Messerschmitt 110 loss - May 1940, Sercus, France

[Andy Saunders]

Larry

I will look up details of the excavation date etc and come back to you. I was present at the 'dig' and can send you details. I can certainly let you have photos of the recovery and artefacts etc.

Several points I would add. I discussed the following with Peter Cornwell earlier today:

We know the W.Nr was 2889.

I am convinced that one crew member died. This was stated by a local witness and the flying boot was corroboration of this in my view.

The same witness stated one man baled out and was captured.

The witness stated it was just before the Germans came through on the ground, and this enabled the farmer to gather up all of the surface wreckage and dump it in his pond - where we later found it. This probably would not have happened if the Germans were already occupying the area.

Clear evidence existed on wing internal structure of a major AA fire hit of quite heavy-ish calibre of 40mm or more, I'd say. The cause of downing could have been this alone, or at least contributory.

A key date is to establish when, exactly, the Germans took that territory and look at 110 losses prior to that date.