Date: 27th May 1941
Time: 10.15. p.m.
Unit: 4 Staffel/Kampfgeschwader 55
Type: Heinkel He 111H-8
Werke/Nr. 3867
Code: G1 + AM
Location: In sea, off Gurnards Head, W of St.Ives, Cornwall.
Pilot: Feldwebel Lorenz Kempel 67019/136 Missing?
Observer: Unteroffizier Kurt Nuglan 67020/122 Killed
Radio/Op: Feldwebel Otto Stadel 67019/69 Killed
Fl/Eng: Feldwebel Martin Goebel Sch./FAR.24.Nr.480 Killed
Gunner : Gefreiter Josef Wiederer 4./FAR.53.Nr.359 Missing?
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft was shot down into the sea off Gurnards Head, Cornwall after being attacked by P/O F. Oliver and P/O Pickering in Spitfires of No. 66 Squadron whilst on sortie over the Bristol Channel. Aircraft G1 + AM lost. The body of Fw Otto Stadel was washed ashore at Padstow on the 19.06.41, he wore the Iron Cross 1st Class and the silver war flights badge denoting 60 war flights. Fw Martin Goebel was washed ashore 4 miles W of Bideford on the 06.07.41, he also wore the Iron Cross 1st Class. We can find no further details regarding the burial, if any, of Fw Lorenz Kempel and Gefr Josef Wiederer.
Painting of KG55 Heinkel He 111's during attack over England
The ehrenpokal of Otto Stadel (Courtesy Richard Gordon)
Death notice for Feldwebel Otto Stadel
Some of the crews graves (Courtesy Richard Gordon)
Burial details:
The bodies recovered from the sea are now laid to rest at the Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Cannock Chase.
Uffz Nuglan, Block 7 Grave 291, Fw Stadel, Block 5 Grave 266 and Fw Goebel, Block 5 Grave 311.
