Sqn, not 85 Sqn

[Brian Bines]

The RAF crash report gives 3E+CH or GU because only the top half of the second letters being decipherable .
Most references in other publications settle for CH It would seem the top half of C would not be confused by the top half of I perhaps this was a typo in the GQM ?

[George 118]

I agree, it’s probably just a typo.