Airwar over Denmark

Airwar over Denmark

 By Søren C. Flensted

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Do 217 E-4 werk 1198 crashed into the North Sea 24/7 1942

The aircraft belonged to 6./ KG 40 and was coded F8+GP.
T/o Soesterberg between 21:45-22:00 hrs.  OP: Attack on Bedford.

The aircraft crashed into the North Sea with the loss of the whole crew.

Bordfunker Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Gruner was found washed ashore on the beach between Lökken and Hirtshals in northern part of Jylland, Denmark on 14/10-1942. He was laid to rest in Frederikshavn cemetery on 16/10 1942. According to the graveyard card he had died by drowning.

Flugzeugführer Olt Edgar Benscheidt, Kampfbeobachter Fw Ernst Klaus, and Bordmechaniker Uffz Georg Senft has no known grave.

It is believed that the Do 217 was claimed by a British Beaufighter from 68 Squadron operated by Pilot W/O Bobek and Radio observer F/Sgt Kovarik at 23:24 hrs. The Do 217 was claimed at 7000 ft and the German crew was seen to bail out about 50 miles south east of Coltishall. This position is over the North Sea and explains why Gruner was washed up on the beach in Denmark.

 


  (Flemming Hansen)

 

Sources: RAF Combat reports via Brian Bines, NVM via Matti Salonen, Kirketjenesten for flygtninge i Danmark. Pakke 80 (Rigsarkivet).

 

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