E.G. WEIHN, Hawkinge

[srob48]

Today I visited the cemetery at Hawkinge, Kent. I know several of the 'Ein Deutsches Soldat' graves have now been identified, but I was wondering if the identity of the Grave of 'E.G. Weihn' plot O-1-22, is now known?

Many thanks, Steve

[edwest2]

Andy Saunders, who I believe still visits this board, is an expert in that area. Perhaps someone here has his contact information.





Ed

[Chris Goss]

Andy is pretty tied up with family matters at present so I would wait for him to respond when he can rather than contacting him

[edwest2]

Understood, Chris. I hope things go well.





Ed

[Peter Cornwell]

I’ve looked into this over the years but the true identity of this airman remains unknown. His body was recovered at sea and landed at West Jetty, Dover, on 28 August 1940. Received at Tower Street Mortuary at 18.20 that day he was described as being between 20-25 years old, 5’11’’ tall with brown hair, fresh complexion, straight nose, round face, eyes uncertain, and wearing Luftwaffe uniform tunic and trousers. He carried a penknife, cash in a leather purse, a key on a ring, two documents with addresses in Rouen and Brussels, and a gold ring inscribed ‘E. G. WEIHN (1939)’. He was coffined on 30 August and removed to RAF Hawkinge at 12.50 the following day for burial on 6 September 1940 at a total cost of £5.17.6d. A temporary CWGC wooden marker was erected on the grave on 6 June 1941.

I know of no such German airman lost over the Channel in the preceding weeks/months and strongly suspect that the ring was simply a Christmas present in 1939 (i.e. Weihnachten 1939) to (or even possibly from) someone with the initials E. G.

[srob48]

Hi Peter, thank you for your reply and intriguing information.
IF, (and I know it is a big IF) E.G. are the initials of the owner of the ring, then there is one (and only one) name that fits the bill. That is Gefr. Ernst Gropp who went missing on 15th August. Loss details are:
3(F)/31.
Dornier Do17P. Reconnaissance sortie to England. Shot down by RAF Spitfires and crashed in the Channel 5 miles off Ventnor, Isle of Wight, 8.00am. Lt. Karl Braasch (F), Oblt. Hans Horn (B) and Gefr. Ernst Gropp (Bf) all missing. Aircraft lost.

It does baffle me however, that with all the information that was gathered when they recovered his body from the sea, that there was no mention of Rank shoulder boards or collar tabs which were sewn onto the uniform, or trade badges to signify if he was a pilot, wireless operator etc.
It would be interesting to know if it would take 13 days for a body to float from the Isle of Wight to Dover.
I would love to know your thoughts on this. I have no other loss with the initials E.G. in my files.

[Chris Goss]

You need to assume tidal flows which would mean a body coming down that far west going west, not east. As you say a very big if

[Peter Cornwell]

If one accepts my theory about the significance of the inscription on the ring that identified ‘E.G. WEIHN’ buried at Hawkinge then of course the loss of Ernst GROPP on 15 August 1940 provides an intriguing potential candidate. It has certainly been considered often enough over the years that I have been researching such losses. However, of itself, this fact alone remains far from being conclusive and, not wishing to start any hares running, at best merely proves that I have a plausible theory. That said, I regret to say the VDK seem to have accepted equally tenuous ‘evidence’ of identity in the recent past.