German night fighter losses Feb. 15/16, 1944

[danmac]

I am interested to know if there were any Luftwaffe night fighter losses on Feb. 15/16, 1944 during a large Bomber Command raid on Berlin.

My uncle, a rear gunner with 429 Squadron, RCAF, claimed a probable kill over an unidentified twin-engine night fighter on this operation.

According to 429 Squadron records, the combat took place on the outbound journey at 20,000 feet. The time was given as 21:07. The position (and this means nothing to me) is listed as 53:23N - 13:00E. The Halifax bomber was flying on a course of 159 degrees.

I'm curious as to whether there might be a matching German loss to this claim and, if so, the name or names of the crew and their fate.

Thanks

[Bas Maathuis]

There's a Ju 88 C-6 (R4+BR) of 7./NJG 2 that came down on Twente airfield on the 15th februari 1944 at 22.00 hrs killing all crew.

Ff Uffz.H. Bergeest, 21, buried Ysselsteyn Q-10-237
Be Ogfr. H. Böring, kia, unknown
Bs Gfr. A. Artmann, 21, buried Ysselsteyn Q-10-239

I can't find Böring in the VdK, maybe a typo.

[danmac]

Thanks Bas

Any idea where this airfield was in relation to Berlin? Could a plane damaged at 21:07 have flown there and crashed on landing?

I'm assuming that because the combat was at 21:07 that the Halifax was still a long way from England. It was on the way home, but by the sounds of the time, it may not have been too far from Berlin.

Dan McCaffery

[danmac]

I see the airfield in question is in eastern Holland. I don't know if that would make it impossible for the Ju-88 to get home in just under an hour. I suppose it depends on how far west of Berlin the Halifax had travelled before being attacked.

[karl lusink]

Originally Posted by Bas Maathuis

There's a Ju 88 C-6 (R4+BR) of 7./NJG 2 that came down on Twente airfield on the 15th februari 1944 at 22.00 hrs killing all crew.

Ff Uffz.H. Bergeest, 21, buried Ysselsteyn Q-10-237
Be Ogfr. H. Böring, kia, unknown
Bs Gfr. A. Artmann, 21, buried Ysselsteyn Q-10-239

I can't find Böring in the VdK, maybe a typo.

HAllo
Uffz Harry Bergeest Q-237 26-06-1922
Obgefr Horst Bühring Q-238 19-12-1921
Gefr Alfred Artmann Q-239 12-07-1922

Regards
Karl Lusink

[danmac]

Does anyone know anything about this trio? Did they have any victories to their credit?

[Bas Maathuis]

Danmac,

This Ju 88 is the only one I've got 15th feb 1944.
Maybe there's another German twin-engine lost on that date, but this is what I've got.

Karl,
Thanks for helping me out with Bühring. Much appreciated.

[RT]

Here are the losses with casualties for the 15/16. Febr. night

7 III NJG1 F Liebenwalde west,/Mark, A LFK Bomb, BF110G-4 740013 G9+BR
IVST NJG1 F Esbjerg 70 km sud, DANM, LFK BF110G-4 720083 G9+GE
7 NJG2 F Twente-Enschede UB A JU88C-6 720321 R4+BR
2 I NJG3 F Güstrow FP 2 km west,/Mecklenb, A BF110G-4 5441 D5+BK
10 NJG5 F Gross-Südersen 5 km S Lauenburg A BF110G-4 720249 C9+BU
11 NJG5 F Schernikau 5 km NW Stendal A BF110G-4 720009 C9+EV
4 NJG4 F Lübecker bucht b,Travemünde A LFK DO217N-1 1429 100


Remi

[danmac]

Thanks RT, this is helpful.

Is there any indication of which ones were shot down and which were lost due to bad weather (if any)? Or any times for the losses?

[Soren Flensted]

Hi
Regarding the "Esbjerg" plane see: http://www.flensted.eu.com/g1944016.shtml