Heinkel HE111 3520 – Whorlton
On 6th May 1941 Heinkel He111H-5, 3520 (5J+1H), 1st Staffel I/KG4 based at Soesterborg, Netherlands was shot down and crashed at Whorlton, Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne (then in the county of Northumberland) by Sgt 47392 G L Laurence pilot and 749366 Sgt A J B Hithersay air gunner, in Defiant T3943 of 141 Sqn. The aircraft struck power cables before crashing to earth in a field, bounced over a ditch, breaking in two as it skidded across a field before coming to rest close to St. Andrew’s Church, Westerhope.
The crash site is now under a housing estate but using the following contemporary photographs it was possible to identify the crash site using WWII aerial imagery and then overlaying the current street map.
The crew was:
Fw Franz Olsson (POW)
Ogfr Wilhelm Koch (K)
Hptmn Eugen Eichler (POW)
Gfr Hans Schiedlinski (POW)
