Date: 25th March 1943
Time: 00.45 hours.
Unit: 4 Staffel./Kampfgeschwader 6
Type: Junkers Ju 88A-14
Werke/Nr.144537
Code: 3E + HM
Location: Hare Hill, near Balerno, 7 miles S of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Pilot: Oberleutnant. Fritz Foerster. 73176/143 – Killed. Born 14.06.1912 in Berge/Bautzen.
Observer: Obergefreiter. Heinz Kristall. 73176/141 – Killed. Born 12.04.1921 in Koenigsberg/Ostpr.
Radio/Op: Unteroffizier. Horst Bluhm. 73176/140 – Killed. Born 24.02.1920 in Memel.
Gunner: Gefreiter. Willi Euler. 73176/142 – Killed. Born 19.09.1921 in Leuportsdorf/Bayern.
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft is reported to have flown into a hill at a shallow angle and disintegrated on impact.
A.I.(g) Report No. 7/63 states the following;
This aircraft crashed at 0045 hours on 25.03.43 near Balerno, 8 miles SW of Edinburgh. It hit the ground on the side of a hill at a shallow angle and wreckage was scattered over half a mile. Although local report says that machine gun fire was heard before the crash, there was no interception in this area at the time. Some of the wreckage caught fire after the crash. The crew of four were all killed. Identification markings; HM are the only fuselage letters to be found. These were probably located after the cross.The fin carried the Works No. 4537 and two small letters which, though very indistinct appear to be SE. Engines; Jumo 211. Wooden propellers were fitted. Armament; Parts of the usual armament for this sub-series of aircraft were traced. Various equipment; Dive brakes had been fitted and portions of the wireless FuG 10 were found. There was no sighn of the radio altimeter FuG 101. Single-seater dinghies were carried by the crew.
Signed, C. C. Wheeler S/Ldr.
Fritz Foerster as Oberfeldwebel (via Hall).
Frau Hilde Foerster with their two children (Hall).
Local man Mr. Kenny Walker erected memorial at crash site in memory of those who lost their lives.
General views of the crash site area with many small fragments still strewn around.
Relatives of Fritz Foerster visit the memorial at the crash site. (Walker).
Burial details: Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Cannock Chase, Staffs, England.
Fritz Foerster. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 238. Willi Euler. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 237. (Forscher).
Horst Bluhm. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 235. Heinz Kristall. Block 4 Row 17 Grave 236. (Foscher).
Researched and compiled by Melvin Brownless. Special thanks to the late Steven Hall, Kenny Walker, and Forscher. March 2017.
