Luftwaffe fighters over Brest 20th August 1941

[Ian Lawther]

I recently bought a photograph on eBay which was listed as "unknown RAF pilot" but who I recognized as Sydney Dowse who would later take part in the mass escape from Stalag Luft 3 (and survived).

The photograph is dated 20th August 1941 with a penciled note in German on the back indicating that he was shot down on that day. Dowse was on a photo recon mission to Brest when he was shot down so I am trying to find a source for information as to who might have shot him down. Any help appreciated.

Ian Lawther

[robert]

Hi,

it could be either Gefr. Fritz Herke (09.21 hrs Lanveoc) or Uffz. Kuno Dollenmaier (15.25 hrs Lannilis). Both were from 1./JG2.

Robert

[Andy Fletcher]

Ian

F/O S.H. Dowse took off from St. Eval at 07:35 on a mission to Brest, so this would correspond to Herke's claim.

Uffz Dollenmaier's claim would correspond to the loss of F/O C.A.S. Greenhill who took off from St. Eval at 13:05, also on a sortie to Brest.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[BC]

Ian:

Syd Dowse force-landed a PRU Spitfire on a football pitch at Sproughton, Suffolk, on 30 April 1941. A friend of mine has vivid recollection of the event, and has made a 1/72 scale diorama of the scene. He would be very interested to see the picture if possible. Please PM me if you are interested.

BC

[Ian Lawther]

Thanks for the responses which led me into a little googling. Looking up Lanvouc I found that it is now the French Naval Air Station Lanveoc-Poulmic. One of the problems I have had trying to decipher the penciled note on the back is the the location looks more like a German than French or Breton name. However given the above I think the location could be Pũlmich
Did the German's adapt French names into German versions and was Poulmic referred to be the above name?


Thanks again.


Ian

[Fredo Hara]

Bonjour Ian,
In fact, F/Lt Sidney Dowse jumps in parachute and fall into the sea, to 250m from Brest. He swam and was made prisoner by German who led it at the base of Lanvéoc.
You will find all this information in the superb book of Erik Mombeeck " JG2 Richthofen" volume 2 (1941). This day of 20th August 1941 is described perfectly and, the icing on the cake, there is the testimony of Sydney Downse himself telling his terrible day !
Cordially,
Fredo