3 Seaplane losses

[Laurent Rizzotti]

13/7/40: He 115 of 3/906 believed hit by AA over the Thames Estuary during mining operations at night. Reported lost by Germans on the 12th but British recoords indicate an aircaft was hit and blew up over the Thames Estuary in the early hours of the 13th. Oblt zur See Hildebrand and Ltn DR Steinert killed, one missing

7/8/40: no loss found but another He 115 of 3/906 damaged by AA gunfire in Firth of Forth area at night, damaged at 20%, one crew wounded

Source: Mason's old book "Battle over Britain"

As for the two first men, there are a Oblt Joachim Hildebrand buried at Nordeney (death date given as 14 July) and a Ltn Dr Gerhard Steinert buired at Hamburg (death date given as 5 August), according to the Volksbund website. The death date may be the date the body was found (in second case), or the loss was reported (on the first) or they are somebody else with the same name.

Usually when crew are reported killed, their body was found either by one side or the other. This loss is not reported in "The blitz then and now",so no body was recovered by British. Then it seems logical that they are buried on the continent, but they also may be not reported by the Volksbund site.