Do217-E4, 5377, U5+GR from 7./KG 2

[BennoT6]

Hi readers,

In the afternoon of January 4 1944 a Do217-E4 from Gilze-Rijen based 7.KG 2, 5377, U5+GR crashed near the tiny village Molenschot (west of Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijen) in The Netherlands. a "Absturz infolge Feinbeschuss". The crew of four (Schäfer, Böttcher, Zange and Strenzke) were killed.

Anyone with more details? What is considered "Feinbeschuss" ? Is there more detailed information about the exact location?

The series of books, "Vijf jaar Luchtfront" about Gilze-Rijen during WW2 is not mentioning the accident.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Regards,

Benno (from Molenschot)

[Chris Goss]

This means enemy action not accideent. If you look at Ulf Balke's history of KG 2 (which it looks like you have?) and something like RAF Fighter Command Victory Claims by John Foreman, you will see that 198 Sqn and 609 Sqn claimed 5 Do 217s destroyed 1507-1516 hrs; KG 2 suffered 4 destroyed and one damaged. I am afraid that you will have to ask around the village for the exact location-German (and RAF) records are rarely that detailed

[Brian Bines]

Does the book Vliegvelden in Oorlogstijd mention this crash ? Of the four Do217s lost I believe the one at Molenshot may have fallen to F/L Davies of 609 Sqd who shot one down by the N/W corner of Gilze Rijen airfield . This came from old notes I made some years ago ,

Regards
Brian Bines

[Bas Maathuis]

Originally Posted by BennoT6

Hi readers,

a "Absturz infolge Feinbeschuss".
Benno (from Molenschot)

Hi Benno, there is a small typo in the SGLO database.
Feinbeschuss shoud be Feindbeschuss

Regards, Bas

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Here is what I have on this action. No precise location for the crash site except "at (or near) Molenschot":

On 4 January 1944 the RAF launched nine Ramrod missions from England, two to escorts American bombers on their departure and return from Germany and the others all against No-Ball (V-1 launching sites) targets. The RAF losses for the day were 4 Spitfires, 3 Typhoons and 2 Mosquitoes.

Ramrod 422, the last No-Ball strike of the day, was launched in the afternoon and involved Mosquitoes bombing Ruisseauville, Bostons a site at Ligescourt and Mitchells two near Yvrench. It started badly when two Spitfires of 331 Sqn collided after take-off, killing one pilot, but Typhoons of 198 and 609 Sqn sweeping Gilze Rijen in Netherlands found Do 217s in the air and claimed four shot down, actually destroying four. One Typhoon probably hit by return fire ditched into the North Sea on return.
________________________________________________

The Typhoons of 198 and 609 Sqn RAF met the Do 217s of 7./KG 2 that had just taken off from Gilze Rijen for a training sortie. At that time all groups of KG 2 were undertaking intensive training to prepare for the major bombing offensive against England scheduled for mid-January. I./KG 2 was at Eindhoven and III./KG 2 at Gilze Rijen. The German reported being attacked by 15 Typhoons at 1507 hrs and three Do 217s were shot down:
_ the Do 217 E-4 WNr 5377 U5+GR of 7./KG 2 was shot down in flames and crashed at Molenschot, killing the four crew: Oblt Otto Schäfer (pilot, Staffelkapitän), Uffz Wolfgang Böttcher (observer), Uffz Werner Zange (radio) and Uffz Willi Strenzke (air gunner). All were buried at Tilburg.
_ the crew of a Do 217 K-1 of 7./KG 2 (unknown WNr) bailed out near Gilze Rijen. Only one was wounded, the radio, Uffz Otto Sattler, and the names of the other crew are not known.
_ the Do 217 K-1 WNr 4597 U5+BU of 10./KG 2 was also shot down and crashed at Bolberg, 6 km SSE of Gilze Rijen. The crew all bailed out. Again, the radio, Gefr Franz Harnoth, was wounded, and the names of the other crew are not known.

The Typhoons continued towards the airbase at Eindhoven and caught at 1516 hrs (German time) the Do 217 M-1 WNr 56123 U5+BH of 1./JG 2 that was landing after a bombing exercice. The bomber was damaged beyond repair (at 85%) and three of the crew were wounded, Uffz Helmut Grosser (observer), Uffz Walter Klie (radio) and Uffz Josef Slabon (air gunner). Only the pilot, Lt Roderich von der Heyde, was unhurt.

The RAF pilots claimed five Do 217s shot down, four by 609 Sqn (one by Plt Off Charles F J Detal, one by Flg Off I J Davies, one by Flg Off W F Watts and the last shared between Flg Off Lawrence W F Stark and Flg Off Manu Geerts) and another by 198 Sqn. But one pilot of 609 Sqn did not return. The Typhoon Ib JR374 flown by Flg Off Georges Joseph Chislain Daix, a 30 year old Belgian pilot, was probably hit during the air battle and had engine trouble. He reached the North Sea but was forced to ditch off Ostend. The Typhoon disappeared under the waves with its pilot, who was never found again and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Source:
“Der Luftkrieg in Europa: die operativen Einsätze des Kampfgeschwaders 2 im Zweiten Weltkrieg”, by Ulf Blake. ISBN 3-7637-5882-8
"The Last Blitz: Operation Steinbock, the Luftwaffe’s Last Blitz on Britain - January to May 1944", by Ron Mackay. ISBN 978-0-9554735-8-6
http://www.defensie.nl/binaries/defe...ister-1944.pdf
"2nd Tactical Air Force. Volume One: Spartan to Normandy. June 1943 to June 1944", by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas. ISBN 1-903223-40-7
"Fighter Command War Diaries Volume Four: July 1943 to June 1944", by John Foreman. ISBN 1-871187-43-5
http://www.bahavzw.be/database/conte...4-georges-daix
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/belgiumlosses.html
http://www.cieldegloire.com/sq_raf_609.php
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molenschot
http://www.maplandia.com/netherlands...nt/molenschot/