1.(F)/120 loss on 29 August 1941

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

On 29 August 1941 the Ju 88 A-5 WNr 501 A6+KH of 1.(F)/120 went missing over the Norwegian Sea or the Barents Sea. At least one source put this on 31 August, but all other agree on the 29th.

One of the crew died, but the three other ended as POW as follows:
(F) Lt. Ernst Pfeil POW
(B) Fw. Helmut Schneider KIA
(Bf) Uffz. Hans Quillberg POW
(Bs) Ofw. Theodor Thrun POW

I would like to know who captured these men ? Could be the Soviets or the British, but I am interested in who captured them, and eventually where and how.

Thanks in advance

Laurent

[Brian Bines]

Laurent,

Luft QM's report dated 4th Sept. shows Pfeil, Quillberg and Thrun as rescued by a German ship,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Brian]

Hi guys

Sorry to hijack, but Laurent - your PM box is full!!

Cheers
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Brian, strange that all Internet sources show them as POW... probably copying each other

For the other Brian, I did some cleaning in my PM box, you're welcome.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

Here is the loss record as it appears in GenQu6Abt reports:

http://www.aviationhistory.no/ref_db...?lossid=160761

Regards,
Andreas B

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Andreas

[Laurent Rizzotti]

This case has advanced a bit lately.

According to a poster on the warsailors forum, "It's look like crew was saved by one Do.18 at 31.8 (Pl.Qu. 1330/27) but seaplane was damaged too. Then Vorpostenboot NORDWIND arrived for help, saved both crew and try to tug seaplane which overturned and sunk. 19.25 ship arrived in Tromso. There is data about He.59 lost that day and no Do.18 but all fleet KTB say about Do.18."

Pl.Qu. 1330/27 is setting the loss in Barents Sea.

I have not found a He 59 or a Do 18 lost in the area on 31 August 1941, but the day after (1st September), the Do 18 G WNr 804 of 3./ Kü.Fl.Gr.906 was lost in "nördl. Eismeer", ie Barents Sea, due to engine trouble. It is possible that it was the plane involved in the rescue attempt. And that the tug attempt and subsequent plane loss was on the 1st rather than the 31st.

Can someone confirm the circunstances of loss of the Do 18 G WNr 804 ?

Thanks in advance

[Laurent Rizzotti]

With some more details provided on the warsailors forum, that confirmed the loss of Do 18 occured on the 1st of September, what probably happens from the available data was the following:

On 29 August 1941 the Ju 88 A-5 WNr 501 A6+KH of 1.(F)/120 went missing over the Barents Sea.

Two days later, on the 31st, the Do 18 G WNr 804 of 3./ Kü.Fl.Gr.906 rescued three of the crew, Lt. Ernst Pfeil (pilot), Uffz. Hans Quillberg (radio) and Ofw Theodor Thrun (air gunner) in Pl.Qu. 27 Ost/1330 (by 72°42’30’’ N 21°05’ E). The fourth crew member, Fw. Helmut Schneider (observer), was dead. The Do 18 was unable to return to base, probably due to damaged engines.

Next day (1 September) the German patrol boat VP Norwind arrived on the spot and rescued both crew at 0504 hrs. She then tried to tow the seaplane but it overturned and sunk. The ship arrived in Tromsö, Norway, with both crew aboard at 1925 hrs the same day.

Source:
http://www.luftwaffe.no/SIG/Losses/tap412.html
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=32689
http://www.aviationhistory.no/ref_db...?lossid=160761
http://warsailors.com/forum/read.php...4309#msg-54309
http://www.historisches-marinearchiv...here_value=896
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=fr&lat=72...=21.083333&z=5

Thanks for the help, any comment is welcome.

Laurent

[RT]

The complete order seems to be an Ju88 that forcelanded on 29.Aug., an Do18/864 was on 29/30 Aug. looking around for an He59 the SD+ED, ...., he landed near place where forcelanded the Ju88 nd saved 3 "Dinghies among those the one"s from the He59 ???, problem with motor/motors need to ask for the Nordwind .


Place is given as PQ 1530/27


Remi