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Germany (Third Reich) (Luftwaffe)
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Kampfgeschwader 6 unit symbol.
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Acknowledgments
Initial information relating to this
Additional photos, information and Ju88 images were kindly provided by Rob Smith.
Memorial post photo above was kindly provided by Steven Spink.
Recent additional crash site / memorial photos were kindly provided by Geoff Pritchard.
Memorial photos from Kirknewton Parish Cemetery were kindly provided by Robert Robertson.
Alternative spelling of Threipmuir Reservoir deleted from caption below, based on information kindly provided by Digby Maass
Copyright Notice All photos remain the property of their original author and may not be reproduced elsewhere without his prior written permission.
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Aircraft Type Photo
BELOW: An excellent profile of 3E+HM produced by Rob Smith. This model is of the same aircraft that crashed at Hare Hill. The image shows clearly some of the armaments, cockpit / gun areas and external communication arrays.
With its dark green fuselage and black undersides this aircraft was well camouflaged for night bombing operations.
Image: Copyright © 2009 Rob Smith
BELOW: A Luftwaffe Junkers Ju88A-14 bomber in flight.
Photo: Original source unknown.
Aircraft Type and Background
Deutsche Luftwaffe Junkers Ju88A-14 / 3E+HM
The fastest of the German bombers, the twin-engine Junkers Ju88 was used to great effect by the Luftwaffe. It could be adapted for use as a medium bomber, a dive-bomber, a torpedo-bomber, a reconnaissance aircraft, and a nightfighter.
The Ju88 was equipped initially with Daimler-Benz DB 600A V-12 engines. In later versions, Junkers Jumo 211-J1 or 211-J2 types were used. The Ju88A-1 featured here was equipped with 1,200hp Jumo 211B-1 engines.
The aircraft was equipped with internal bomb bays, supplemented in later models with provision for bombs carried externally. Later variants were fitted with increased wingspans, strengthened landing gear and rocket-assisted take-off equipment.
The Ju88 accommodated a crew of four.
Aircraft Accident Details
(Please scroll to read)
This Jumo 211 powered Junkers Ju88A had been been sent on a mission to bomb Leith docks on the Firth of Forth, thereby disrupting the traffic through this busy port.
Junkers Ju88, coded 3E+HM, was believed to have begun its flight from an airfield near Paris (possibly, Grève) after which it had proceeded to Deelen (Arnhem, Holland) to be bombed up and refuelled. It would then have proceeded NE up the Dutch coast until turning in a NW direction across the North Sea and direct for the Firth of Forth for its bombing run. However, unable to locate their target, the crew decided to jettison their incendiary bombs over farmland before returning to base. [Much of the data in this paragraph was kindly provided by R. Smith]
The pilot, Oberleutnant Fritz Förster, then headed back toward his operating base. However, as he was flying across the Pentland Hills south of Edinburgh, his aircraft failed to clear Hare Hill halfway across the Pentlands. As a result, the Junkers crashed, killing all on board.
The wreckage of the aircraft was scattered over half a mile. It is believed that this Ju88 was not brought down by machine gun or anti-aircraft fire, as no such engagements had been reported in this area at the time.
The memorial at the crash site was erected by a local man, Mr. Kenny Walker.
Aircraft Crew Casualties
The crew who died were:
Although buried initially at Kirknewton Parish Cemetery, all four airmen were later laid to rest at the Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof (The German War Cemetery) in Cannock Chase.
The details are as follows:
Oblt Fritz Förster: Block 4 Row 17 Grave 238 Ogefr Heinz Kristall: Block 4 Row 17 Grave 236 Uffz Horst Bluhm: Block 4 Row 17 Grave 235 Gefr Willi Euler: Block 4 Row 17 Grave 237
Footnote: 1 Pilot: Several sources name Unteroffizier Horst Bluhm as the pilot of this aircraft. Others name Oberleutnant Fritz Förster as the pilot. Based on his rank, we believe that Oblt Fritz Förster was the pilot. However, if anyone is able to demonstrate otherwise, we will be happy to amend these details.
