Crash Site Junkers JU88 D5-AX

On the site of this memorial, the Junkers JU88 night fighter D5-AX (No 621586) of 12NJG3 (Nagtjagdgeschwader) crashed at 0.115 on 4 March 1945. This is believed to be the last German aircraft to crash during World War II.

The aircraft flown by Hauptmann Johann Dreher was part of ‘Operation Gisela’ and, shortly before it crashed, had attacked a Halifax bomber of France's 346 Guyenne Squadron which had to make an emergency landing. It continued its attack by shelling Dunnington Lodge farm. Possibly it had already been hit by anti-aircraft fire and flying too low it hit a tree and part of the farm and then crashed. It was thus the last German plane to crash over British territory during World War II.

Farm owner Richard Moll, his wife Helen and daughter-in-law Violet died of their injuries in hospital. Violet's husband Fred Moll saved the life of their three-year-old son Edgar, and managed to escape with him.

The German crew consisting of Hauptmann Johann Dreher, Oberfeldwebel Hugo Boker, Feldwebel Martin Bechter, and Feldwebel Gustav Schmitz died in the crash. They are buried at the Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Cannock Chase, Staffs, England, Block 8 grave numbers 68, 67, 72 and 73.

NB Operation Gisela on the night of 4 March 1945 involved a massive attack on returning Allied bombers over British territory. Some 117 JU88 night fighters had crossed the North Sea flying low, below the range of British radar, and attacked the bombers and other occasional targets. The order was to return without any ammunition left on board. 27 Allied bombers and possibly 2 Mosquitoes were lost in the attack. The Germans lost 25 aircraft. Human losses -military and civilian- were also considerable.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Ian Brandt
• - https://yorkshireairmuseum.org/operation-gisela-4th-march-1945/
• - https://aircrewremembrancesociety.co.uk/Luftwaffe-Losses-ARS.co.uk/styled-22/styled-177/index.html