KG6 downed aircraft 25.3.1943

[robbie]

Hello everyone, I am trying to find information on 5 downed aircraft (Ju88's?) from KG6 on the night of 25 March 1943 on a bombing mission over North Britain especially Scotland, my references say 5 aircraft flew in to high ground, can anyone give me any more information on these aircraft and where they crashed?
Regards
Robbie

[FrankieS]

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Contributed by Northumberland County Libraries
People in story: Mr Fairington, Shepherd Pilot
Location of story: Linhope Spout, Northumberland
Article ID: A2486856
Contributed on: 02 April 2004
Mr Fairington
Wooler, Northumberland
I was working at a place called Linhope Spout. On one particular day as we had arrived there on a job. A shepherd came running towards us and into our building to ring the authorities as he had discovered a German plane (model - Junkers 88)that had crashed there the night before. During my lunch break, I went down to the RAF ambulance to see what was happening. Three officials were carrying away the bodies of the two German pilots in blankets. I remember vividly that a pilots arm dropped out of the blanket upon which it was being carried, and the sargent picking it up by the fingers and just throwing it in the ambulance. Furthermore, the army were called in because they thought that one of the bodies was missing from the planes and they were sent out to search for it. However, they found a log book in one of the German planes which stated that the pilot had actually been killed the night before during an evening raid in Hull.

Posted on: 04 April 2004 by Ross McNeill
Hi,
I think that the aircraft you are describing was:
Junkers Ju.88, Wvrk No.144354, 3E+BH of 1/KG6 based at Deelen, Holland. It was being chased by a Beaufighter from No.219 Sqn and hit Linhope Rig near Powburn in the early hours of 25th March 1943. Ofw F Lang and his three crew were all buried in Chevington Cemetery.

[Chris Goss]

10 aircraft were lost in this attack. KG 2 lost 4 Do 217s (Madam Law, Kirk Newton; Katwijk, Holland; Carsphairn; Haltwhistle) whilst KG 6 lost 6 Ju 88s (Deelen, Holland; Powburn; Balerno; Earlstone; 2 missing over the North Sea)

[robbie]

Hi, Thank you for the information, are there any books or other reference material out there that can give me more information, for example, the other aircraft codes etc, Chris, you listed Earlstone as the location of a downed Ju88, do you know where this is?, I can find an Earlstone in Hampshire or might it be Earlston in the Scottish Borders?
Regards
Robbie

[Chris Goss]

I have the full crew lists and aircraft details. Good sources are 'Blitz Then & Now', Balke's history of KG 2 and the privately published history of KG 6. All losses were in and around the Borders so it must be Earlston

[robbie]

Thanks again for the info Chris, obviously the references I have (Osprey Ju88) aren't 100% accurate, it quotes 5 Ju88 aircraft coming down, I didn't know about the KG2 and Dornier crashes. Can you tell me what and where the likely targets were, Edinburgh, Rosyth??
My interest stems from one of the Ju88's coming down very near where I live just outside Edinburgh and I thought I might research the background to this raid, who and what was involved etc. Are the aircraft details and crew lists that you have available in any specific books.
Regards
Robbie

[Brian Bines]

I have target Edinburgh with Ju 88 3E+BH w.n 4354 crew of Ofw. Friedrich Lang killed in crash N/W of Linhope Rigg ( photo of the Bf Ofw Karl Klein in 'Broken Eagles 2' by Bill Norman) , Ju 88 3E+HM w.n. 4537 crew of Oblt. Fritz Foerster killed in crash at Hare Hill south of Edinburgh , Ju 88 3E+MN w.n.1444550 crew of Oblt Paul Rogge three killed one missing in crash 4 miles east of Earlston Berwickshire , Ju 88 3E+BS w.n 144400 crew of Fw. Hans Reis missing , Ju 88 3E+KT wn 144416 crew of Oblt Josef Weissgerber missing. Plus three Do 217's of KG 2 crashing in the UK and one on the Continent ,
Regards
Brian Bines

[robbie]

Thanks Brian,
I've come across some other references that say Glasgow was the target that night with one Ju88 and one Do217 coming down where you say. One claim says Ju 3E+BH crashed while flying low in fog another says shot down by 219 SQN.
Chris, can you possibly give me more information on crews and aircraft please, or tell me where I can access particular information relating to this incident.
Also, were all these aircraft flying together that night or would there typically be two different raids on Glasgow and Edinburgh that night, and did any aircraft make it back unscathed.
Regards
Robbie

[cmforster]

Chris Goss,

I've sent you a PM

Chris Forster

[Chris Goss]

Chris: I am away from home and will reply when I get back at the weekend