finding German records of Allied crash sites

[Tim Homewood]

I'm looking for information that might help identify the crash site of my uncle's Lancaster, JB294, on 21-22 January 1944 near Berlin.

In particular I'm looking for any German intelligence documents and from reading the incredibly helpful posts on this forum it seems my options are to request my uncle's casualty file from AHB and to try and locate any documents in the US NARA archives.

The information I have on the crash so far, all from the Internet and presumably based on Chorley's, is the SOC is unknown. Am I likely to find more information than this on the casualty file?

Are the relevant NARA files available online (I'm in the UK)? I've seen it mentioned that fold3.com has them but I haven't found them on the site.

Are there any other possibilities anyone can suggest, eg local newspapers or local groups that have information on crash sites?

Thanks,
Tim Homewood

[kaki3152]

The German loss list is in the Missing Aircrew Listing on Fold3. I downloaded the whole thing as a PDF just to have it.

[Tim Homewood]

Thanks Kaki, you led me right to them.

There's a list of crashes Jan-Feb 1944 which is the time I'm looking at. The document has a code on the right hand side for each crash. Some of these seem to be the German KU code (eg KU 3612) but most are longer six digit numbers, eg 118385. Do you know if these are German or US codes and what they refer to?

Tim

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by kaki3152

The German loss list is in the Missing Aircrew Listing on Fold3. I downloaded the whole thing as a PDF just to have it.

It that would be helpful if you posted a link to that.

[kaki3152]

Nick,

It's not quite that easy as,for some reason, the FOLD 3 people scattered the German KU reports among the different years. This is the link for DEC 1939 - Dec 1942
http://www.fold3.com/browse.php#1|hV...Sz6XgaNlfMvpoY
Followed by the link for Jan 43- Dec 43
http://www.fold3.com/browse.php#1|hV...mtfvMuS_xSvQzh
Followed by the link for Jan 44 -Feb 44
http://www.fold3.com/browse.php#1|hV...higsBdnyZH5_xb

Then they switch methods and now you have to search by the month, EG June 44
http://www.fold3.com/browse.php#1|hV...higsBdEVASVfF3

For 1945. Jan - March 45
http://www.fold3.com/browse.php#1|hV...VpcnEaN-ySD1oK

You have to do some searching to find them all which is why I downloaded them as a PDF. Not only that, but I wasn't always a premium member so this way I could look at them for free, after my subsciprion ran out.

Carlos

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by kaki3152

Nick,

It's not quite that easy
Carlos

Thanks for your efforts. I have only encountered these reports when (in a few cases) they were attached to MACR.

[Reiner]

Hi Tim

There are nvestigation reports about fallen and buried airmen of the RAF in Germany. An example I have attached you. There is named the first burial place . Using these data, the crash site or witnesses can be found. I have good contacts and expierence in the Berlin area .
The burial investigation report can you find in the personal file of your uncle. Where did you get this I cannot tell you.

Greetings, Rene

[kaki3152]

Nick,

They are interesting to go through. I thought people (the cognescenti) already knew about this information.
The files I attached are just an index of all the planes that fell in German or German controlled territory.There are more reports available on FOLD 3 but they're not always easy to find.

Carlos