JU 88 Loss 24/12/1941. Looking for details and help.

[ouidjat]

Hi Gang,

Have received that mail: Thanks for any available help. Thanks very much.
As every one knows here I'm not able to answer concerning a Ju 88!

I am Paul Pesel, born march 1945 - now searching intensively for my missed
godfather with the same name, Paul Pesel, born 15.6.1916, job: type
setter.
education as radio (wireless) operator during war in Ansbach / Katterbach,
Kitzingen,
Warsow; employed at flying crew in Kemi/Finland, Heiligenbeil/East
Prussia (Ostpreußen) until 17.12.1941, from 17.12.1941 in Orscha/Bjelorus.

They had to start for a single scout flight, no radio contact was allowed,
with target Tarussa (via Smolensk) in the
region Wjasma, Protwa, Kaluga and Tula on Dec. 24 1941. The distance is
about 460 km from Orscha - so return flight could have been possible
without problems,
although temperature was minus 40 this day.

That start and hopeless waiting for the crew is documented in a book,
written from the 'owner' of that machine, Peter W. Stahl: Kampfflieger
zwischen Eismeer und Sahara Motorbuch (1982). ISBN-10: 3-87943-253-8

So the information went immediately to the relatives of the crew by phone
- followed by a letter from squadron commander Frhr. v. Gravenreuth
(died 1943 near Breslau, later owner of Knight Cross with Oak Leaves), and
a
postcard from group captain Stoffregen (described also in that book,
died 1943 in Sicilia during a silly ground accident); i am owner of letter
and
postcard.

Peter W. Stahl gave that plane to the later missed crew, because their
usual plane was not useable.
Identification code of plane JU 88 A-4: 4D+CP

Identification tags of crew members: 62750/xx, according to
Kampfgeschwader (combat squadron) KG 30 / 6. Staffel (6th group). [xx were
personalized numbers within the group].

Names of missed crew:

- Pilot Ltn. Neher, Hans-Josef
- Observer Ogfr. Kohzer, Martin
- Wireless operator Ogfr. Pesel, Paul
- Gunner Ogfr. Michalski, Willi

// Ogfr. = PFC Privat First Class//

We found in internet the documentation about shoot down.

Pilot and gunner (one seat plane) was Gerasim Grigorjew Afanasjewitsch,
born Antsiforovo, now Hill - Zhirkovskaya Smolenskji Region; highly
decorated because of his encouraged behaviour and high efficiency (minimum
assumption of ammunition by high hunting quota). This was his 10th shoot
down.

The location of shoot down is Nedelnoje (kyrillic: Недельное).

54N50'15.64" 36E39'16.86" 205 m

Unfortunately no further informations are available -

which altitude, no exact time of impact, wether JU 88 dropped down
immediately nor it was able to sail any km's.
So the location of crash is not known - but I am searching for.

I thank you very much if you could assist me in my researches.
I am hopeful to clarify the fate of my lost relative, my uncle.

In a first mail it was written the following:

I am searching for a plane, shot down SW of Moscow.

We are in doubt about the Code 4D+CP or alternatively 4H+CP.
May we start a dialogue about this item?

I am searching for my godfather, radio operator of this plane.

BR, Franck.

[edNorth]

No difficult to find, this is from GQM Verband loss listings:

(088)1364 Ju 88 A-4 4D+CP 6./KG 30 (Fliegerkorps VIII, East)

OPS (F) missing (100%) unk location (Krapiwna) 24.12.1941 (F Lt. Hans Neher, BO Obgefr. Martin Kohtzer, BF Obgefr. Paul "Passel" and BS Gefr. Willy Machalski missing)

Names are as I read them from Microfiche, often spelling is not correct. I will put corrected name with this.

regards
ed

[ouidjat]

Thanks a lot Ed.

BR, Franck.