Three He 111H of 1.(F) 122 lost on December 6th 1939

[Feldpost]

Hi all,
I am researching the airwar in my home area (around Hamburg, Northgermany) , especially the history of the nearby "Fliegerhorst Uetersen".
In the last days of 1939 and early 1940 Fernaufklärer units startet their operations in Uetersen. On 6.12.1939 three He11H of 1.(F)/122 were lost:

Due to www.luftwaffendata.co.uk these were

WerkNr. 2709
Crashed shortly after take-off from Ütersen – Lt. Schierholz, Uffz. Werner Kunze, Uffz. M. Strobschein and Ogfr. Vogt killed

Werk Nr.3154
Missing on sortie to Firth of Forth and the Moray Firth. Crashed in the sea off Borkum. Fw. H. Petersen, Uffz. H. Weise, Uffz. A. Kenzelmann and Flgr. T. Beckmann all killed.

Indeed this sauce mentions 3 losses of 1./ Fernaufklärer 122 that day , but only two casualities were listed up (reference is the book “The Battle of France then and now” by Peter Cornwell)

My problem is:
Does anybody know the names and fate of the third crew and their WerkNr. ???


Another Luftwaffe researcher gave me similar information, but the two Werk Nr. were mixted.

Local sauces mentions two crashed He111 shortly after take-off from Ütersen at the same day and indeed this year I found an eyewitness for that ! The Luftwaffe supposed sabotage, but they did not find the reasons for the two accidents.
Since Uffz. Werner Kunze was buried in Uetersen and two of his comrades in Hamburg , the infos about WerkNr.2709 seems to be correct.

But I found out, Uffz. H. Weise was buried in his home town in Germany, too, so it is not likely, that he was downed into the North Sea near Scotland ...!?

Years ago somebody told me that the third He111H was the crew of Flugzeugführer "Huber" , Vkz. F6+GH and Werknummer 2700 (?). This could be the third one, but I have no further references about it.

Any ideas , any suggestions?

If somebody can check the information (Werk.Nr. + names) with original copies Luftwaffe documents, this would be a great help for me.

Were are the graves of Fw. H. Petersen, Uffz. A. Kenzelmann and Flgr. T. Beckmann . They should be buried in Great Britain (if they really have a grave...). Otherwise it was maybe another crew , that died near the Firth of Forth...?

Best regards

Frank

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Frank,

I believe the answer to your question may be found in the following losses on 6 December 1939 all involving aircraft operating out of Uetersen:

1.(F)/122 Heinkel He111H-2 (2709). Crashed on take-off at Uetersen, cause unknown. BO Lt Hans Schierholz, FF Uffz Walter Kunze, BF Uffz Max Strohschein, and BS Obergefr Günther Vogt all killed. Aircraft 100% write-off.

1.(F)/122 Heinkel He111H-2 (3154). Crashed in sea north of Borkum, cause unknown. FF Uffz Heinz Weise killed, BO Fw Hans Petersen, BF Uffz Alfons Kenzelmann, and BS Flgr Theodor Beckmann all missing. Aircraft a write-off.
The body of Heinz Weise was recovered by a German patrol boat on December 12.

Stab X. Fl. Korps Heinkel He111H. Crashed on take-off at Uetersen, cause unknown. FF Uffz Josef Huber, BO Uffz Walter Kugele, BF Uffz Harry Anger, and BM Uffz Franz Wrobel all killed. Aircraft 100% write-off.

Stab X. Fl. Korps Heinkel He111H. Returned to Uetersen one crewman suffering altitude sickness due to oxygen failure. BM Uffz Fritz Enneking died, rest of crew unhurt. Aircraft 10% damaged but repairable.

The WEISE crew went into the sea off Borkum and may well have been engaged in a sortie to the Firth of Forth though I am unable to confirm that fact. Only the body of the pilot was recovered and to my knowledge the others have no known graves.

As you see, the second take-off crash that day involved an He111 of the Stab X. Fl. Korps flown by HUBER. I have no information on the Werk Nummer or codes carried by this aircraft and would be most grateful for any confirmation from someone that they were as you have been told.

Regards,

PC

[Feldpost]

Thank you very much Peter!
The Solution of my problem was the fact that two different untits started with their He 111H in Uetersen that day. All information you gave make sense. Thank you very much for it, Peter!
Indeed I have never come across the Stabsstaffel X. Fliegerkorps operating from Uetersen. But this is likley, since the HQ of X. Fliegrkorps was in a Hotel in Hamburg in those days and probably they used Fliegerhorst in Hamburg Fuhlsbüttel and Fliegerhorst Uetersen for their operations. Uetersen is just 30km nw of the city of Hamburg.

Does anybody have further information about the strengh of the Stabsstaffel X. Fliegerkorps. It is hard to find any information.

I will attach a Foto of F6+CK taken in Uetersen in 1939/40 from my collection. A second foto shows the grave of Uffz Walter Kunze , who died on that ill fated Dec. 6th 1939.
Best regards
Frank

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Frank,

Further to your post, can you (or anyone) confirm that the second He111 of Stab X Fl.Korps that I listed ...

Stab X. Fl. Korps Heinkel He111H. Returned to Uetersen one crewman suffering altitude sickness due to oxygen failure. BM Uffz Fritz Enneking died, rest of crew unhurt. Aircraft 10% damaged but repairable.

... was lost on 6 December 1939 and not on the previous day. There sees to be a duplication in the QMG Returns that I wish to resolve and I cannot find this airman listed in the VDK database.

Many thanks,

Peter C

[JohnnyB]

Hi Frank,

very interesting to read something about 1.(F)122

You got PM

Regards,

Rainer

[Feldpost]

Hi Peter,
Uffz Enneking is not buried in Uetersen . I suggest he rests in his family grave of his hometown, but I really don't know where. If I can find out something I will let you know.
Frank

[Feldpost]

Hi Peter,
I am now in contact with a nephew of Fritz Enneking. He told me the date of death of Fritz is the 6.12.1939. He died since his oxygen equipment was frozen. Possibly I will get some more information and a foto from Fritz.
I will keep in touch with you with PM then.
Frank