CONFLICT ARCHAEOLOGY
The mystery surrounding the loss of a Dornier 217 crew member in March 1943 might easily have been resolved in August 1989. Instead, as Andy Saundersexplains, it took another sixteen years before the puzzle was finally unravelled.
All photos from author’s collection unless otherwise credited.
During the late hours of 7 March 1943, five heavily laden Dornier 217s from 1./KG 2 took off from their base at Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands and headed for their target: Southampton docks. The gaggle of bombers droned out of their airfield into the darkness at two-minute intervals, although the aeroplane of specific interest in this account was a Dornier 217 E-4, U5 + EH, Werk Nummer 5526, with its crew of four. The pilot was Feldwebel Günter Vestewig.
Writing during the late 1970s to Iron Cross contributor and Luftwaffe historian, Chris Goss, Vestewig took up the story:
“The attack height was to be 4,000 metres (approx 12,000ft) against what were assumed to be large ships of the English fleet, and against which a steep gliding attack was to be carried out. We reached our start position on the French coast a little early and at an altitude of 1,500 metres and to take up the time I went on a westerly course and then an easterly course back to the start position from the French coast. From here, I rose up to 4,000 metres flying on a northerly course. We flew over the English coast, and then further inland with the intention of reaching Southampton on a southerly course. Suddenly, there were sparks and flashes in the cockpit and the sounds of glass breaking. The radio stopped working, and between the starboard engine and the fuselage we could see flames. Then we could see flames coming from the starboard engine. I turned the plane on its back and nose-dived to extinguish the flames and the fire got smaller. When I pulled the plane out of the dive the flames were bigger than ever. Now, I couldn’t keep the Dornier level and we flew in a downward curve to the left. The possibility of reaching the French coast was nil, and the danger of explosion was too great. I gave the order ‘Bale out!’ and my navigator disconnected the radio cable on my flying helmet to save me from strangling myself.
“I assume that we were hit by two bursts from a night-fighter, and that explains the loss of life and the s
