8 June, 1944

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A
"Brenessard", La Possonière (49)
(contributors : Philippe Dufrasne, Jean-Pierre Peltier, Gérard Cerizier, Frédéric Hénoff, Claude Archambault)

Pilot
Oberfgefreiter Fritz DAHMS - 3./JG 11 (tué)
born August 8, 1919 in Bludau (village in the district of Braunsberg, East Prussia until 1945, today Bludowo in Poland).
Lived in Heinersdorf, in the district of Grünberg in Lower Silesia.
Buried in the German military cemetery, Pornichet (44)

TESTIMONY

We don't know that much about the circumstances of the crash of this FW 190 of the 3./JG 11 flown by Obergefreiter Fritz DAMS on June 8, 1944. However, the in-law family of Mr. Jean-Pierre PELTIER, family OGER, who lived at the Possonière at that time, witnessed the aircraft crash. This family OGER reported that they heard shots and that the aircraft made a lot of noise when it fell. The members of this family were so afraid that, I quote, "they protected themselves with buckets on their heads". Quite a long time after the crash, one of the members of this family took 3 photos of some debris from the aircraft that had remained on site. Here are those photos.

Debris of the FW 190 which fell at La Possonière on June 8, 1944
Photos collection family Oger-Peltier

ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONS

♦ By crossing various information, it seems that the aircraft crashed during a transfer flight to Rennes Saint-Jacques.
   (source "La Luftwaffe face au débarquement" - Jean-Bernard Frappé - Editions Heimdal)

♦ The 353^rd Fighter Group with P-47s claims FW 190s in the area where Gefr. Fritz DAMS was killed.
   (source "The Slybird Group - The 353rd Fighter Group on Escort and Ground Attack Operations" / Kenn C. Rust, William N. Hess - Aero Publishers, 1968).

[...] Further successes were achieved on 8 June as the 353rd flew three group strength missions. On the first, 48 planes led by Lt. Col. Bailey took off at 0557, and each squadron sought out targets of opportunity, including marshalling yards, vehicles and airfields at Angers, Le Mans (with some 100 FW 190s in the north and south dispersal area) and Breteuil. Ground claims were nine 190s, one 109, one He 111 and one Ju 52 destroyed and three 190s and one 110 damaged. Also destroyed were two hangars at Angers, two locomotives and six trucks. In the air the 351st Squadron destroyed four FW 190s and damaged another. Capt. Compton got one of these, bringing his victory score to 21/2. Two P-47s were damaged during the mission. The second mission was up at 1130, 48 planes led by Lt. Col. Rimerman. Numerous targets were attacked in and around St. Germain and St. Hilaire. Ground claims included 20 trucks destroyed, plus rail tracks and installations damaged. Ten Me 109s and FW 190s were encountered with one being destroyed, two probably destroyed and one damaged. Five P-47s suffered Flak damage. Final mission of the day was off at 1758 with Col. Duncan leading. Fourteen planes, including all 12 of the 352nd Squadron, aborted due to the weather. The remaining 20 then abandoned their assigned mission, due to weather, and targets of opportunity were bombed and strafed with claims of 16 trucks and one locomotive destroyed. Two Thunderbolts sustained Flak damage. Bad weather called a halt to air opera tions on 9 June, but thereafter the 353rd operated on 20 of the last 21 days of the month. [...]

APPENDICES

♦ Death certificate of Fritz DAMS

♦ Standesamt 1 Death Registers, Berlin, Germany, 1939-1955
   This document indicates date and place of birth, home address and date of his death in "La Pousonniere" (read La Possonière)