KG.66 Pathfinder Ju.188 @ Havering Atte Bower (Romford), 13th Jan 1944

[Brian Bines]

Crew details for Ju 88 S1 on 13/14.2.44 :-

Ff Uffz Herbert Ehling + born 7.11.21 posted to KG 66 from BlindFl.Sch 4
in July 1943
Bf Fw Joseph Weickert + born 14.10.19 posted from Epro.Kdo. 188 to KG
66 in July 1943
Bf Uffz Helmut Niedack inj born 4/1.20 posted to KG 66 in July 1943 from
2/ZG 101 on the Russsian Front - baled out injured
If appears that on posting to KG 66 they were sent to IV/KG 6 at Bretigny for training on the Ju 88 returning to KG 66 at Montdidier as operational at the beginning of January 1944 . They flew three previous missions over England being being shot down. The crash site was investigated in 1986 with Helmut Niedack getting his life jacket and helmet back from former Air Raid Warden Len Butcher who had arrested Niedack when he landed on the green at Havering-atte-Bower in 1944 . A local newspaper covered the dig and Niedack's return to the location and it was in Flypast magazine of November 1986 .
In 2011 Niedack's son had a limited edition book published covering his father's life 1940-1947 through a series of photgraphs and documents

As regards Ju 188 E1 of 7/KG2 shot down by AA at 14 Seven Kings Road Ilford on 18/19.4.1944 all crew baled out:-
Ff Ltn Hubert Schymzyk pow
B Uffz Horst Ziehm pow
Bf Joachim Schulz found badly injured in school playground died
of head injuries 21.4.1944
Bm Ofw Robert Rögner pow
Bs Ogef Albert Hoeke landed on roof of a building in the Council Depot
at Ley Street slipped off and killed in fall