German loss on March 23, 1944 - Pleucadeuc, Brittany, France

[Henofred]

Hello/Bonjour,

I am looking for an accident that occurred on March 23, 1944 near the town of Pleucadeuc, in Brittany, France. Pleucadeuc is located about 30 kms northeast of Vannes. A Gendarmerie report mentions the death of the three aircrew members. The plane was apparently part of a group of four. A German detachment from Pleucadeuc (billeted at Chateau of Villeneuve) is on site to secure the place and recover parts and bodies. No further details in this French report.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Nick Beale]

Have you already tried the website L’Aviation en Bretagne 1939-45?

https://www.absa3945.com

[Henofred]

Hello Nick,

Yes I tried...but found nothing. This loss is not known by the ABSA 39-45.

All the best,
Frederic

[John Manrho]

Ju 88C-6, 750719, 2./ZG 1, Molac, 3 KIA

[Henofred]

Hello John,

Great ! A huge thank you.

We have more details on this accident? Like names and ranks of the aircrew members? A take-off from Vannes-Meucon airdrome?

Below some excerpts from the Gendarmerie report about this accident:

"At the crash site, some fifteen German soldiers were busy picking up the wreckage, which was scattered over an area of several acres. Some of the wood in this area had been burnt down, including several large fir trees."

"Yesterday, March 23, at around 10:00 a.m., four aircraft I recognized as German flew over the chateau de Villeneuve in Pleucadeuc. They were flying at low altitude (around 200 meters). They circled the chateau two or three times, doing acrobatics. Suddenly, I saw one of them flips over, dive towards the ground and crash into the woods about 200 meters from me. I immediately went to the scene with a fellow worker. The Germans, who were in the chateau de Villeneuve, had also arrived on the scene. The plane exploded and immediately caught fire, which spread to the surrounding woods. All three occupants of the plane were killed. I helped fight the fire, which was quickly contained."

"A detachment of German soldiers was billeted at the Chateau de Villeneuve in Pleucadeuc. They have arranged to guard the wreckage of the airplane. The victims were removed during the evening by a German service."

Best regards,
Frederic

[John Manrho]

FF: Uffz. Rolf Leonhardt, geb. 12.09.1920
BF: Uffz. Erich Haas, geb. 05.08.1920
BS: Uffz. Karl-Heinz Ewert, geb. 06.04.1923
Brand bei Landung, 95%, 4 km nordöstlich Molac. Unfall.

[Chris Goss]

NVM says 28kms ENE Vannes on training flight

[Henofred]

Hello John and Chris,

Thank you John for these additional details. And the NVM is right Chris, Molac (near Pleucadeuc) il located East North-East of Vannes, France. The German unit billeted at the chateau de Villeneuve is the Festungs Pionier Stab 17, under command of Oberst Dr. Ing. Wilhelm Göller. I read that the aircrews were training for low-level flights, which is probably the reason for this accident, as the witness mentions that the plane was flying low.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Nick Beale]

The Air Operational Watch Report for the day, CX/MSS/OPD 1121 (in National Archives HW 13/38) says:

Heavy fighter patrols in the Bay [of Biscay] were flown in considerable strength, at least 15 Ju 88s being operated from Lorient and Vannes. Contact was made with Coastal Command a/c and a Sunderland was shot down about 1400 [BST] …

Intentions:

1) 5 Ju 88s to leave Vannes at 1145 for operation, flying out and in over 14W 486 and landing at 1645

2) 15 Ju 88s tobe airborne in Lorient for Vannes at 1150 (proceeding thence to) Square 4869. A/c to land in Lorient and Vannes.

The interpretation of this second intention is conjectural, and it is not clear whether the 15 Ju 88s are meant to include the 5 up from Vannes or not … In all 4 a/c of the first Staffel (E, N, M and V) were heard in W/T, as well as L of the second. CHVL FM [factory marking] identified as I./ZG 1) contacted Kerlin 1259–1317 and presumably belings to the second Staffel while PLOX (Ju 88) was called by both Kerlin and Vannes at different times during the operation.
Note: In addition to the above it is known that 6 Ju 88s w… to fly from Bordeaux to 14W 551, crossing Cap Ferr… 1420. This perhaps refers to a training flight by 7 …

Some words at the edge of the page were lost when the reports were bound into the file. All those flights took place later than your crash, reinforcing what Chris said about a training flight (or a test flight prior to the day's operation, perhaps?).

On 20 March I./ZG 1 had 40 (20) Ju 88s with 18 crews ready for operations; III./ZG 1 had 16 (10) Ju 88s and 11 crews ready. (Bundesarchiv RL 2-III/729b)

[Chris Goss]

Low level training looks like in preparation for anti-invasion operations