ID of He111 of KG 54 down either 24.5.40 or 2.6.40 on beach at Ostende, Belgium

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

With thanks from a message from Peter T. this mystery is solved and the He111P is certainly identified as B3+JM of 4./KG54 belly landed on the beach at Middelkirke, West Flanders, Belgium on 2/6/40, with Oblt. Günther Seubert piloting. He was uninjured and returned to duty. One crewman was killed and buried at Ostende.

Thanks for the help.

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Wondering what the source is of the loss? The reports from the BA only indicate that 4./KG 54 lost 2 aircraft that day. One with Hptm. Maiwald and one with Obltn. Berg. There is no mention of Obltn. Seubert or another 4./KG 54 aircraft being lost. Just wondering,

Norbert

[Larry Hickey]

Norbert,

You'll find Seubert's plane listed in the appendix of Radtke's KG54 book as down on 2.6.40. The pilot was not injured and was returned to duty, as the plane came down behind German lines. Photos show the plane landed on the beach, and is well-known to Peter Taghon, who confirmed this loss for me.

Best wishes,

[steve sheridan]

Hi followed these Heinkel losses with great interest.
However Norbert mentions a loss from the BA regarding another loss from 4/KG54 featuring a loss by Oblt Berg. Any further details regarding his loss,
or reference in Radtke's book?

Best regs,
Steve.

[Larry Hickey]

Hi Steve and Norbert,

Have just returned from 2 weeks of vacation to find your comments.

In Radtke's book on KG 54, there are three losses listed for 4./KG 54 on 2.6.40, all in the Dunkirk area. One is accounted for in the loss I requested info about, B3+JM, piloted by Oblt Seubert. The full crew of that plane is listed. The other two were also 100% losses, with an Uffz Becker the pilot of one and a "?" listed for the other pilot. Becker's plane apparently came down behind German lines, and he was unwounded (unverletzt zurück) and returned to duty, as was the Observer, Hptm. Lothar Maiwald, the St.Kap. Two other crewmen aboard were listed as wounded.

The third plane doesn't have a listed pilot in Radtke, but there was a 4th St BS, Flg. Othmar Kaschel, listed as WIA in an attack by a fighter that day, although it isn't certain that he was aboard the lost plane. He could have been wounded aboard another 4 Staffel aircraft, not associated with the third loss, although most likely he was aboard that plane. All three He111 losses were attributed to attacks by fighters. That is all that Radtke mentioned. He makes no reference to an Oblt. Berg, but obviously he could have been the pilot of the third aircraft. Any confirmation that Oblt. Berg was a pilot aboard a third lost aircraft that day would be appreciated.

Regards,

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Hi Larry and Steve,
the loss info for 02-Jun-40 for KG 54 from the BA is as follows:
1./KG 54 1 crew KIA and one crew WIA no aircraft damage reported.
4./KG 54 He 111 P 100% Hptm. Maiwald B UNH, 2 crew WIA, 1 crew UNH.
4./KG 54 He 111 P 100% Obltn. Berg B WIA, 1 crew KIA, 2 crew WIA.
6./KG 54 He 111 P 100% Obltn. Schmidt F UNH, 2 crew UNH, 1 crew KIA.
9./KG 54 He 111 P 100% Ltn. Petzold F UNH, 1 crew KIA, 1 crew WIA, 1 crew UNH.

Unfortunately there is not much more.

On the 1st of June KG 4 and KG 76 had losses at Dünkirchen involving He 111.

Regards,

Norbert

[steve sheridan]

Hi Larry and Norbert,
Thanks ever so much for the summaries on the losses on 2.6.40.
It appears that Oblt Berg and Flgr Kaschel were part of the same crew, hit by fire from No 92 Squadron Spitfires over Dunkirk, around 08.00hrs.
Pity theres little information on the other a/c lost on this day, particularly
Schmidt 6/KG54 a/c, and Petzold 9/KG54.
Many thanks for your information.

Best regs,
Steve.

[Alain57]

Hello ,

Could this be the A/C Larry is mentioning ?

2/06/1940
Middelkerke ( beach)
He-111
Belly landing at 08.00 hrs
4 ./KG 54 B3+JM
Oblt Seubert Günther ( SAFE )
Uffz Härter F ( KIA )
Uffz Bayer H ( WIA )
Uffz Fiedler K ( WIA )