He 111 1/TG 30 shot down 25-12-1944

[Brian Bines]

A book on the occupation of the Channel Islands relates that a Fahn. Leker and four other German servicemen sailed from one of the surrounded Channel Fortress Pockets to the Channel Islands a few weeks prior to Christmas 1944. In the ealy hours of Dec. 25th Leker with Freg.Kap Breithaupt, Oblt.zur.See Pauli and an unknown wounded man were being flown back to Germany ,on a returning supply plane, however they were killed when the aircraft was shot down by U.S.fighters near Bastogne. A NVM shows that He 111 H20 of 1/TG 30 ( S3+AL 701404) was shot down by an Allied Nightfighter near St. Etienne/Bastogne returning from a supply mission on the 25th. The Heinkel pilot Fw. Hans Buchner and Observor Uffz. Willi Kramer were injured while the other crewmen Uffz.Bechtold, Ofw.Klietsch and Uffz.Cruner were killed. Can anyone confirm whether this was the aircraft that Fahn.Leker was flying on.
I believe a crew of the U.S. 422 Night Fighter Sqd. claimed a Ju 88 over Meuse/St.Vith at 0645 hrs could this have been S3+AL ?
Regards
Brian Bines