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Mission: Operation Gisela (Attack on heavy bombers returning to their airfields).

Date: 4
th March 1945

Time: 01.51 hours.

Unit: 12 Staffel./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NVM states 12 Staffel)

Type: Junkers Ju 88G-6

Werke/Nr.6215868 (NVM gives Wnr.21586)

Coded: D5 + AX

Location: Elvington Lane, Dunnington near Pocklington aerodrome, Yorkshire, England.

Pilot: Hauptmann. Johann Dreher. 69873/111 (Ritterkreuz) – Killed.
Born 30.11.1920 in Munich.

Radar/Op: Oberfeldwebel. Hugo Böker. 69039/162 – Killed.
Born 01.08.1917 in Hannover.

Radio/Op: Feldwebel. Gustav Schmitz. 69873/42 (DKiG) – Killed.
Born 06.03.1921 in Trier.

Flt/Eng: Feldwebel. Martin Bechter. 53578/266 – Killed.
Born 03.06.1916 in Bisberrach.

REASON FOR LOSS:


The crew had attacked a Halifax bomber coming into land at Pocklington aerodrome and any other lights they could see on the airfield, when the crew spotted lights on a nearby road which they proceeded to attack but the starboard wing of the aircraft hit a tree and clipped the corner of the roof at Dunnington Lodge, a farmhouse located in Elvington Lane, continued down the lane and disintegrated. The crew were killed instantly. A man and two women who were in the farmhouse a Mr. Richard Moll, Mrs. Ellen Moll and Mrs. Violet Moll passed away later that same day due to injuries sustained.

Markings: D5 (small) + AX (both black). Undersurface light blue, mottled with white, continuing up the sides of fuselage and fin. Upper surfaces dark blue mottled with grey and white.
Engines: Jumo 213 A-1 with VS 111 wooden propellers. Works number Port 1021523338, Starboard 1021521785 manufactured by jfr. Armament: four MG 151/20 fixed, forward firing in belly fairing and two MG 151/20 oblique, upward firing fitted. Equipment: FuG 25 A, FuG 350 Zb (Naxos) and SN2 tail warning radar carried. A type of Lux flame float was found in the wreckage.

Johann DrehercccSchmitz & Dreher
The ill-fated Ju 88 pilot, Knights Cross holder Johann Dreher (Parry)


Bîker & BechtercccMemorial to Dreher crew
Memorial plaque inscription to those who lost their lives including the Moll family.


Burial detail:

This crew now rest at the Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Cannock Chase, Staffs, England.
Graves; Block 8 Graves. 68,67, 72 & 73.

Researched and compiled by Melvin Brownless with thanks to Simon Parry (May 2013).