Junkers Ju88 M2+CH near Crockey Hill.
On the night of 28th / 29th April 1942 twenty German aircraft bombed York in what was to be known as the city's Baedeker Raid and the worst of the entire War, so named because of pre-war German guide books on historical British cities. The raid caused severe damage to the City and a great number of civilian casualties including 92 dead. Whilst York was not defended (something which is still open to great debate locally) by the time Allied fighters had reached York the damage had already been done. This specific aircraft had not released its bombs on York on its first pass and had attempted to go around again to line up a target. By this time a number of scrambled fighters had arrived and one, from 253 Squadron based at Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire and piloted by Frenchman Warrant Officer Yves Mahe FFAF flying Hurricane BN292. Mahe attacked the Ju88 and damaged the starboard engine and but the aircraft must also have been struck elsewhere as a photograph of the tail of the crashed aircraft shows damage of the attack. The Ju88 went into a steep dive and while the pilot ordered his crew to bale out he was unable to get out in time and he was killed in the resulting crash at around 03.00hrs near Crockey Hill to the south of York. His body was taken to Pocklington airfield and he was buried on 2nd May 1942 at Barmby Moor churchyard. After the War many German casualties were re-buried at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. W/O Mahe landed at Church Fenton.
Pilot - Lt Werner Boy (73172-90), aged 19. Buried Cannock Chase Cemetery, Staffordshire (3/363).
Observer - Uffz Karl Kugler, POW.
Wireless Operator - Gefr Willi Schindler, POW.
Gunner - Gefr Heinz Muller, POW.
Werner Boy's gravestone in Cannock Chase Cemetery, Staffordshire.
A Combat Report has been obtained from the National Archives. For his actions W/O Mahe was awarded the Croix de Guerre and was presented it by General de Gaulle later in York's Mansion House. Mahe's actions are also now commemorated by a blue plaque on a wall in Coney Street, York.
The above photograph shows the tail of the aircraft taken at the time of the crash and in the back ground the hedge more clearly shown on the photograph taken on the visit in January 2009 shown below.
The Bosch stamped part described above.
A switch knob, the side out of view has been well worn and the black paint worn off by use.
During the winter of 2008-09 Albert Pritchard, Ken Reast, Eric Barton and I spent a number of days in the Crockey Hill area trying to locate this crash site and after a number of failed searches the site was eventually located and small fragments of the aircraft found on the surface, enough to be able to confirm the location and the aircraft type. A number of green anoidised alluminium pieces were found, a colour of metal found in parts of Junkers Ju88's. A "Bosch" stamped plate was also found which an internet search discovered it is probably the cover of a "fire plug" arrangement fitted to some Luftwaffe aircraft.
