Date: 15th February 1945
Unit: Stab IV/Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
Type: Junkers Ju 88G-6
Werke/Nr. 620886
Code: 2Z + AF
Location: Stoeckheim, 12 km N of Ansbach, Germany.
Base: Kitzingen.
Pilot: Oberleutnant Willi Deuper 68918/7 Killed (Born 10.01.1921 in Essen.)
Radio/Op: Feldwebel Kurt Ramp 53544/67 Killed (23.04.1921 in Rossow, Potsdam/Ostpr.)
Gunner : Feldwebel Alfred Schwindt 68519/293 Killed (Born 24.02.1921 in Essen - Ruettenscheid.)
Gunner: Feldwebel Josef Gilg 68519/175 Baled out (Born 24.05.1921 in Zwittau.)
REASON FOR LOSS:
From the Parish Chronicle of Ruegland;
This aircraft was shot down during the night of 14/15th February 1945 and crashed burning fiercely very close to the barn of farmer Emmert in Stoeckheim. The aircraft started from Kitzingen with orders to intercept bombers on their way to Dresen and was hit by fire by an enemy night fighter, three of the crew lost their lives. The pilot was found in the burnt out plane, one crew member was found near Stoeckheim in a field and the third was found hanging from a tree in the Ebenholz woods, probably strangled by his parachute cord. The fourth crew member parachuted safely down but with bad burns to his face and hands. He managed to drag himself 2 km to Neustetten, and was being looked after by teacher Treffer and his mother. Later taken by ambulance to a field hospital, Guellschulle in Ansbach.
In August 1992, Josef Gilg came to the parish office Ruegland, after he managed to make contact with them in the Spring. He stayed in Ruegland for a week and Buergermeister Tischer accompanied him to Stoeckheim and Neustetten. He could remember different details, the road through the woods, teachers house and school. He had tried for years and years to locate the place of the crash. One day, when old flyers met, it just so happened, by sheer coincidence, he was given, via various rounabout routes a possibility to contact the relevant authority in Berlin, who found details of the exact crash site of the Junkers Ju 88 in their loss lists. Now he telephoned the Magistrate of the town of Ansbach and then the parish offices of Ruegland, and the long atanding wish of the now seventy one years old man came true. He could revisit in Ruegland the different stations of his sufferings and lucky salvation.
Oberleutnant Willi Deuper killed in crash and Feldwebel Josef Gilg who survived
Burial details:
Those killed were taken to Kitzingen for burial.
