By 109E-4/B Loss. LG2. 29/10/40.

[Ivor D]

I am currently putting together details of the loss of Bf 109 4B 'White B'. W.Nr 5562. It belonged to 4 (Schlacht) Staffel / Lehrgeschwader 2. And the loss followed an attack on North Weald on 29/10/40. The pilot is reported as being Feldwebel Hans-Joachim Rank who died of wounds at St Peters Hospital, Maldon following the incident. It was credited to Flt Lt Barton of 249 Squadron.

My queries are these.
1) Does anyone have knowledge of a photograph of this pilot or of the relevant unit around the time in question?
2) There is some question as to his true rank at the time of the incident, can anyone help confirm it please?
3) There is also some question over his first place of burial before his transfer to Cannock Chase?

I have access to the article on the Aircrew Remebrance Society site ref http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety...534/index.html, but these do not answer the above.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[Chris Goss]

According to RAF intelligence, he was an Uffz; according to German records (including the German War Graves who record him as Hans-Wilhelm) Fw. There are photos of his crash and from his unit both in LCA Vol 6 and Jochen Prien's book Volume 4/II but not of him and his white B. Aircrew Remembrance notes his first burial location-if uncertain, you could ask the AHB or CWGC

[Ivor D]

[quote=Chris Goss;257535]According to RAF intelligence, he was an Uffz; according to German records (including the German War Graves who record him as Hans-Wilhelm) Fw. There are photos of his crash and from his unit both in LCA Vol 6 and Jochen Prien's book Volume 4/II but not of him and his white B. Aircrew Remembrance notes his first burial location-if uncertain, you could ask the AHB or CWGC

Thanks very much. I would like to get to the bottom of it. I live near the crash site and drive past on a regular basis. I will get on to the CWGC next. Thanks again.

[Brian Bines]

On my notes I have that Rank was initially taken to a house at 32A Spitals Road where he told a German speaker that he was 25 years old and married. I have this as referenced to a report in the Barking Advertiser of 2-11-1940 and Essex Police Reports .

[Ivor D]

Thank you for that. It will be close to St Peters Hospital, also in Spital Road. Is the Barking Advertiser available online?

[Brian Bines]

I believe I read the Barking Advertiser short article in the National Newspaper Record Library Hendon, the Essex Police Records were from the County Records office at Chelmsford . Both these were made on visits in the 80's .

[Ivor D]

Thank you very much.

[Joe Potter]

The AHB have him listed, The VDK show Fw Hans Wilhelm Rank, 20.01,1915-29.10.1940, Cannock Chase Block 1, Grave 113.

[Ivor D]

Thank you.

[Mathsmal]

According to my records, he was originally buried at Southend-on-Sea (Sutton Road) Cemetery.