Luftwaffe crash 15 May 1940 near Brussels, Belgium

[pointedeflèche]

Hello,

Has anyone got information on a German two-engined aircraft that crashed on the 15th of May 1940 in the Belgian village of Wezembeek-Oppem, situated about 10 kilometers east of Brussels.

The crash occured at the hamlet of Oppem, in a field situated between the streets named: Van Severlaan and Krommestraat. The plane had left a huge crater on impact and parts of both plane and airmen laid scattered around. The fate of the crew, according to witnesses, is as follows:

One airman was able to parachute but was killed during his descent by British groundfire and landed in the neighbouring village of Kraainem, in the vicinity of a street named Bosstraat. A second airman bailed out to low and smacked on top of the roof of a greenhouse (orangerie) belonging to the castle Solvay, situated in the neighbouring village of Sterrebeek. He was buried in a provisional grave near the castle. At the crash site itself, the remains of 2 airmen were found. Both were buried in a provisional grave alongside the street named Krommestraat. One of the crosses beared the name 'Julius ........' (according to another witness 4 airman were buried there). The aircraft is presumed to have been a Heinkel 111. A lot of photographs were found at the crash site. Was this crew on a reconnaissance or bombardment mission?
Any information (e.g. crew names , Luftwaffe unit, mission target or aircraft type) would be higly appreciated.

Best regards,
Dirk