4/KG40, 4th January 1943

[srob48]

On 4th January, 1943:

4/KG40.
Dornier Do217E (4381). Night sortie to England. Flew into hillside at 350ft and crashed into an empty bungalow at Furze Hill, Fairlight, East Sussex, 8.55pm.
Uffz. Kurt Tomczyk, killed
Gefr. Ernst Kern, killed
Gefr. Rolf Fischer, killed
Fw. Hartmut Eucker , killed (All 4 buried at Hawkinge Cemetery).
Aircraft F8+BM a write-off.

The only Furze Hill I can find is in Hove, so could this be Fire Hills in Fairlight? I'm assuming Tomczyk (FF), Kern (B), Fischer (Bf), Eucker (Bm) ?

Thank you
Steve

[Rottler]

Hello Steve,

Gen.Qu. loss return 6 Jan 1943 item 47:
F Fw Eucker, Hartmut
B Gefr Fischer, Rolf
Bf Uffz Kern, Ernst
Bm Uffz Tomczyk, Kurt.

Regards
Leo

[srob48]

Thank you Leo, much appreciated as always.

[JoMe]

Hi Steve

Possibly Furze Hill is not an official name, but refers to a hill that is overgrown with furze (Stechginster).
It's only a consideration.

best wishes
JoMe

[srob48]

Thank you JoMe for your reply. I asked the question on an East Sussex Group on Facebook, and the answer came back as 'Fyrsway, not Furze Hill. This also fits in with Fire Hills, which covers this area along the coast.

[Brian Bines]

The crash report gives Furze Hill , Fairlight near Hastings at 2055 hrs. but as you say it should be Fyrsway , Fire Hill . It hit the hill then went through an empty bungalow. a few bungalows for sale there now .

[srob48]

Thank you Brian. It also appears to have crashed with its mines still onboard, one had to be d
efused at the crash site. Maybe another exploded, which caused the huge damage over a wide area. Does anyone know how many mines this aircraft could carry?

[Tim O.]

Shown in Luftwaffe Crash Archive volume 10 as Fire Hills, Fairlight. Photo of crash site also shown with bits of crew and aircraft scattered. Crew positions listed as you have them.

[srob48]

Found this on Wikipedia:
The E-1 aircraft could carry an internal bomb load of 2,000 kg. Alternatively, it could carry a load of two LMW aerial mines or one torpedo. The E-2 could carry three mines.
The version that crashed at Fairlight was an E-4, which had the same bomb load as the E-2.
So the Fairlight Dornier was carrying 3 mines on board. One was defused at the crash site. So, either the other 2 exploded in the crash, or, 2 mines had already been dropped in Rye Bay before the aircraft crashed?