Supplies for Atlantic pockets(?) - Loss of early November 1944

[Henofred]

Hello/Bonjour,

Not easy, knowing that there is not much data for that year. I am looking for information about a plane that went down in flames West of the town of Issoudun, in central France, early November 1944 (...between the 1st and the 5th). Of the five crew members, four died in the crash and one was taken to hospital. The plane was carrying weapons, medical supplies and mail.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Chris Goss]

If TG 30 I have He 111 losses 2 Nov 44 (5 crew missing), 6 Nov 44 (5 killed)

[Larry deZeng]

Heavy losses!

Nov – Dec 44: these night supply operations by TG 30 continued from Zellhausen through March 1945, although the Staffeln were often dispersed at nearby airfields, such as Klein-Welzheim, Gross Ostheim and Oberschenkenbach. During November and December a total of 19 He 111s were lost to all causes while on night flights to the Atlantic and Channel fortresses, and to Strasbourg in Alsace and Bastogne/Belgium during the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge).

L. deZ.

[Henofred]

Thank you gents for your answers, I now know the name of this German unit. Below is a translation of the newspaper article that relates the incident (dated 4 November 1944).

A Kraut plane crashes near Issoudun
On Tuesday night, at about 23 hours (or 11:00 p.m.), a German plane crashed in flames at Villemont, commune of Saint-Aoustrille, 3 kilometers southwest of Issoudun and 200 meters from the road to Châteauroux. Four of the occupants were burned; the fifth, injured, is in the Sacré-Coeur hospital. The plane was carrying weapons and medical equipment to be dropped in the Gironde. A container was found intact; it contained only mail. The Issoudun fire department went to the scene. It is believed that the plane was flying very low and struck the power line.

Any chance to find the identity of the crew members? I have not found anything in the lists of German soldiers buried in Châteauroux or Bourges.

Best regards,
Frederic

[John Manrho]

So, what was the unit according to your data?

If the newspaper from 4 Nov 1944 (a Saturday) says that the a/c crashed on Tuesday 23.00 hrs than the a.c crashed on the night of 31.10/01.11.

[Henofred]

Hi/Bonjour John,

According to the answers it must be a plane of the Transportgeschwader 30. The date (Tuesday) also seems likely based on the article.

best regards,
Frederic

[John Manrho]

Hello Fred,

Ahh, okay, we all assume it must be TGr 30 as that is the most logical candidate. The problem is there is no matching loss. But again, not all data survived.

John

[Chris Goss]

There were no losses on 4 Nov 44 for TG 30. There was a loss on 2 Nov 44 but the mission was "Kanal Festung". However, as John has suggested, there was a loss on 31 Oct 44 of Wk Nr 701204 S3+LH whose mission was "Atlantik Stuetzpkte". A quick check of the VDK site confirms pilot Fw Walter Merz was buried at Mont-de-Huisne but was killed at................Issdoudun. Rest of the crew was:
Uffz Josef Huemer-B
Uffz Ludwig Endress-BF
Ogefr Heinrich Dziuba-BW
Uffz Bruno Speer-Bd

[John Manrho]

701204 crashed near Royan according to reports. 2 man of crew buried, remainder missing (crashed in sea)

[Nick Beale]

He 111 H-20 W.Nr. 701455 of TGr. 30 was reported "missing since 29/10. According to Philippe Cannone, it had crashed at Issoudun on the night of 31 October/1 November 1944. I have no information on the crew however.

CX/MSS/R355(C)

15. To GEPCA ((Transportfliegerführer)) WEHRWOLF ((GAF Command West)) 4 from RIFOI ((Transport Fliegergruppe)) 30, signed DOERRI, Obltn. and Technical Officer, dated 31/10:

Off strength:

He 111 H-20 W.Nr. 701460, 45% damaged while making forced landing at Weissenturm near Neustadt on 30/10

He 111 H-20 W.Nr. 701455 missing since 29/10.

P.S. to Larry: added to those losses you mention are many, many damage incidents (usually 10–20%) during landing or take-off and reported in ULTRA.

P.S. to Frédéric: what was the name of the newspaper you quoted from?