He 59 1518 from SNF.Kdo 6, Fw. Paul Erdmann

[He 59 seeker]

Good evening,

I´m searching for informations regarding Fw. Paul Erdman. All input I have found was from the member "Juha" posted on 8th November 2008.

"He 59 1518 from SNF.Kdo 6 was reported missing in the Channel area. Fw Paul Erdmann and crew missing."

Perhaps I can get detailed information where and when Mr. Erdmann was stationed, or anyone knows something about the members of his crew. I assume that Mr. Erdmann is my grandpa. My mother told me, that grandpa joined the "Luftwaffe" and was killed in 1941, a few weeks before marrying my grandma. She works as a "Luftwaffenhelferin" in France.

Regards,
He 59 seeker

[Juha]

Hello He 59 seeker
I cannot recall my answer and it is not anymore in this site. I'm not He 59 specialist so only possibility I can think is, that someone asked more info on the loss that happened on certain date and I dug the info from some book. I have some books and some notes but to find from them info on 1518 I must first know the loss date.

What SNF.Kdo 6 is, difficult to say. SeenotKdo 6 got that designation on 1 June 42, but the unit had been based in Bologne from summer 40 onwards IIRC, under different designation. But the F puzzled me, there was also Seenotflotilla 6, IIRC. But IIRC it was based on Rügen and there was no Kdo in its designation.

Sorry
Juha

[Seaplanes]

He 59D W.Nr. 1518 Stammkennzeichen TV+HZ was taken over by the Seenotdienst on 21.07.1940. The aircraft transferred from List via Amsterdam to Boulogne on 31.07.1940. It served with Seenotflugkdo. 3
(later 3. Seenotstaffel) until mid February 1941. It was then ordered to transfer to Syrakus on the east coast of Sicily where it arrived on 19.02.1941. When the 6. Seenotstaffel was ordered formed on 22.02.1941, this aircraft was incorporated into that unit. On 22.05.1941 the aircraft was reported missing off Syrakus. The crew of four was:
Ofw. Rudolf Scherer (Beobachter) killed
Fw. Paul Erdmann (Flugzeugführer) missing
Uffz. Linus Borchardt (Bordfunker) mising
Ofw. Hermann Wilger (Bordmechaniker) mssing
Unfortunately, I have no further details about this incident.

[Rasmussen]

To warm up this old thread:

Regarding his flightlog he wasn't killed (mysterious). The a/c did an water landing (sea: 3 - 4) near Rethymno on 21.05.1941 and then destroeyd by an machine gun from land (info from another thread). The crew saved himself with an rubber dinghy on the beach and fought then with paratroopers 10 days. 1 person of the crew was killed, 1 wounded. In acknowledgement of this action he got the EK II, later the EK 1, the "Kreta-Band" and the "Lw.-Erdkampfabzeichen" too. The end of the war he had in Denmark, in Guldborg. But why he didn't return to his family?

Regards
Rasmussen

[Brian Bines]

GQM returns dated 13-6-41 shows Ofw Scherer killed rest of crew returned. Does a grave search on Paul Erdmann reveal anything ? I could not see any aircraft loss in the limited losses I have for 1945 involving him, if he did not make it home could have been killed in ground fighting ?

[Rasmussen]

No ground fighting ... the last entry in his FB was from 20.05.1945, an flight with a Do24 from Guldborg to Schleswig. Then he was in order of the British commander (from airfield Schleswig?) the captain of an little ship (with British crew) to make sea tours to Denmark and Sweden.

[lilsis]

Hi,

This we have

21.05.41
(14.15 h) He 59 D TV+ HZ 1518 100 6. / SNGr. bei Seenoteinsatz auf Kreta / Rethimnon gelandet, Maschine durch Feindeinwirkung zerstört, Besatzung 10 Tage im Erdkampfeinsatz mit Fallschirmtruppe.


† (B) Offw. Rudolf Scherer (26.05.41),
(FF) Fw. Paul Erdmann,
(Bf) Uffz. Linus Borchardt,
(Bm) Ofw. Hermann Wilger PG 74908
PG 74968
RL 2 III / 1176
Fb. Erdmann

Thats VDK say about Scherer: Rudolf Scherer
Rudolf Scherer ruht auf der Kriegsgräberstätte in Maleme.
Endgrablage: Block 2 Grab 666

Nachname:Scherer
Vorname:Rudolf
Dienstgrad:Oberfeldwebel
Geburtsdatum:05.04.1914
Todes-/Vermisstendatum:26.05.1941

[Brian Bines]

His ability to get home might have depended on which zone his family was in after the war. Was he flying one of the Do24s engaged on mercy missions post war with an RAF fighter escort.

[Seaplanes]

To lilsis; What is your source for the date of this loss.

Otherwise thanks for this additional info.

Best regards
Seaplanes

[Rasmussen]

I'd think it's the flightlog from Erdmann, where this loss is registered with 21.05.1914 and 14.15 Uhr (the next entry was from 26.06.1941).