Date: 8th November 1943
Time: 10.43 p.m.
Unit: 15 Staffel / Kampfgeschwader 2 "Holzhammer"
Type: Messerschmitt Me 410A-1
Werke/Nr. 10244
Code: U5 + BF
Location: Friday Street Farm, Friday Street, Hampden Park, west of Eastbourne, Sussex.
Pilot: Major Wilhelm Schmitter (RK & StKp) 73602/25 MISSING (Born 18.12.1913 in Rheydt.)
Radio/Op: Unteroffizier Felix Hainzinger 62517/60 MISSING (Born 11.08.1922 in Waidhofen.)
(Click on diagram for larger view.)
REASON FOR LOSS
This aircraft was intercepted and shot down by S/L W. H. Maguire and F/O W. D. Jones in a Mosquito of No. 85 Sqdn and crashed at 22.43hours.
On the night of the 8/9th November 1943 Squadron Leader Maguire and Flying Officer Jones were flying a Mosquito XII equipped with a Mk. 8A.AI Radar on routine patrol. Maguire and Jones took off from West Malling at 21.58 hours under the control of Wartling Radar Station. The crew were informed of a "Bandit" approaching head-on flying NE at a range of 15 miles. F/O Jones obtained a radar contact and controlled the Mosquito in a starboard turn to a position about 3 miles behind the Bandit and well below it. S/L Maguire climbed up in stages at an IAS of 220-240 knots and slowly closed the range. Maguire eventually saw the Bandit swathed by moonlight at 24,000 feet. He closed the range down to 1,000 feet and identified the aircraft as a Messerschmitt 410. At 200 yards range Maguire opened fire from dead astern.
From the first burst of cannon fire strikes were seen all over the enemy aircraft and burning pieces fell off it. After a second burst, flames were seen to come from the centre section. The Mosquito broke to starboard and watched the Me 410 go into a gentle dive. The flames appeared to die down and the Mosquito came into 150 yards range and gave another burst, this did the trick and the aircraft was seen to go into avertical dive trailing sparks and black & white smoke. The Me 410 crashed on farmland at Friday Street to the north of Eastbourne. Bombs on board exploded on impact leaving a large crater. Time of combat 22.43 hrs, Mosquito landed safely back at West Malling at 23.50 hrs 168 rounds of 20mm ammunition expended during the attack.
This was S/L Maguires 5th air victory and No.85 Squadrons 52nd kill!
Major Wilhelm Schmitter (via Hall). Unteroffizier Felix Hainzinger
By 1943 the wartime population of Eastbourne had become accustomed to the sound of bombs and gun-fire. The night of November 8/9th 1943, was no exception but had been relatively quiet one until around a quarter to eleven when the sound of aero engines droned overhead.
There was a brief thump of cannon fire as bright sparks of tracer stabbed across the black sky from an unseen aggressor towards an invisible victim.
Very soon the victim became a red sparkling meteorite as it entered a headlong howling dive towards Hampden Park, one of the outlying districts of the town. To the anxious residents it must have seemed that some cataclysmic disaster was about to befall them with the diving plane heading, seemingly, straight towards their huddled community. With some relief to those waiting for the climax the terrible roaring screech ended in an earth shaking thump as the doomed aeroplane plunged into marshland between Hampden Park and Stone Cross. For a moment there was a silence, and then, as the short delay fuses did their work, the bomb load still laden in the aircraft exploded in a brilliant red, white and orange flash, the percussion echoing off the South Downs and reverberating back across Eastbourne, rattling doors and windows.It was not until morning that anyone ventured to locate the crash site on Mr David Vine's grazing pastures off the old Willingdon Drove. The scene that met their gaze was one of utter destruction and carnage. Barely anything recognisable
remained of the aeroplane, but for one bent propeller and small twisted scraps of metal. Of the crew there was even less trace, but those picking their way through the enormous clods of blue clay torn up by the blast were sickened to discover a few mutilated parts of human body and a few shreds of bloodstained knitted pullover. At the centre of the crash scene a large crater some forty feet across had been blown in the soil. Overnight this had filled with water, thus concealing any other trace of the aircraft or its occupants. It did however, provide a convenient dumping place for the gathered remnants which were consigned to the deep by the authorities and, as he discovered further pieces, by the farmer. Mr Vine did however retain the propeller as his souvenir, as did the occupant of a bungalow at the nearby Westham railway crossing who discovered a large panel in his front garden in the morning which had been shot off the victim during
the hail of cannon shells.
Mr W. D. Jones former (F/O) attends the recovery operation, seen here with a Me 410 propeller blade.
The WAAG attempted a recovery of this aircraft and missing crew during August 1976. One MG 131 machine gun (No. 50079) recovered together with a mechanism from a MG15. Also found was a piece of engine with the No.2906. One prop blade and several other items, including the drogue chute from one of the missing crews parachutes.
S/L Maguire was later killed in a flying accident at Chaucer Avenue, Rustington, Sussex on the 17.02.1945. Now lies in peace at the St.Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Climping, Sussex.
Burial details:
None - Both crew still listed as missing in action.
