Seeking confirmation of location of Bf109E loss 11.40 on beach at Ostende, Belgium

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Today on eBay four photos auctioned (one no bid) that show what appears to be White 8 of 4./JG51 force-landed on a Beach. Our EoE WG believes that this may be an a/c that force-landed at Ostende, Belgium during Nov., 1940. Can anyone tell by the background of these two photos if this is indeed at Ostende? One of the photos shows some major radio or communications towers on the other side of a road along the beach, and the other shows a derelict ship in the distant background, which should have been a prominent landmark if this is at Ostende in 1940. Who can help? If it's not Ostende, does anyone recognize where it is?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/130702043182...#ht_2234wt_925

and,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/140759237715...#ht_2235wt_925

Regards,

[bn785371]

Hi Larry,a similar ship appears in the back of another crashed Me109 yellow2(JG?) on the beach near Oye-Plage.
So wich more likely due its base(Marquise).

Regards

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

I've just located a photo known to have been taken of a FL He111 on the beach at Ostende in early June, 1940. The background doesn't match exactly, but it is very, very similar to that of the photo above, making Ostende a highly likely location. The background of the two photos is probably in a slightly different spot on the beach, but appear to me to be very close to each other. Still need further confirmation of the Ostende location.

Regards,

[lilsis]

In maart 1940 the ship Melrose sunk by oostende. On 1. Picture eBay you can a Building at left side, what can be the Thermal palace

http://www.wrecksite.eu/img/wrecks/melrose_ss.jpg

http://dic.academic.ru/pictures/wiki...mae_Palace.jpg

Near oostende there was the Base raversijde

Black 4 Uffz. Range JG21 17.11.40 emergency landing near oostende, this wie have in our datas.

[bn785371]

I think you have solved the problem!

Regards

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,

The vessel in the background looks like a light ship. Could it be " Wandelaar " ?
See also photographs of this vessel at Oostende during 1940 at audio.laser558.nl/veronica/lichtschepen.pps

Best regards

Luc

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Luc has it! This is the lightship "Wandelaar" beached at Ostende (Ostend?).

In our EoE Luft loss DB this is presently: "November 6, 1940: 4./JG51 Messerschmitt Bf109E-1 (6091). Crash-landed at Ostend damaged in combat. Pilot unhurt. Aircraft White 8 + 20% damaged but repairable."

I'm sure that this will now undergo some minor revisions once Peter Cornwell has a chance to look at this. Jochen Prien was the source of the original info on the possible location of this photo.

If anyone can now give us a more exact location on the beach from these photos, the time of the incident and (very long shot) the name of a pilot, that would nail this one for us.

Well, this answers one of my three questions from Sunday. I hope that we have as good luck on answering the other two.

Regards,

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Regarding the exact location of this crash, Luc has sent me this: "The crash could have happened at Middelkerke beach in front of the local radiostation. I can't confirm that the radiostation in 1940 was at the same location as the present one which is near the Hector Verhaghelaan at Middelkerke. Please enter this name in Google earth or try 51°11'04.03"N 2° 48' 0.78 E which could be the approx location of the crash."

I don't know what "Hector Verhaghelaan" means in Flemish. Is this a building, like a school, a street or an area? There certainly are radio antennas evident in these photos behind the seawall along the beach. Anyway, Luc seems to have pretty much pinpointed where this is on the shore at Middelkerke.

Regards,

[ClinA-78]

Hector Verhaghelaan is Hector Verhaghe's Lane; typical a large street bordered with threes