Do 215 31st August 1940

[Grandypops]

Hello everyone,

Could anyone help with the identity of a Do 215 shot down into the sea of the Norfolk Coast 31st August 1940 by Spitfires of 66 Sqn.

Many thanks
Will

[Andy Mitchell]

Will,

Battle of Britain then and Now has -
4./Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L - Do 215 (0028). Failed to return from recce sortie over England.Uffz. Vogel and Fw. Maurer killed.Uffz. Goebels and Uffz. Kamoltz missing.Aircraft G2+LH lost.

Francis Mason in Battle over Britain has -

4./Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L - Do 215 (0028 G2+LH) - Shot down by Spitfires flown by Gillies, Bodie and Hunt of 66 Sqdn, over Suffolk at 15.03 hrs. Crew as stated in BoBTaN above.

Hope that this is of assistance.

[hucks216]

This is covered on pages 1038-1039 in the latest Battle of Britain Combat Archive Vol 8 - strangely I just happened to have it open at those pages before clicking on the forum section. It includes the 66 Squadron intelligence report for the engagement.

[Grandypops]

Thank you very much for that information

Regards
Will

[Grandypops]

Hello again,

Would you have any information on a 4/Aufkl.Gr. Dornier G2+JH which was shot down off the Norfolk Coast by Sgt Arthur D Smith of 66 Sqn on 30th August 1940.

Best Regards
Will

[TigerTimon]

G2+JH W.Nr. 0036 failed to return from an operation to Norwich; three killed, one missing.

[Rottler]

Hello Will,

GQM loss return 1 Sep 1940 item 1:
30.8. 4./Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L. Feindflug, Ort: Norwich, Ursache: unbekannt, Do 215 0036 G2+JH 100%.
Oblt Sonnleitner vermisst
Ofw Weise vermisst
Fw Neubauer vermisst
Obgfr Hofmann vermisst.
1st correction 5 Dec 1940: Obgfr Hofmann gefallen
2nd correction 25 Jan 1941: Ofw Weise tot angeschwemmt
3rd correction 28 Feb 1942: Oblt Sonnleitner für tot erklärt.

Regards
Leo

[Grandypops]

Many thanks TigerTimon and Rottler I think that this information has helped me identify a German airman who was washed up on Horsey Beach in Norfolk in October 1940 and buried in the local churchyard his name was Georg Hofmann and he is now buried at Cannock Chase Cemetery. There was talk by local people of another German airman being washed up at the same time but I have not been unable to find anything about him as to were he was buried. It could have been Ofw Weise but I have no details of what happened to his body.

Once again thank you both very much

Regards
Will

[hucks216]

The previously mentioned book states that the body of Weise washed up on the Dutch coast at Den Burg on 25th September. This engagement is covered on pages 962-963 and also has the intelligence report for 66 Squadron. It was a shared kill between P/O Pickering, P/O Allen and Sgt Smith. Pickering was shot down, bailed out and came down in to the sea 20 miles east of Aldeburgh and rescued by a lightship.

[Grandypops]

Thank you