Crash in the sea off Newquay 2 October 1940

[Dave Somerset]

Please can anybody help with a question arising from the German crash list on RAF Davidstow Moor? On 2 October 1940 shows a He 111 with Werk Nr 6948 and code 1T+KM that crashed in the sea near Newquay. I cannot find any reference to this in The Blitz Then and Now or in Luftwaffe Crash Archive. I have also searched the internet but still no sign. Does anyone know anything about the incident please? Details of the crew would be good and the reason for it crashing. Many thanks.

[Peter Cornwell]

I cannot answer for the details from the German crash list you mention & suggest you query their sources with them. This loss was not included in Blitz T&N as no bodies were recovered by the British authorities. For the same reason, no A.I.1.(k) Report was raised thus it is not featured in the Luftwaffe Crash Archive.

1./KGr.126 Heinkel He111H-4 (6948). Damaged during night sortie to London and ditched in the North Sea 20 miles off the Norfolk coast. BO Lt zur See Günther Grünwald, BF Uffz Otto Plenert, BO Lt Karl-Fritz Schreyer, and BM Gefr Richard Weber all took to dinghy but drowned, FF Uffz Hugo Greeven rescued - admitted to hospital in Den Helder. Aircraft IT+KH 100% write-off.
This entire crew was first spotted at 7.50 a.m. by He115 M2+KH of 1./KüFlGr.106 but despite efforts by the Seenotdienst they failed to be rescued and by 4.17 p.m. only two men remained in the dinghy.

[Chris Goss]

I believe the source for this is Mason's Battle over Britain quoting it was shot down by two named Spitfire pilots from an unspecified Sqn and that no combat report was filed so where he came to his conclusions are a mystery.

[Dave Somerset]

Thank you both for your time and for the information. Much appreciated.

[CornwallPhil]

There was a raid on Penzance on the 2nd, and one at daybreak on the 3rd on St Eval.

When Bombs Fell by Rowe & Rabey describes the Penzance raid "Early in the morning, part of a store and Hosking’s garage were demolished at Penzance when, apart from high explosive bombs, a rather nasty Flam 250 bomb containing 16 gallons of oil was dropped from low altitude. This penetrated the roof of 9 Lanarveth Road, passed through two occupied bedrooms and through the front bedroom window onto the road. The casing of the bomb split open on striking the roof and both bedrooms were splashed with oil. Fortunately, it did not detonate, otherwise a very serious fire would have started, but there was a sad sequel to this incident when a Royal Engineers Sergeant died whilst endeavouring to defuse the bomb. Hundreds of panes of glass were smashed during this raid, which also damaged the railway station and many houses."

I am not aware of any German casualties other than the Davidstow Crash Log entry.