KG4 Losses 8/9.8.40

[steve sheridan]

Hi im trying to update scant information i have for KG4 losses for the following dates, if anybody can help clear up these for me.

8.8.40 9/KG4 He111P Crashed at Fassberg on non-operational flight. 3killed.

9.8.40 2/KG4 He111 lost, Fw R. Schmidt and crew missing.

Any help with the usual loss data much appreciated.

Best regs,
Steve.

[Matti Salonen]

Haven't found NVM for the first one, but the second is:
1940-08-10, 2./KG 4, He 111H-4, 5J+CK, 150 km östlich Flamborough-Head, Notwasserung infolge Flakbeschuß. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Fw Schmitt, Richard, vermißt
Hilfsbeobachter Fw Geisdorf, Hans, +
Bordfunker Uffz Soffel, Willi, vermißt
Bordschütze Gefr Hebeld, Herbert, +

Matti

[Khorat]

The GQM didn´t report the names for the Fassberg crash.

Michael

[steve sheridan]

Good morning, many thanks Matti and Michael for helping with these two.
Strange the Fassberg incident didnt appear in the NVM and GQM reports bearing in mind there were casualties involved.

Kindest regs,
Steve.

[bill norman]

Karl Gunderlach lists this crew has having failed to return from operations against industrial targets in Hartlepool on 9 August 1940. No other details of the fate of this aircraft are known at the time of writing, except that it was based at Soesterberg, Holland. The Luftwaffe Loss Reports for 9 August 1940 shows that a Heinkel 111H-4 of 2./KG4 was shot down by flak near Flamborough Head and that two of the crew were killed and two were missing. In view of the fact that aircraft from Soesterberg that were destined for Hartlepool would probably have passed Flamborough, it is thought that 5J+?K was the aircraft caught by the flak.

BN (website: www.billnorman.co.uk)

[steve sheridan]

Good morning Bill, i would think its most likely the a/c of Fw Schmitt is the one that crashed off Flamborough Head 9/10.8.40. There is no other reported losses for this unit on that day.

Out of curiosity and i think a loss you maybe familiar with from your book of the same area of operations, can you help with a KG30 crew lost on 8.4.41 i have Gefr Hans Holaseck and Uffz Helmut Owich lost with two others. Do you have the loss details please.

Best regs,
Steve.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

There is a list of war dead of KG 4 available on the Net and it had the following casualties for 8-10 August 1940:

Uffz. HAGOSCH Walter 09/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Uffz. MECHSNERWilhelm 09/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Uffz. TÜRKHEIM Gernot von 09/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Lt. ZEISS Artur 09/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Gefr. EBALD Herbert 10/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Fw. GEISDORF Hans 10/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Fw. SCHMIDT Richard 10/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Uffz. SOFFEL Wilhelm 10/08/1940 I./KG 4 vermisst
Source:
http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/2009/vl_kg_4_I_wk2.htm

Four of these men are listed in the NVM given by Matti above, I have no other details about the four other.

[Brian Bines]

Laurent, I had the first 4 as the crew of 5J+SH crashed at 0130hrs into the peak of Cairnsmore by Fleet, Kirkbrightshire. The info I had was took off from Soesterberg on a minelaying mission to Belfast, suffered engine problems and jettisioned its mines near Creetown before crashing,

Regards

Brian Bines

[steve sheridan]

Hi Laurent / Brian, yes i have this loss also recorded as 5J+SH although im missing the crew functions and EKM No's if you have these from the NVM.

Best regs,
Steve.

[Brian Bines]

Hi Steve, in the period GQM only names officers but shows Zeiss as the pilot,

Brian Bines