22 October 1940

Heinkel He 111 P-2 (WNr. 2626 - code 1G+IT)
Goven, "Lampâtre"
(contributors : J.P. Favrias, Daniel Dahiot, Claude Archambault, Frédéric Hénoff, Jean-Louis Roba)

Heinkel He 111P2/P4, KG 27 or KG 55, 1940
Photo Fotoalbum des ehem. Luftwaffenangehörigen F. Hesse (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license via Wikipedia)

Crew (9./KG 27 "BOELCKE")

- (FF*) Leutnant Rudolf Josef JANSEN, born 07/11/1914
in Moers, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Gruft 9, Grab 52, Mont-de-Huisnes.

photo posted by "Frédéric Q." on "Find a grave"

- (BO*) Major Manfred Freiherr von SPECK-STERNBURG, born 27/11/1905
in Schlittkehmen (Poland).
(Kommandeur III. Gruppe)

photo posted by "Ralf" on "Find a grave"
Gruft 9, Grab 31, Mont-de-Huisnes.

Plaque of von SPECK-STERNBURG
at Mont-de-Huisnes
photo posted "Ralf" on "Find a grave"

- (BF*) Feldwebel Georg HOBBIE, born 17/05/1924 (injured).

- (BM*) Unteroffizier Erwin-Oskar SCHMIDT born 03.12.1916
in Schleusingerneundorf, Landkreis Hildburghausen, Thuringia.
Gruft 9, Grab 51, Mont-de-Huisnes.

- (BO*) Leutnant Max KRAMWINKEL, born 30/01/1916
in Castrop-Rauxel, Kreis Recklinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Some sources as well as his death certificate (see below) specify that he was from the 7./KG 27
and that although an observer, he held the position of machine gunner on this flight.
Gruft 9 Grab 1940. Mont-de-Huisnes.

Max KRAMWINKEL's obituary.
photo posted by "Steve Rob" on "Find a grave"

* FF : Flugzeugführer (Pilot) - B/BO = Beobachter (Observer) - BF = Bordfunker (Wireless operator) - BM = Bordmechaniker (Engineer) - BS = Bordschütze (Machine gunner)

THE STORY
Returning from a bombing mission on Liverpool, on the night of 21/22, the fog having fallen on Rennes, the He 111 WNr. 2626 tried to land but hit a fruit tree and ends up in a pond south of Goven. The Fw. Georg HOBBIE, having jumped without a parachute, was "only" seriously injured.

A German diver in the Goven pond after the fall of the Heinkel He 111 WNr.2626
Photo collection Jean-Louis Roba

The Germans remove the bodies of the aviators from the Heinkel He 111 WNr.2626 after it fell in Goven Pond.
Photo collection Jean-Louis Roba

This photo shows the apple tree hit by the Heinkel He 111 WNr. 2626
Photo "Archiv Traditionsverband Boelcke e.V." Walter Waiss

Four photos of the Heinkel He 111 WNr. 2626 in the pond.
Photos "Archiv Traditionsverband Boelcke e.V." Walter Waiss

Rennes Eastern cemetery, burial of the crew
Photo "Archiv Traditionsverband Boelcke e.V." Walter Waiss

Rennes Eastern cemetery, 15 March 1941
Photo "Archiv Traditionsverband Boelcke e.V." Walter Waiss

The Commander of III Gruppe, Hauptman Hans-Henning Frhr. von Beust, in front of Manfred von Speck-Sternburg's grave.
Photo "Archiv Traditionsverband Boelcke e.V." Walter Waiss

Major Manfred von Speck-Sternburg
Photo "Archiv Traditionsverband Boelcke e.V." Walter Waiss

Death certificate of Rudolf Jansen (n°G-B 133/0217).
Document's source Fold3 "Germany, Military Killed in Action 1939-1948" - origine Bundearchiv

Death certificate of Manfred Freiherr von SPECK-STERNBURG (n°G-A 468/0566).
Document's source Fold3 "Germany, Military Killed in Action 1939-1948" - origine Bundearchiv