Date: 16th August 1940
Time: 16.55 hours.
Unit: 4 Staffel./Kampfgeschwader 55
Type: Heinkel He 111P
Werke/Nr.(not known).
Code: G1 + LM
Location: Upper Frithfold Farm, Northchapel, Petworth, Sussex, England.
Pilot: Feldwebel. Ernst Muller. 67019/23 – Killed.
Observer: Hauptmann. Wladimir Sabler. 67019/1 (Staffelkapitaen) – Killed.
Radio/Op: Feldwebel. Walter Magerhans. 67019/20 – Killed.
Flt/Eng: Unteroffizier. Erich Schmidtke. 67019/36. – Killed.
Gunner: Gefreiter. Albin Szymanowski. 67019/65 – Killed.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Shot down by fighters and exploded on impact, being completely destroyed and burnt out. Engines: DB 601. Armament: Four MG 15 guns found badly damaged. Shot down in combat with P/O G. E. Goodman in a Hurricane of No. 1 Squadron during attack on aerodromes. The Hurricane of P/O Goodman was damaged in the initial explosion as he was circling 500 feet above his victim.
The wreckage of Ernst Muller’s Heinkel after the impact and explosion (Pat Burgess Collection)
Crew were initially buried at Ebernoe Churchyard on 16/8/40 (Pat Burgess Collection)
Burial detail:
The crew were moved from their original resting place some time during the 1960’s when many airmen were reburied at the new purpose built German Cemetery at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, England.
Ernst Muller. Block 9 Grave 22, Wladimir Sabler. Block 9 Grave 22, Albin Szymanowski. Block 9 Grave 22, Erich Schmidtke.
Block 1 Grave154, Walter Magerhans. Block 1 Grave 155.
Researched and compiled by Melvin Brownless, with special thanks to late Pat Burgess for the use of the photographs from his collection and Steve Hall KG 55 historian. April 2015.
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