ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 227164
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| Date: | Saturday 5 September 1942 |
| Time: | 04:00 |
| Type: |  Junkers Ju 88 A-4 |
| Owner/operator: | Stab II./KG 77 Luftwaffe |
| Registration: | 140077 |
| MSN: | 3Z+HP, gelbe H |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | west of Wadi Natrun, near Cairo -
 Egypt
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Tympakion airfield (Crete, Greece) |
Mission: Attack Landing Ground 100.
Pilot: Oberfeldwebel. Gustav Kasdorf. Captured POW.
Observer: Oberfeldwebel. Hans Strohmaier. Captured POW.
Radio/Op: Oberfeldwebel. Walter Regener. Captured POW.
Gunner : Feldwebel. Erich Kempe. Captured POW.
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft started from Tymbaki at 0100 hrs to bomb L.G.100, carrying 2 x 500 and 2 x 250 Kg bombs. It was intercepted by a R.A.F. night fighter and shot down. All the crew baled out successfully and were captured.
Letter from Walter Regener, Haldensleben, 07.11.1995
Mr Melvin Brownless
After your article in the local newspaper (Volksstimme) of 2.11 I would like to be in contact with you. Maybe I can contribute some thing to the research of the history of the air war.In those days I was stationed in France, Sicily and Crete and had to make attacks on your country and Imperium.
In the beginning we were flying the Do17 and later the Ju88. I was working as a radio operator. At first in 1940 we were flying some daylight missions to your country and later we changed to night missions, because from the day attacks only a few aircraft returned.
We mostly took off from Reims, Rennes or Schiphol (Holland). The actions in the South were flown from Comiso-Sicily or Crete Tympakion.. Mostly night missions.
For our crew the war was already over on the 5th of September 1942. The last take off from Crete to Egypt, target: an airbase near Cairo.
One of your night fighters (Hurricane) intercepted us with his guns.South of Alexandria and our “dream”ended. Aircraft burning and crashed in flames.The mechanic was burned in the crash and the three of us, the pilot, the observer and me could save ourselves by parachute. I was hurt. I had got some shrapnel from one of the grenades and in the jump I broke two ribs.
I was taken prisoner by a New Zealand officer and taken to number 6 General Hospital. Later till my recovery I came in prisoncamp number 306 near the Great Bitterlake at the Suez Canal.
On 1 April 1943 we were transported to the States by ship (Westpoint) and from there by rail to Canada.After about 5 weeks we reached our destination.: camp 132 Medicine Hat in the State of Alberta.
There I stayed till September 1944 and a part of the prisoners were moved to Neyes at Lake Superior. On 1 April 1946 we went to England by boat, into the Farm Camp 48, Presteigne Radnorshire. Here I stayed some months. After that I was Billeted, with farmer Fred Kinch, on the Byton Farm, in Radnorshire.
On 29th of December 1946 I came into the Release camp and from Hull I was shipped to Cuxhafen and ended up in Munsterlager from where I was released as a POW on 17th January 1947.
So far my short biography Already in the beginning as a prisoner I cut my links with the criminal Hitler state. Especially during the time in Canada. And in England when we got the opportunity to follow the news from the media. Since then I cursed this criminal war waged by the Germans. I also state that during my stay in England I was in any aspect treated fair and according to the Geneva Convention. Especially good I liked my stay at the Kinch family. Here I was treated as if I were a brother.
Unfortunately I could not contact them afterwards as I went into the Russian Section of Germany because there my young wife was waiting for me and also my son, born during the time I was a prisoner.I crossed the border illegally, while it still was still possible to get entry into my country.
Now after the unification it would be possible to get again in contact with the Kinch family although unfortunately I do not know if they all are still alive?
Farmer Fred Kinch born 1905
Mrs Elisabeth Kinch born 1906
Son John Kinch born 1929 or 1930.
I had the idea to follow this up in 1996 while I have a difficult time behind me. My wife died last year. If she had not been ill for so long I probably had done this already right away after 1990.
I also want to tell you that I still have fotos and 8mm films from 1941/42
Yours,
Walter Regener.
Researched and compiled by Melvin Brownless on behalf of Walter Regener and family. Sadly Walter is no longer with us RIP Walter. (Updated March 2015).
Sources:
Luftwaffe losses aircrewremembrancesociety3.com
http://ww2.dk/Airfields%20-%20Greece%20Crete%20and%20the%20Dodecanese.pdf
Google Maps
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Jul-2019 08:07 | TigerTimon | Added |
| 15-Jul-2019 08:09 | TigerTimon | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Dec-2019 21:20 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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