Luftwaffe casualties in Ireland 1940

[JP Vieira]

Thanks for the interesting data

[Tony Kearns]

Hello Peter,
One aspect of this incident which confuses me is the location of the crash ie the Irish Sea. Schuldt and Sturm were both washed ashore, as Martin mentions, not too far from one and other on the WEST Coast of Ireland (approx. half way up the coast). If the crash did occur in the Irish Sea it would be most likely that any bodies washed ashore would be either the Irish East Coast or the North West coast of the UK. In one particular example some bodies of a Heinkel crew whish crashed in the St George's Channel having drifted were washed ashore near Kinsale Co. Cork on the South Coast of Ireland. That is about as far west as I have ever come across.
The Irish coastwatchers did observe " a large aircraft believed to be German off the coast of Kerry " early in the morning (07.30 Irish time). It was tracked passing the Shannon Basin and up along the west coast before heading west into the Atlantic. This route was not unusual for the Condors.
I would really appreciate the expertise of a nautical person well versed in the tides and currents around the Irish Coast.
Regards
Tony K

[dp_burke]

Very good point, again my incapacity to read things properly.

Would they have been sending out regular signals of their position/situation or am I thinking of weather flights.

[Tony Kearns]

Originally Posted by dp_burke

Very good point, again my incapacity to read things properly.

Would they have been sending out regular signals of their position/situation or am I thinking of weather flights.

It was a recce/weather sortie, Sturm was a weather Frog and observations would have been reported regularly.

[dp_burke]

I wondered if Peter or others had any further comment on his location of crash in the 'Irish Sea' for this aircraft rather than in the Atlantic?

Just to clear up any confusion.

[Peter Cornwell]

Dennis,

I totally accept the very good point raised by Tony Kearns and have consequently amended my records on this incident as follows:

2./KG40 Focke-Wulf Fw200C-2 (0024). Crashed off the west coast of Ireland during weather reconnaissance sortie over the North Atlantic, cause unknown. FF1 Oberlt Theodor Schuldt (Staffelführer) and Reg. Rat. Meteorologe Dr Hans Sturm both killed, FF2 Fw Walter Berghaus, BF1 Fw Friedrich Gruber, BM Fw Friedrich Hoeger, and BF2 Gefr Walter Grässle all missing. Aircraft F8+OK 100% write-off.
The body of Theodor Schuldt was found on Aillebrack beach, near Ballyconneely, on November 12. Dr Hans Sturm was found washed ashore the same day on Dinish Island, near Lettermullen, County Galway.