On April 4, 1945 and on the way to the island of Guernsey a JU252 crashed minutes after take-off with only one survivor, Jump Master Martin Richter. Martin Richter was thrown out from the JU landing on soft ground. The whole story was researched by Walter Hermanutz and published in a book. (German) Stefan.
So he joined Sherlock Holmes in becoming someone to survive falls at Reichenbach! On a more serious note what was the mission? Just resupply or was there something or somebody they wanted to get out of the Channel Islands? I'd have thought that by April 1945 supporting the garrison on Guernsey was way down the list of priorities.
Mmm doesn't take us very far. They were delivering a heavy load and collecting people to fly back to Germany. In April 1945 who in Guernsey was important enough for the expenditure of very scarce aviation fuel to try to recover?
There were even regular flights from Munich and Stuttgart to Spain and retour until late April 1945 Whoever was on board was deemed „important“ but the reasons for such decisions had not neccessary match common sense.
Well some of the outward passengers might have been seeking onward passage to S America which might have been common sense for them. There was a German delegation in Berne trying to negotiate deals over gold and FX with the Swiss as late as April and Himmler had people travelling to Sweden trying to negotiate his own personal deal. None of this would seem relevant to a flight to the Channel Islands.
Must wait until I´d obtained the other 101 publications on my must/want have list ;-) What´s about citing?
Centurion.......Why do you continue to post such arrogant nonsense and try to mock other posters?.Your personality traits have been embedded on this forum since you joined just as they were on the GWF Stefan has posted the facts of an event which should lead to an informative debate and you as normal, post your arrogant nonsense. I think a period on the bench would be most fitting.
I now have a copy of a report in English which looks like the exact radio talk from preparation to the start and the eventual crash. The JU 252 had engine trouble and was to fly to Guernsey via St. Nazere in France to bring food to the German troops and fly them back home. Stefan. NB: if I receive permission I will post the report.
Thanks for this. Given the size of the Channel Island's garrison one Ju252 wouldn't do much for their food problems so I guess the only ones due to fly home were the most senior officers - abandoning the garrison to its fate.
Stefan That makes sense, it would be the St Nazaire pocket or Festung. The airfield was just along from St Nazaire on the north bank of the Loire,east of and by the side of the present Loire bridge crossing.Airbus used it recently after the French Air Force gave it up. Along with the Lorient pocket, the St Nazaire pocket was left to wither on the vine ,so to speak and only surrendered in the closing days of the war.The Lorient pocket was surrendered to US forces in a pub at Etel. In the early 1980s on holiday we sat in the same seats as the parties sat when the pocket was surrendered....the benches where the individuals sat were identified by brass plaques. The St Nazaire pocket was surrendered to US forces further up the Loire north bank at Cordemais,half way to Nantes,now marked by a large coal fired EDF power plant. The Royan pocket was pulverised into submission by the Free French squadrons out Elvington with ground forces led by the FFI. Visiting Royan, a visitor will note that the cathedral is made of concrete,the original one being destroyed in the final acts of the war in France. .Lorient being a frequent target of the RAF,led to much damage and is another concrete town. Excellent research Stefan which brings value to the forum.
Which takes me back to my original question - what was so important about the men to be picked up? Were any of the Allied staff officers taken in the Granville raid sufficiently important that someone in Berlin wanted them? Or were any of the German POWs rescued in the same raid of great importance? As far as I can find the last flight to the Channel Islands had been to swap the Army Garrison commander, who was not trusted to hold the Islands to the last, for a hard line Nazi admiral - which would suggest that such flights would be only for very important purposes.
From Kriegstagebuch der Seekriegsleitung, 2.4.45 6) c. mentioned maximum of 4 tons of monthly supplies by air for the channel islands and also a Ju 252 for postal transport. Also of interest a despatch for command of Dunkirk - In APRIL 1945! The situation cannot be predicted militarily or politically. Therefore, hold out as long as possible while maintaining combat strength and strive for health of the troops
Just to add a further thought. The Granville raid was in part sparked by the escape of five Kriegsmarine POWs who stole a landing craft at Granville and made it to the Channel Islands. Berlin thought it important enough for propaganda purposes to send an aircraft to the Channel Islands to pick them up to bring them back for a medal ceremony - they never made it as the aircraft was brought down on the return flight but it might suggest a similar reason for the flight in question (and the reason why parachutes were specified).
