Med loss 19.febr.1941

[RT]

Seems a Bf110 ditch in the sea at that date probably a plane of the ZG26, didn't found it in usual lists..

Remi

[Leo Etgen]

Hello RT

I came across mention of that incident as well while researching more on the Zerstörer ace Alfred Wehmeyer. This is what the Biplane Aces web site by Håkan Gustavsson has about the occurrence:

"On 19 February three 3 RAAF Squadron Hurricanes flown by Flying Officer Alan Gatward, Flight Lieutenant Perrin (Hurricane V7757) and Flying Officer Alan Boyd set out for Agedabia, from where they were tasked to carry out an offensive patrol. They encountered a number of Ju87s from II/StG2 dive-bombing the village.
Perrin took a look around for escorting enemy fighters before attacking together with Gatward, leaving Boyd as cover above. Perrin shot down a Ju87 (WkNr. 5455) of 5/StG2 flown by Unteroffizier Kurt Stuber and Unteroffizier Walter Nentwig, whom both survived but both suffered wounds in this action.
At this time four Bf110s from 8/ZG26 attacked them. Leutnant Alfred Wehmeyer and Unteroffizier Max Hohmann attacked Gatward and shot him down. Gatward was last seen by Perrin in flames and crashing into the seashore. Feldwebel Richard Heller and the Staffelkapitän Oberleutnant Prang shot down Perrin. Perrin however managed to turn around a shot down a Bf110 before force-landing his burning aircraft. This was Leutnant Wehmeyer's Messerschmitt (WkNr. 3886), which he managed to ditch into the sea. Wehmeyer and his wounded gunner, Obergefreiter Wilhelm Wurst got into their dinghy and was picked up 48 hours later by an Axis rescue craft.
Perrin was wounded in one eye and severely burned. He was picked up by a patrol car and taken to Benina were he related to his colleagues that as he staggered from his burning aircraft following the crash-landing he was repeatedly machine-gunned by the Messerschmitts, which dived on him as, half blinded by oil and blood, he made a desperate dash for shelter of a tree:

"It was the fastest 100 yards I have ever run and, when I barged into that tree in my haste, I saw stars by the thousands."

He was sent to hospital in Tobruk. On the night of his arrival Tobruk was raided and a bomb exploded close to the hospital, with the result that he ended up on the floor with a window frame draped around his neck. Shortly after this all the hospital patients in Tobruk was evacuated to Alexandria aboard the hospital ship RAMB 111, but Ju87s sank this en route. He fortunately was lucky to survive."

The link to the web page is http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/commonwealth_perrin.htm It states that the aircraft shot down over Marsa el Brega was (W.Nr. 3886) but no subtype is given, perhaps a D-3? I hope this might help you clear up this mystery somewhat.

Horrido!

Leo

[robert]

Hi,

Lt.Wehmeyer was forced down in Bf110 E-1 W.Nr.3886.

Regards

Robert

[RT]

Many thks, where hv you found the loss ??? Apart from Hakan site ??

They were picked-up by an italian sea-plane the day after

Remi

[robert]

Hi Remi,

I can recommend you Batailles Aeriennes No.34 'La Luftwaffe en Afrique".

Warm regards

Robert

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi!

Loss record:

http://www.ahs.no/ref_db/lw_loss_pub...?lossid=114004

Regards,
Andreas B

[Brian]

Hi RT

I believe this was extracted from my HURRICANES OVER TOBRUK book.

Cheers
Brian

[Jim P.]

Bf 110E-1, 3886, WEHMEYER, Ltn. Alfred, , 8., ZG 26, , , , , 19-Feb-41, Crew WIA due to Luftkampf with Hurricane from 3 Sq. (F/L Perrin). Notlandung at sea. Bf MIA., RK., X.Fl.Korp/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #3)-Vol.4; Ring, ZG 26 loss list, , 40km nördlich El Agheila, 100%, F, Bf Ogefr. Wilhelm Wüst, ,

[RT]

So this one is really not unknown, you quote Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #3)-Vol.4
do you hv the day in which the loss is reported

Remi