He 115 losses on 6 June 1940

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

I have the following entry in my database for 6 June 1940:

Noting the withdrawal of the Allied from Narvik, the German Navy had put the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau to sea, supported by the cruiser Hipper, to seek out and destroy as much as possible of the retreating Allied shipping. As they headed out past Trondheim, 11 He 115s undertook reconnaissance sorties in support, from which the He 115 C WNr 2761 DC+GL of 3./KüFlGr 506 flown by Uffz Willi Rohs failed to return. It was probably lost in Norwegian Sea.

Crew (all missing):
Uffz. Willi Rohs (pilot)
Fw. Josef Wirth (observer)
Ogefr. Karl Schreiber (radio)

Source:
http://www.rafandluftwaffe.info/luftwaffe1.html
http://www.historisches-marinearchiv...ere_value=1077
"Fledgling Eagles: the Complete Account of Air Operations During the Phoney War and Norwegian Campaign, 1940", by Christopher Shores, with John Foreman, Christian-Jacques Ehrengardt, Heinrich Weiss and Bjorn Olsen. ISBN 0948817429

The first source above lists another He 115 lost this day in an accident (at start or landing) in Trondheim seaplane base. The unit is shown as 2./KüFlGr 506 and there was no casualty, but there is no other detail.

Can someone confirm this second loss ?

Thanks in advance

Laurent

[Peter Cornwell]

I have no second He115 listed as lost on this date.

[Seaplanes]

Just for the record: Radio-operator Karl Schreiber was found washed ashore on 20.09.40 on the island of Oksöy.
I have dug deep into the He 115 history but not found a second accident
on the same day, 06.06.40. If a landing accident happened, this must be
less than 10% as this was not usually reported in the Gen.Qu. listings.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks to both of you. I was suspecting the second loss was more or less suspect.

Seaplanes, thanks for the additional info on Schreiber.

[Knut Larsson]

The Spanish Author Juan Carlos Salgado state in "La Maquina y la Historia Perfiles Aeronauticos Heinkel He 115" part I and II that a second He 115 was destroyed this day in Trondheim and that this one belonged to 2./KüGr506.
May be an error for 10% and not 100% ?
Greetings from Norway
Knut

[Seaplanes]

I suppose Mr. Salgado has to give us his Reference for this informaton. I have been through quite a few original and contemporary documents that
give no indication of a second loss of Aircraft, even from another Staffel.

[The Law]

Originally Posted by Seaplanes

Just for the record: Radio-operator Karl Schreiber was found washed ashore on 20.09.40 on the island of Oksöy.
I have dug deep into the He 115 history but not found a second accident
on the same day, 06.06.40. If a landing accident happened, this must be
less than 10% as this was not usually reported in the Gen.Qu. listings.

I just stumbled across this during my research and I'm so glad I was abe to gather at least a few more details on the He 115 C (DC+GL) of 3./KüFlGr 506. The pilot listed as Willi Rohs was my granduncle and it's been taking me forever to find out even the most basic information.

I hadn't known that Karl Schreiber was found. As sad as it is, I'm glad to hear that at least one of the three bodies was washed ashore, so thank you, Seaplanes, for this information.

[The Law]

Originally Posted by Seaplanes

Just for the record: Radio-operator Karl Schreiber was found washed ashore on 20.09.40 on the island of Oksöy.

Seaplanes, I was stunned to read your comment on Karl Schreiber.

The pilot of the He 115 C WNr 2761 DC+GL of 3./KüFlGr 506 was my great-uncle and although it's difficult to accept there's not much information on his final flight and no remains were found, it's soothing in a way to read that at least one of the bodies was retrieved. This is a pretty old post, but do you remember where you found the information that Karl Schreiber was washed ashore?

Thank you!