Date: 25th March 1943
Time: 00.45 a.m.
Unit: 1 Staffel/Kampfgeschwader 6
Type: Junkers Ju 88A-14
Werke Nr. 4354
Code: 3E + BH
Location: Linhope Rigg, near Powburn, Northumberland.
Pilot: Oberfeldwebel Friedrich Lang 65112/98 Killed (Born 17.06.1914 in Lorch/Wittenburg)
Observer: Unteroffizier Walter Schulz 65124/2 Killed (Born 18.05.1921 in Strigleben)
Radio/Op: Oberfeldwebel Karl Kleih 65102/10 Killed (Born 08.02.1916 in Dettingen/Ems)
Gunner: Gefreiter Werner Fiedler 65124/121 Killed (Born 08.08.1922 in Hamburg/Altona)
REASON FOR LOSS
This aircraft flew into hillside whilst low flying and was totally wrecked.
Junkers Ju.88, Wnr.k No.144354, 3E+BH of 1/KG6 based at Deelen, Holland. It was being chased by a Bristol Beaufighter from No.219 Sqn and hit hillside at Linhope Rig near Powburn in the early hours of 25th March 1943.
Oberfeldwebel Friedrich Lang and right, Oberfedwebel Karl Kleih (via Hall)
Mr Fairington
Wooler,
Northumberland
"I was working at a place called Linhope Spout. On one particular day as we had arrived there on a job.
A shepherd came running towards us and into our building to ring the authorities as he had discovered a German plane (model - Junkers 88) that had crashed there the night before. During my lunch break, I went down to the RAF ambulance to see what was happening. Three officials were carrying away bodies of the two German pilots in blankets. I remember vividly that a pilots arm dropped out of the blanket upon which it was being carried, and the Sgt picking it up by the fingers and just throwing it in the ambulance. Furthermore, the army were called in because they thought that one of the bodies was missing from the planes and they were sent out to search for it. However, they found a log book in one of the German planes which stated that the pilot had actually been killed the night before during an evening raid in Hull."
Citation Iron Cross 1st Class for Oberfeldwebel Friedrich Lang, November 1940
Burial detail: Ofw Friedrich Lang and his three crew were all buried in Chevington Cemetery.
