26.10.40 Me109 T.Wells/Pembury

[david cullen]

I now have the date (above) in which the unfortunate ????pilot was killed.

But who, & what etc??

Location: Chalket farm, T.Wells, Kent.

'It was badly smashed, caught fire and the pilot was buried under the wreckage, and his body was recovered after some difficulty' (Civil Defence a History of the Borough 1939-45)

Also..

'About mid-morning I saw a plane come down in flames & shortly afterwards saw a smoking wreck in a hole in a ploughed field on the corner of a wood at Chalket farm, Cornford lane. It appeared to have dived vertically into the ground and was buried almost up to the tail unit, with a single soldier standing guard'

I don't believe this is covered in 'Aircraft Casualties in Kent'

Dave

[highgroundsman]

Hi Dave,

Blitz then & Now records:


Saturday 26 October 1940.

6/jg53 Messerschmitt Bf-109E Wr.6391 Shot down by Sgt R.H.Fokes of 192 Sq during combat over Tunbridge Wells. Crashed at Chalket Farm,Pembury 10.30am Pilot Uffz K.Geiswinkler killed. Aircraft 8+? a write off.

Due to severity of the crash the body of Karl Geiswinkler defied proper ID and he was buried as an unknown airman in nearby Tunbridge Wells Cem. His remains were not reinterred in the Soldatenfriedhof,Cannock Chase, postwar.

Crash site excavated by Halstead War Museum and complete Daimler Benz DB601 engine was recovered together with many major components. Some minor finds also held by the Hawkinge Aeronautical Trust.

Regards
Dave.

[david cullen]

Frankly I missed your kind contribution here Dave.

The site is very close to a huge by-pass (the A21).

Do yo know if the excavation was completed when the bypass was constucted?

Thanks once again.

Dave