Memorial Photos
BELOW: Memorial stone marking the entrance to Cannock Chase German War Military Cemetery.
Photo © 2009 Rob Smith
BELOW: Standing among the neat rows in the German War Cemetery at Cannock Chase, the two headstones in the foreground commemorate the four airmen who lost their lives in this tragic accident.
Photo © 2009 Rob Smith
BELOW: This headstone marks the graves of:
Unteroffizier Horst Bluhm (Block 4 Row 17 Grave 235) and
Obergefreiter Heinz Kristall (Block 4 Row 17 Grave 236)
Photo © 2009 Rob Smith
BELOW: This headstone marks the graves of:
Gefreiter Willi Euler (Block 4 Row 17 Grave 237) and
Oberleutnant Fritz Förster (Block 4 Row 17 Grave 238
Photo © 2009 Rob Smith
BELOW: Kirknewton Parish Cemetery, where the German airmen were buried before being re-interred at Cannock Chase.
Photo: © 2009 Robert Robertson
BELOW: This memorial plaque to the four German airmen can be seen at the north-west corner of Kirknewton Parish Churchyard.
Photo: © 2009 Robert Robertson
Crash Site Photos
BELOW: Hare Hill, looking toward Edinburgh and Leith docks. Threipmuir Reservoir can be seen in the middle background.
Photo: 2009 Geoff Pritchard
BELOW: Leith Docks (circled) viewed from the memorial post on Hare Hill, Pentland Hills, between Balerno and Penicuik.
Photo: 2009 Geoff Pritchard
BELOW: Closer view of the memorial post to the German airmen who lost their lives at Hare Hill when their Ju88A crashed while returning to base.
Note the poppies affixed to the miniature crosses in front of the wreckage.
Photo: 2009 Geoff Pritchard
BELOW: The memorial plaque attached to the post. The inscription on the plaque reads:
3E + HM
Photo: 2009 Geoff Pritchard
Additional photos at Graham Stephen's Blog
Photo Gallery
At the moment, there are no additional crash site photos in the Photo Gallery.
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Crash Date / Site
Accident Date: 25 Mar 1943
Accident Site: Hare Hill(449m / 1472ft) (Pentland Hills)
(Crash site NW of summit)
Region: City of Edinburgh / Midlothian boundary.
Nearest towns or villages: Balerno or Penicuik.
Nearest large town or city: Edinburgh (NE)
OS Grid Ref. N/A
GPS Ref. NT 16960 62142 and NT 16959 62137 Present Condition: Some scattered and fragmented wreckage still onsite.
Aircraft Details
Registration or Serial: Coded 144537 / 3E+HM
(Unit: 3E / Aircraft: H / Squadron: M)
Operator: Deutsche Luftwaffe (2 Kampfgruppe / 4.Staffel Kampfgeschwader 6 (6th Bomber (Adler) Wing)
Operating Base: (Possibly) Grève.
Base Location: Grève, near Paris, France.
Related Links
Accident Specific Links Aircrew Remembrance Society (Further details of the Ju-88 crash featured here, with pilot and crash site photographs.) Crash details at Eddie Boyle's Blog Eddie's Photo Archive (Current wreckage photos) Graham Stephen's Blog. (Crash site photos including photo of Oblt. Fritz Forster with wife and children)
German Language Site Links Flugzeugforum (German Aviation Forum) Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG6) Lesezeichen - Soldatenfriedhof Cannock Chase Luftwaffe (Also in English)
Lufwaffe and Related Links Junkers Ju 88 Series at Bombs Away (information on each variant) Junkers Ju 88A at 9thflottilla.de Luftflotte 5 Fliegerführer Nord (Order of Battle for the Luftwaffe) The Wartime Memorials Project - Luftwaffe
Museum Link
Other Links Ju 88 Kampfgeschwader on the Western Front (Book)
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Junkers Ju88A-14 3E+HM
Hare Hill, Edinburgh / Midlothian
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