Heinz Wagner. Me 110 M+BM PONDERS END

[Peter Cornwell]

Reluctantly. The Namentliche Verlustmeldungen for II./ZG76 confirms that Heinz WAGNER was Staffelkapitän of 4./ZG76 at the time of his death in action on 30 August 1940. The Genst.Gen.Qu.6 Abt. also documented the fact that when lost he was flying Bf110C (3257) M8+BM (i.e. 4 Staffel) of II./ZG76 - a fact denied to RAF Intelligence when they inspected the wreckage of his aircraft due to the nature of the crash. They were only able to determine the M8+B codes and correctly identified the Gruppe but were forced to deduce the individual Staffel based upon documents found in the wreckage. A.I.1.(k) Report No.350/1940 is quite clear on the matter. The wreck was inspected by F/O Peskett who phoned through his report the following day. He apparently failed to take adequate note of the white B on the upper surface of the wing which, at that stage in the game, would have been enough for them to correctly establish the exact unit.