REASON FOR LOSS:

After returning from a reconnaissance mission, Gefr. Lenk and Uffz. Schuster had
to make emergency landings due to serious fuel shortages. Damage sustained by both aircraft was estimated to be 95%. Both pilots were admitted to hospital for treatment of injuries sustained.

Extract from the War diary of Willi Quante, 4./(F)123

A lot of excitement today! Of six aircraft flying mission today two failed to return.
Ofw. Weimann and Mombartz flew a photo mission to Truro. Not one enemy fighter bothered them. Oblt. Rueck flew with Uffz. Heg a channel shipping recon in the Eastern sector while Schuster and Lenk flew the Western sector. On the return flight Schuster and Lenk encountered bad weather and were unable to land at the airfield. Although they were in the vicinity of the airfield, weather conditions forced them Eastward. They were forced to conduct emergency landings in the vicinity of Dieppe due to fuel exhaustion. They crash landed shortly after dark. Both fliers were brought to the infirmary with severe injuries. It could have been worse. We toasted them that evening wishing them a speedy recovery.

cc
Uffz. Hans Schuster (Brownless)

Researched and compiled by Melvin Brownless with special thanks to Armin Goebel and Fritz Schlichting for their help in constructing this page, August 2013.