III./K.G.55 mission 29 September 1940

[leonventer]

Hi Tony,

Originally Posted by Tony Kearns

Thanks for that, I have names for the G1+DT but was hoping for confirmation ... I do believe that there was a history of this KG published in German, anyone confirm this?

Yes, it's "Kampfgeschwader 55 'Greif'" by Wolfgang Dierich. The book contains a couple of paragraphs about an evening raid on Merseyside by III./KG 55 on Sep 29. The bombers were picked up by Cornish radar, and eleven Hurricanes from 79 Squadron were scrambled from Pembrey. The fighters found the 9. Staffel in the waning light, but 7. and 8. Staffel slipped through unnoticed.

Dierich confirms that G1+DT was shot down over St George's Channel, G1+BT made an emergency landing at St Lo, and one more crew (no details) had to land at Brest. The German gunners claimed three Hurricanes.

From the list of Geschwader losses in the appendix, these crews were as follows:

G1+DT
Flugzeugführer: Oblt Hans Köhler (missing)
Beobachter: Fw Horst Birkholz (killed)
Bordfunker: Uffz Rudolf Firchau (killed)
Bordmechaniker: Fw Martin Lippert (missing)
Bordschütze: Gefr Franz Günther (killed)

G1+BT (all wounded)
Flugzeugführer: Uffz Hernberg
Beobachter: Fw Blessing
Bordfunker: Uffz Emil Hemmerle
Bordmechaniker: Ogfr Nuscher
Bordschütze: Gefr Heinz Tasche

Leon Venter

[Chris Goss]

Luftflotte 3 reports that 8 ac of III/KG 55 took off at 1730 hrs to attack the Gloster Works at Hucclecote. At 1935 hrs over St George's Channel, they were attacked by 15 fighters. One ac was badly damaged, its crew baled out OK and it crashed One aircraft missing

[Tony Kearns]

Thank you Leon and Chris,
It was suggested to me that one or two Heinkels made force/crash landings on return to France but I do not have any details of this. Chris, the RAF lost three Hurricanes from 79 Sqn. in that incident, F/O GCB Peters was killed and is buried in Ireland. P/O Nelson-Edwards baled out and was picked from the sea. P/O Paul Mayhew force landed his Hurricane P5178 in Ireland and became the first British Internee. The Hurricane was purchased for the Irish Air Corps and became no 93.
Tony K