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German Lorenz Beil + 02-09-1940 Monday London England Cannock Chase

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German Lorenz Beil + 02-09-1940 Monday London England Cannock Chase

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6./ZG2 Messerschmitt Bf110D-0, A2+KL, W. Nr. 3629. Exploded over Vensons Farm, Eastry, Kent, under attack from F/Sgt J. Steere of No.72 Squadron 12.45 p.m. Pilot Feldwebel Lorenz Beil and Bordfunker Obergefreiter Hans Oehl both killed.

Feldwebel Lorenz Beil, right.
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Unfortunately, I had one of the worst experiences in all of my research years when chatting to Balthasar one time at a reunion.
He asked me if I knew what had happened to Rolf.
I said 'Yes'.
He asked me if he was still alive, and could I put him in touch with Rolf.
I had to break the news to him that Rolf had been missing in action since 12th May 1941. I cannot describe the abject misery that came across his face for a few seconds. I just had to sit in silence with him...
This is the side of research that people don't see...
Yeah, there's a good dose of realism for us, I as much as anyone here loves to talk about and debate the air war but there's the true face of it. Not just the lives lost but the lives of those who survived and had to deal with loss like this.

While news like that is never good, at least he found out the best way possible as I'm sure you broke the news as best as you could and I'm sure he appreciated hearing it from a friend and not finding out in some insensitive manner from a stranger.
 
Yeah, there's a good dose of realism for us, I as much as anyone here loves to talk about and debate the air war but there's the true face of it. Not just the lives lost but the lives of those who survived and had to deal with loss like this.

While news like that is never good, at least he found out the best way possible as I'm sure you broke the news as best as you could and I'm sure he appreciated hearing it from a friend and not finding out in some insensitive manner from a stranger.
Balthasar was wounded in action over London on 5th October 1940. Attacked from below & behind, splinters from his seat entered his buttocks. He managed to get his Bf 110 back to Calais-Marck, and his Bordfunker Rolf Schilleng helped him out of his cockpit. Balthasar had to slide down the wing on his belly. Here is a doctor examining his wounds on the airfield.
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Balthasar asked me if I knew who attacked him and I thought, 'Oh sh1t, I know where this is going'. I had gone through all of the combat reports of RAF squadrons up at that time of day on 5th October, and was able to narrow it down to only one squadron that attacked Bf 110 fighter-bombers, 92 Squadron. One combat report tallied exactly with what Balthasar had told me about the combat - P/O Lund. I told him the name, and he asked if he was still alive to make contact. I told him Lund had been killed in action in the mid-war years. I remember him saying slowly, and sadly, 'Oh no, not him as well'...
 
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American B-26-95858 Winnie Dee 344th BG, 496th BS shot down by AAA over France May 28, 1944. MACR 5139 Navigator Moffet killed

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Balthasar was wounded in action over London on 5th October 1940. Attacked from below & behind, splinters from his seat entered his buttocks. He managed to get his Bf 110 back to Calais-Marck, and his Bordfunker Rolf Schilleng helped him out of his cockpit. Balthasar had to slide down the wing on his belly. Here is a doctor examining his wounds on the airfield.
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Balthasar asked me if I knew who attacked him and I thought, 'Oh sh1t, I know where this is going'. I had gone through all of the combat reports of RAF squadrons up at that time of day on 5th October, and was able to narrow it down to only one squadron that attacked Bf 110 fighter-bombers, 92 Squadron. One combat report tallied exactly with what Balthasar had told me about the combat - P/O Lund. I told him the name, and he asked if he was still alive to make contact. I told him Lund had been killed in action in the mid-war years. I remember him saying slowly, and sadly, 'Oh no, not him as well'...
I must say, hats off to you on your depth of research and am I the only one amazed that you actually have a picture of Balthasar being examined by a doctor right after landing?

How did (I assume he) come to have a picture of that moment?
 
I must say, hats off to you on your depth of research and am I the only one amazed that you actually have a picture of Balthasar being examined by a doctor right after landing?

How did (I assume he) come to have a picture of that moment?
Taken by another member of his unit, and passed to him when he returned to the unit following a three month hospital stay.

He was happy for me to include it in my book on the unit.
 
American Douglas-Long Beach B-17G-35-DL 100th BG, 351st BS lost Dec 31, 1944. MACR 11356


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Delivered Tulsa 24/3/44; Kearney 13/4/44; Grenier 29/4/44; Assigned 351BS/100BG [EP-N/W] Thorpe Abbotts 3/5/44; Missing in Action Hamburg 31/12/44 with Wallace Wilson, Co-pilot: Clarry Van Cleave, Navigator: Ken Kane, Bombardier: Herman Eckmeyer, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Doug Nash, Radio Operator: Perry Gaye, Ball turret gunner: Austin Gibbon, Waist gunner: George Monte,Tail gunner: Gene Fellmeth (9 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crashed Tauenbrueck, Ger

P2 Wallace G. Wilson 1Lt O-632581
CP Clarence R. Van Cleave 2Lt O-825389
NAV (N) Kenneth F. Kane 2Lt O-2062674
BOM (B) Herman F. Eckmeyer Sgt 13001510
RAD Perry S. Gaye SSgt 34772383
ENG Douglas H. Nash SSgt 39208645
BAL Austin H. Gibbon Sgt 19215704
WG (W) george P. Monte Sgt 38352946
WG (W)
TG (T) Eugene M. Fellmeth Sgt 35236132
Loss due to: Enemy aircraft

  1. USAF Serial Number Search Results
  2. 42-107233 | American Air Museum
  3. MACR - 100th Bomb Group Foundation
 

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