On 1st November 1940 this Junkers Ju88 took off from base at Gilze Rijen in Holland and was on route to attack
Linton on Ouse aerodrome in the early evening (although Church Fenton is also quoted in more modern books as being
the target). The aircraft flew in from the sea somewhere to the north of Whitby and flew into high ground at the
head of Glaisdale with the ground shrouded in mist. The aircraft carried four crew, they were all killed in the crash,
there is still some debate as to why the aircraft came to crash. It is known that a lone aircraft attacked
Skinningrove Iron Works on the same night and was engaged by machine guns at the Works. Others also report an aircraft being
damaged by ground fire shortly after crossing the coast near Whitby. The full reasons for the crash will never be known,
although, as Bill Norman recounts in his "Broken Eagles" book, one airman had baled out just before impact with the ground
and his parachute appeared to foul the aircraft's tail plane, he was dragged to his death. Two other airmen had been thrown
out of the aircraft when it crashed. Strangely, all were found barefooted, suggesting they thought they were over the sea
and they knew they were not going to make it home.
Pilot - Fw Wilhelm Wowereit, aged 25. Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire (now Cleveland).
Observer - Obfw Hans Schulte-Mater, aged ? Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire (now Cleveland).
Wireless Operator - Uffz Alfred Rodermond, aged ? Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire (now Cleveland).
Air Gunner - Uffz Gerhard Pohling, aged ? Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire (now Cleveland).
All the crew were buried at Thornaby on Tees Cemetery.
A large crater either caused by the crash itself or where some of the bombs which were found after the crash were later blown up.
John Skinn and myself searched for and eventually located the crash site in March 2003, a little wreckage remains at the site.
Some remaining wreckage still at the site.
