A little bit of local history

[Hagar]

Amazing what you see when you least expect it. I spotted this photo hanging in the bar while at a party at the local golf club last night. Having my trusty camera with me I took a quick shot of it. The Ju 87 had apparently made a forced landing on the golf course during the BoB. It doesn't look that badly damaged & is "guarded" by what looks like a platoon of the local "Dad's Army".



The only information was the inscription:
GERMAN STUKA 87
16th Fairway
18th August 1940

I've heard plenty of stories about crashed aircraft around here in 1940 but I'd not heard about this one before. I had a punt round on Google & found this.
[quote]Crashed German WW2 Plane

On 18 August 1940, during WW2, a German aircraft crashed on Ham Manor Golf Course to the west of Angmering village.

The aircraft, a Junkers Ju 87B Stuka, was from the Luftwaffe Unit: II Gruppe - Stukageschwader 77 - 5 Staffel. It bore the markings "Wk Nr. 5167" and codes "S2 & N".

The crew were Pilot Oberfeldwebel Kurt Schweinhardt, who was taken prisoner, and Wireless Operator/AG Oberfeldwebel Willi Geiger (69062/11), who died of his wounds.

Oberfeldwebel Willi Geiger was originally buried at Littlehampton Cemetery but moved c1965 to the Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof, the German Military Cemetery at Broadhurst Green on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. His date of birth was 30 August 1914.

[denishc]

 History can be found all around us, we just have to look in the right places.  The local pub is a good place to start!

[HawkerTempest5]

It seems a shame now that a seemingly almost intact JU-87 should be stripped down but it was a different time then and no one would have given a second thought to any future historical significance it may have had. Nice story Hagar old pal and a great pierce of detective work.

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Thanks Doug...wonderful to read unexpected stories like that

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[ATI_7500]

Within days, souvenir hunters had stripped it down to little more than a skeleton.

Monsters!  :'(

I'm off to the cemeraty, getting some bones as 'souvenirs'.

[Hagar]

[quote]Monsters!

[ATI_7500]

Settle down now Bjorn. It was the aircraft that was stripped down, not the occupants.

That's what I referred to...

Sadly one of the crew did not survive but I'm sure they were well-treated despite doing their best to wipe out as many of us as possible.

Yep. Not as friendly as in the 1st WW, but still quite nice, like the story Galland-Bader.

It was too vulnerable to RAF fighters & temporarily withdrawn from front line service although & believe it was later used in the East.

Ju-87G - opening russian tanks like cans...

PS. I recall reading that the oxygen cylinders from the He 111 were in great demand for air bottles for RN frogmen at one time. We didn't have anything suitable or the ability to manufacture them. Not a lot of people know that.

"Made in Germany" - quality work since 1939.

[Woodlouse2002]

I'm sure if you looked you'd find most of that aircraft in the attics of sussex.

[Hagar]

I'm sure if you looked you'd find most of that aircraft in the attics of sussex.

You would be surprised at what you can find in the attics of Sussex. All sorts of useless junk that should have been dumped years ago. I don't dare look in mine.

[ozzy72]

Pretty exciting stuff Doug, alas no-one downed a Spit round here (of course flying inferior machinery like the 109 didn't help )

Mark

[Hagar]

Pretty exciting stuff Doug,

I thought so. Nobody else at the party seemed too interested.

alas no-one downed a Spit round here (of course flying inferior machinery like the 109 didn't help )

Mark

The lack of Spitfires on the Eastern front might have had something to do with it.

[Craig.]

That is cool, its amazing what history you can find when you look. Theres a ton of history round this area dating back to the civil war i believe (or war of the roses, whichever i wasnt paying to close attention :-/

[Hagar]

That is cool, its amazing what history you can find when you look. Theres a ton of history round this area dating back to the civil war i believe (or war of the roses, whichever i wasnt paying to close attention :-/

It would have been the Civil War around Birmingham which was on the Parliamentarian side & loyal to Oliver Cromwell. The War of the Roses was a series of skirmishes between Lancashire & Yorkshire. Red rose for King Henry & the 'Lancastrians' & White rose for the Duke of York & the 'Yorkists'. It lasted for something like 30 years. Sometimes I think they're still at it. LOL

[Craig.]

LOL yes thats the one:) Thanks Doug, theres alot of old musket holes in the walls of the churches round here, and apparently the Kings wife or mistress or whomever stayed at a local pub, the building is still standing today. I will try to get some pictures the next time i am that way.

[Hagar]

I will try to get some pictures the next time i am that way.

Please do. My daughter lives quite close to Birmingham but I can't say I've ever been there myself. Warwick Castle is well worth a visit if you get the opportunity.