Date: 25th March 1943 (Thursday)
Time: 00.45 hours
Unit: 4 Staffel/Kampfgeschwader 6
Type: Junkers Ju 88A-14
Werke/Nr. 144537
Code: 3E + HM
Location: Hare Hill, near Balerno, 7 miles South of Edinburgh, Scotland
Pilot: Oberleutnant Fritz Foerster 73176/143 Killed. Born 14.06.1912 in Berge/Bautzen.
Observer: Obergefreiter Heinz Kristall 73176/141 Killed. Born 12.04.1921 in Koenigsberg/Ostpr.
Radio/Op: Unteroffizier Horst Bluhm 73176/140 Killed. 24.02.1920 in Memel.
Gunner: Gefreiter Willi Euler 73176/142 Killed. Born 19.09.1921 in Leuportsdorf/Bayern.
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft is reported to have flown into a hill at a shallow angle and disintegrated on impact.
Note; Local man Mr. Kenny Walker erected memorial at crash site in memory of those who lost their lives.
A.I.(g) Report No. 7/63 states the following;
This aircraft crashed at 00.45 hours on 25.03.43 near Balerno, 8 miles SW of Edinburgh. It hit the ground on the side of a hill at a shallow angle and wreckage was scattered over half a mile. Although local report says that machine gun fire was heard before the crash, there was no interception in this area at the time. Some of the wreckage caught fire after the crash.
The crew of four were all killed. Identification markings; HM are the only fuselage letters to be found. These were probably located after the cross.The fin carried the Works No. 4537 and two small letters which, though very indistinct appear to be SE. Engines; Jumo 211. Wooden propellers were fitted. Armament; Parts of the usual armament for this sub-series of aircraft were traced.
Various equipment; Dive brakes had been fitted and portions of the wireless FuG 10 were found.
There was no sign of the radio altimeter FuG 101.
Aingle - seater dinghies were carried by the crew.
Signed, C.C. Wheeler Sq/Ldr.
Left: Oblt Fritz Foerster pictured here as Oberfeldwebel (via Hall) Right: Frau Hilde Foerster with their two children
Crash site today (Courtesy Graeme Lister)
Memorial at crash site - erected by a local man Mr. Kenny Walker (Courtesy Graeme Lister)
Burial details:
Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Cannock Chase, Staffs, England.
Oblt. Fritz Foerster. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 238
Ogefr. Heinz Kristall. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 236
Uffz. Horst Bluhm. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 235
Gefr. Willi Euler. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 237
Researched by Melvin Brownles A.R. Society. With thanks to Graeme Lister for crash site photographs
