Loss He.111 KG53 (KG3?) on 25th November 1944

[David Ransome]

Hi,

This may help, possibly someone else has records whereby they can double check!

WNr 700520 was in the H-20 series produced by Heinkel at Oranienburg but it would appear that 700720 was not in a batch of numbers used for the He111, and possibly not allocated to Heinkel either!

If I'd thought of checking on this tack earlier it may have resolved some early questions, apologies for that!

If someone could confirm or deny as regards the numbers I would be very grateful.

Regards

David

[Soren Flensted]

Hello Chris
You might be able to crack this: On 3/1-45 at 21:30 hours a aircraft crashed at Bjerndrup Ostermark near Kliplev in southern Denmark with the loss of all onboark. I think that it was a He 111 of Kg 53 ? The crew must have been laid to rest in Flensburg.Can you sheed light on this ?

[Chris Goss]

Easy! He 111 Wk Nr 110264 A1+GK of 2/KG 53. Uffz Herbert Juergens + 4 killed and buried 8 Jan 45 at Leck

[Soren Flensted]

Hi Chriss
Thanks a lot. Do you have the four names of the rest of the crew ? Just so I get it right on my home page when I get to 1945. Is there any indication of why it crashed ? From local hold it seems as if Jürgens tried an emergency landing but hit a small dyke.

[Chris Goss]

Fhr Franz wiethaupt, Uffz Heinz Wagner, Ogefr Erich Kesmitzki, Ofw Herbert Lange. 'Nach Rueckgekehrt in Folge Bodenberuhrung abgestuerzt'

[Soren Flensted]

Hi Chris
That was very fast. Thank you.

[Soren Flensted]

Chris
Today I visited the cemetery at Kirchstrasse in Leck where the 5 man crew of He 111 werknummer 110264 of 2./KG 53 crashed on 3/1-45 is buried.
I found four more graves from the same date. Do you know if 2./KG 53 lost more aircrafts in Northern Germany on that day ?
From 3/1-1945 these four persons rest next to each other:
Herbert Rose born 8/4-18
Heinz Kowalski born 2/5-21
Gerhard Taschner born 29/12-18
Hans Olm born 19/7-22.

[Chris Goss]

Wk Nr 162378 coded A1+DK crashed at Tinglev on the return. There was also a Gefr Gerhard Taeschner

[Soren Flensted]

Chris
Thank you. Tinglev is in Denmark. Could it be that He 111 Wk Nr 110264 A1+GK of 2/KG 53. Uffz Herbert Juergens + 4 killed and buried 8 Jan 45 at Leck actually crashed in Northern Germany and Wk Nr 162378 coded A1+DK crashed at Tinglev on the return ? Because I have only records of one crash in Denmark on that date.

[Chris Goss]

I cannot comments as this is what is on the records