Ju 188 or Ju 88G-6 East-Belgium 30 November 1944

[Sirkmicky]

According to a document (source: AFHRA microfilm) from the 366th Fighter Group, Office of the Intelligence Officer APC 595 US Army:
"at approximately 2030 hours 30 November 1944 what is believed to be a JU-188 (or a Ju 88G-6)*was shot down (two bursts were fired) by a night fighter (Mosquito) near the Y-29 airfield (at Wiemesmeer,*Zutendaal, Belgium). It is believed that 4 men bailed out. The wounded men were taken by ambulance (Capt. Kerns attending) under escort of MP's to the Evacuation Hospital at Maastricht. Eleven E/A were said to have flown over the area. George E.G. Prader Major, Air Corps Intelligence Officer."
This is not Ju 88G-6 WNr. 620598 which crashed near Asch on 30 November 1944. Anybody more on this?

[John Manrho]

Why is it not 620598? There are no other matches on 30 Nov 1944.

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks for the interesting post, I agree with John that this is the only Ju88 that fits the bill. Question: what would be a matching Allied night fighter claim to this loss of 3./NJG2?

Cheers, Theo

[Brian Bines]

ADI(K) report 659/1944 shows - Near Asch Belgium, 30th November 1944 at Approx. 2200hrs Ju88 G-6 4R+0L crew of 4 baled out Pows with one man seriously injured . It goes onto to say they were attacked by a Mosquito but evaded they then closed in on a Lancaster and were hit by fire from the rear gunner at the same time they were hit from below by a N/F. Ff Uffz Fritz Heyland , B Uffz Heinz Ruthmann ,Bf Uffz Gunter Nietsch , Bm Ogef. Josef Kreutzmann all Pow with the Bf seriously injured - werk nummer from other source 620598
There does not appear to be another loss with 4 prisoners taken that night .

[Sirkmicky]

Thanks for all your comment. Why I assume the one in the report is not WNr. 620598? Because the intelligence report indicates a distance to the crash from Y-29. 1/2 mile. Remains of a Ju 88G-version were found also near the city of Asch (knowadays As) approx. 4 mile from Y-29. So as stated in some sources I suppose the Ju 88G near Asch is WNr. 620598, and there had to be a second one near Y-29. Another possibility is that the distance given in the report is the location of where a crewmember was found.

On the Kracker-website is standing Uffz. Fritz "Heyden" not Heyland although some sources indicate "Heyland". Anybody knows for sure the correct name of Fritz?

[Sirkmicky]

XIX Sqn 85 Mosquito took a Ju-88 down on 30 November 1944 (book: "Confounding the Reich")

[John Manrho]

FF: Uffz. Fritz Heyland, born 11.07.1922
BS: Ogfr. Josef Kreutzmann, born 03.09.1923
BF: Uffz. Günter Nietsch, born 22.11.1922
BF: Uffz. Heinz Ruthmann, born 23.04.1922

The ADI(K) Report just says "near Asch"

Which Intelligence Report do you mean?

John

[Sirkmicky]

Hi John, thanks. The report I mentioned in the beginning of this thread. No reference number. Comes from the 366th FG microfilms. So Heyland is the correct surname of Fritz.

[Theo Boiten]

I've checked the Mosquito claims on 30.11-1.12.44 and have no matching claim for the Ju88 loss near As/Belgium. I have matched the two 100 Group Mosquito claims as follows: at 20.20 hrs, 85 Squadron Mosquito ‘Z’ shot down Ju88 G-6 2Z+CC in the hands of Hptm. Schulte, Kommandeur of II./NJG6, near Altenkirchen/Westerwald. A Ju88 G of IV./NJG6 was destroyed by 157 Squadron Mosquito ‘M’, in Grid Square PS (between Frankfurt and Giessen) at 20.45 hrs. A third Mosquito claim (by 410 Squadron) claim can be matched to the loss of a 3./NJG2 Ju88 in the hands of Oblt. Breithaupt SE of Arsbeck.

Perhaps someone can enlighten me what other Allied night fighter claims were made in the area where Uffz. Heyland and crew were lost.

Cheers, Theo

[Sirkmicky]

"The rear gunner of the Lancaster (or other type of bomber-aircraft) acted first, and before the pilot of the Ju 88 could open fire his aircraft received a full burst from the Lancaster's tail armament. At the same moment the Ju 88 received another burst from below, presumably from a night fighter; the combination of both attacks put the flying controls out of action, in addition to which the port engine caught fire. The crew baled out and the four members were captured." (from www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com )

So maybe there is more to find out about this encounter in the RAF bomber-reports of that night in that region?