Petworth Boys School bombing by Ju88

[nickle]

Gents, thankyou for such prompt and informed replies.

Brian, the paint pattern would seem a likely reason for believeing the a/c to be black. And with where the swastika usually is, in just a quick look but without actually seeing it, a number, I guess, could easily be mistaken for a swastika. But if a Staffel colour is red, what part is actually red? The lettering? I can recognise German a/c easily, but when it comes to detail like that, I wouldn't have a clue.

Chris, my 'eye witness' accounts turned out not to be so, but just what "probably" happened. Even as I listened to them, I was wondering why an He 111 would be heading for the deck instead of the low clouds having been found by absolute chance by an RAF fighter, see the tall chimneys in Petworth and take a well aimed shot at one of them as it tries to slip the fighter. And if that were so, I'd be looking for a crash report of an He111, as you said, in my limited understanding, it would have been suicidal. So all highly unlikely, but which eventually turned from probability into fact over the course of almost 70 years.

Could the timings of raids from specific bases and types of a/c put Faulhaber and Lucke into the pilots seat of that Ju88 do you think? It would be an educated guess on your parts gentlemen and I'll be following your evidence. Where can I go to find out about these two men, I mean, who do I contact in Germany as the internet will only give me so much. I've researched crews on KG55 and found it very difficult without the knowledge you both clearly have.

Many thanks,

Nick

[Chris Goss]

Without anything but circumstantial evidence, I would not attempt an educated guess. If both are still alive, I greatly doubt that they would be able to add anything. I was in touch with Hans-Joachim Faulhaber some years ago when he asked me to identify who shot him up in 1942-I have photos of both Germans but again, they might not be the ones involved

[Andy Saunders]

If they are alive then obviously they will be in very advanced years. With respect, and I hope you wont mind me saying so, but approaching them about an attack where they may have caused the deaths of twenty eight children and two teachers might be rather insensitive.

I hope you don't think me to be out of order for saying this and I have little doubt that you will be fully aware of the sensitivities involved.

[Brian Bines]

Nick,

Take for example Faulhabers's 3E+DH, the 3E was the code for the unit KG6, the D was the individual aircraft letter which could be in the staffel colour or just outlined in the staffel colour, while the H ( 1st. Staffel) was was the staffel letter. So an aircraft of 2/KG6 could have its individual letter appearing after the fuselage cross in red followed by K for 2nd. Staffel.
Just from memory one of the last He111's shot down on the UK in daylight was in June 1942, when He111s of Ep.KdoXY attempted an attack on Avonmouth Docks in condition of low cloud and rain. The leader of the raid Hpt. Langer and his crew falling in combat with the Beaufighter of W/C Cunningham in the Shaftesbury area. Other He111s in the period fell on night raids.
Regarding the Petworth raid the only reference I can find for that day is KG6, of which it can only be said they were a strong contender for this attack, but the evidence is not conclusive,

Brian Bines

[Chris Goss]

Just checked the ops logbook of Ofw Karl Rumpf from Faulhaber's crew and it adds nothing apart from TO Creil 1037 (1137 UK time) land 1220 hrs and it was a Tiefangriff on the English south coast