KG26 H-111 Norway 1940 1H+AC

[Larry Hickey]

Andreas,

You refer to this as W.Nr6997. Is this for the first loss on 3 April or the later one in the summer of 1940? They must certainly be two different a/c.

We carry the first one in the EoE loss DB, without any W.Nr., as:

"April 3, 1940: Stab II./KG26 Heinkel He111H-3. Port engine damaged by naval AA fire during attack on mine-sweepers south of Middlesborough then engaged by F/L E. N. Ryder of No. 41 Squadron and starboard engine also damaged so ditched in sea off Redcar 12.45p.m. Oberstlt Hans Hefele (Gruppenkommandeur), (Ff) Lt Rudolf Gustav-Adolf Behnisch, (Bf) Uffz Albert Wilhelm Johannes Heinrich Weber and (Bm) Uffz Alfred Bächle unhurt, (Beo) Lt Georg Kempe (Gruppe NO) wounded, all rescued by fishing trawler. Aircraft IH+AC 100% write-off. (Note: we have one photo of this a/c in the EoE DB with crew before it was SD.)"

Can anyone add anything further to this? I have Bill Norman's book so I have his account of what happened. At least this one, and possibly the other will be color profiles in the EoE book project.

Regards,