He 111 from KGr. 100 - 14 August 1940

[Henofred]

Hello,

I am looking for the airmen’s names of a bomber belonging to KGr. 100 from Vannes-Meucon which made an emergency landing on the south coast of Brittany, near Benodet on 14 August 1940.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Chris Goss]

This has been asked before-search Lochbrunner & you will see what has been written

[Henofred]

Bonjour and merci Chris,

OK, at the reading of the different answers I assume that it was the bomber of Lt Lochbrunner. Nothing about the other men which composed the crew? In addition, on the excellent website "ghost bombers"we have this entry - He 111 WkNr. 5252, 6N+CA - but I don't see that in the answers.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Nick Beale]

http://www.ghostbombers.com/1940/KG100/kg100_2.html

[Henofred]

Thank you for the link Nick.

Here is a poor picture of this bomber on the Kerler beach (Mousterlin, France). The marsh (or rather a lagoon) is on the right, behind the sand dunes bar.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Larry Hickey]

Frederic,

We carry this incident in the EoE LW Loss DB as:

"14 August 1940: 1./KGr.100 Heinkel He111H-3 (5252). Belly-landed on beach at Hourtin, north-west of Bordeaux, on return from night attack on Dunlop Works at Birmingham, cause not stated. Crew unhurt. Aircraft 6N+CH 100% write-off. (Source is listed as Ultra)

As you can see, our loss entry for 6N+CH does not provide any crew info.

I note that Nick Beale's report for that night indicates the code for this a/c is 6N+CA, which would be a Geschwaderstab a/c. I don't think that KGr100 had a Geschwaderstab at that time, but it would have had a Gruppenstab, likely making the code 6N+CB.

In our EoE photo DB I have an image of a 6N+C_ undergoing salvage on a beach, presumably the 14 August incident. It shows the full starboard fuselage with the tail and wings removed, and standing on its wheels. The "C" does not look white, but could be blue or medium green. This needs further research to determine the correct coding for this a/c: 6N+CA, 6N+CB or 6N+CH. If it turns out to be coded 6N+CB, it probably wasn't a 1 Staffel a/c. I have several other photos showing beach-landed He111s of KGr100 but they appear to mostly show 6N+NH in an incident to which I've not yet put a date, but probably in August 1940. Roba's new book on KG100 probably covers this, but I don't yet have a copy.

I'd like to get these properly identified so I hope others have photos and info that will resolve these issues.

[Henofred]

Hi Larry,

A friend of mine which has Roba's book told me there was a picture of a bomber shown on a beach which looks like the picture I have put on the forum. To form my own opinion, he has planned to send me a copy of the page because I haven’t yet purchased this book. I have planned to meet a witness near Mousterlin in the next days and I hope he will have more details on that incident. So, stay tuned...

Best regards,
Frederic

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Larry Hickey

We carry this incident in the EoE LW Loss DB as:

"14 August 1940: 1./KGr.100 Heinkel He111H-3 (5252). Belly-landed on beach at Hourtin, north-west of Bordeaux, on return from night attack on Dunlop Works at Birmingham, cause not stated. Crew unhurt. Aircraft 6N+CH 100% write-off. (Source is listed as Ultra)

As you can see, our loss entry for 6N+CH does not provide any crew info.

I note that Nick Beale's report for that night indicates the code for this a/c is 6N+CA, which would be a Geschwaderstab a/c. I don't think that KGr100 had a Geschwaderstab at that time, but it would have had a Gruppenstab, likely making the code 6N+CB.

In our EoE photo DB I have an image of a 6N+C_ undergoing salvage on a beach, presumably the 14 August incident. It shows the full starboard fuselage with the tail and wings removed, and standing on its wheels. The "C" does not look white, but could be blue or medium green. This needs further research to determine the correct coding for this a/c: 6N+CA, 6N+CB or 6N+CH. If it turns out to be coded 6N+CB, it probably wasn't a 1 Staffel a/c. I have several other photos showing beach-landed He111s of KGr100 but they appear to mostly show 6N+NH in an incident to which I've not yet put a date, but probably in August 1940. Roba's new book on KG100 probably covers this, but I don't yet have a copy.

Saying the source is ULTRA doesn't narrow it down much! I attach my source for 6N+CA (ULTRA CX/JQ/226, para. 39). It is of course conceivable that this code, as transmitted by the Germans, was erroneous. If we postulate that text to be enciphered was handwritten on a message slip, then A or H could readily be confused with one another. Equally, if the message were dictated, the German "Ah" and "Ha" are not that dissimilar.

It's a good book but Roba's loss listing won't help you: he simply refers to an He 111 H-1 damaged 40% in a landing near Quimper on 13 August.

[Larry Hickey]

Henofred,

Here is the photo I have of what I think is your a/c:

https://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-g7...-g7nSZtK-S.jpg

[Chris Goss]

Cannot be the Hourtin crash as this aircraft was pointed out to sea & later photos show it as being broken up by the sea