Date: 3/4th March 1945
Time: 01.45 hours
Unit: 7 Staffel/Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
Type: Junkers Ju 88G-6
Werke/Nr. 620397
Code: C9 + CS
Location: Welton, Lincolnshire.
Pilot: Feldwebel Heinrich Conze 439 Lw.Baukomp.13/VI Killed (Born 19.01.1920 in Essen.)
Radio/Op: Unteroffizier Rudolf Scherer 5154./Fl.A.Rgt.26 Killed (Born 04.04.1922 in Dettingen.)
Radio/Op: Obergefreiter Werner Nollau 1586.Ln.Ers.R.303 Killed (Born 08.10.1923 in Oschatz/Leipzig.)
Gunner : Unteroffizier Alfred Altenkirch 153./U.S.4d.Lw. Killed (Born 20.09.1924 in Bergzow/Magdeburg.)
REASON FOR LOSS:
The C9 + RR attacked a motor car driven by an Observer Corps official (Mr J. P. Kelway) near the village of Welton, apparently under the impression that its headlamps indicated activity on Scampton airfield. While diving to attack, the aircraft struck telegraph wires and crashed on top of the car.
Both car and aircraft were completely wrecked, parts of the burning aircraft being scattered over a wide area. All the members of the crew were killed together with Mr Kelway. The sole documentary identification of the unit to which this aircraft belonged was a camp cinema ticket which was stamped III./NJG5.
REPORT by John Benson
In March 1945 - only a few weeks before the VE Day -the Germans carried out large-scale intruder operations. Cruising around, waiting for Lancaster bombers returning from operations, were Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 88G-6 aircraft, each carrying a crew of four. One of them shot down a Lancaster near Langworth and then made off towards Welton. Flying low, it attacked a car on the Welton-Hackthorn road, spitting cannon fire and machine gun bullets. But it came too low and crashed into the car, flinging it across two fields. The driver was the only member of the Observer Corps to be killed on duty in the war. He was the father of two boys from my school. The Germans were buried in Scampton churchyard.
Many years later, a farmer ploughing his fields found a German identity tag and it was thought at first that it must have belonged to one of the aircrew who had perished. But this was a NEW name. Checks were made and it was found to belong to a member of the squadron's ground crew, who had been reported as "absent without leave". He had evidently "hitched" a lift in the JU 88, probably for a bit of excitement. So one of the gravestones of the Luftwaffe crew now has TWO names on it.
The pilot; Feldwebel Heinrich Conze. Relatives of Heinrich visiting his grave
Original war graves of the crew members at Scampton Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
Burial details:
All crew lie in the Scampton Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
