Heinkel He111 near Low Bohemia Farm, Huby.

This German aircraft was one of four flying to attack Belfast on the night of 15/16th April 1941. There are two reports on what happened and both do not agree with each other. The actual truth is not yet known as such but the crew baled out and the aircraft crashed near Bohemnia Farm, Huby. The crew survived. "The Blitz Then & Now! states that the aircraft "flew across the North Sea towards the Humber at 10,000 feet carrying a 1,000 kg bomb and 16 BSK 36 incendiary bomb containers. Landfall was made near Flamborough Head but as the Heinkel approached Kirby Stephen the oil pressure on the starboard engine fell to zero. There had been no A.A. gunfire or fighter attack, so mechanical failure was suspected. The decision was made to return to base but it proved impossible to maintain height on one engine. However, approaching Ripon the starboard engine burst into flames whereupon the large HE bomb was jettisoned and the crew abandoned."

RAF ORB sources differ from this, they all agree that the aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire over the Leeds/Huddersfield area at around 01.20hrs, the aircraft was able to limp off but whilst over Ripon an engine caught fire. The crew let their bombs go before all baling out. The aircraft crashed near Bull Lane Bridge, near Low Bohemia Farm, Huby at around 02.00hrs. The crew landed nearby and were taken prisoner. Wreckage from the aircraft was spread over a wide area.

Nothing of the aircraft's history is really know other that it was operated within II Fliegerkorps in Luftflotte 2.

Pilot - Fw Karl Menzel, POW.

? - Hptm Werner Horing, POW. He was the Staffelkapitan, the RAF equivalent being Squadron Leader.

Obs - Obfw Rudolf Lackner, POW.

W Op - Uffz Oskar Seltmann, POW.

Mech - Fw Alfons Wachter, POW.

I have yet to locate the site. The York Aircraft Preservation Society excavated the crash site in 1971 and recovered engines, props and other items. Does anyone know where these items ended up after the Society disbanded?