It all started with a model Bf110G4.........

[mozart]

Less than a week ago I received an email sent via my website:

 

 

I replied to Hannes that I couldn't remember writing about about Lt Barthel, but a little research on Britmodeller came up with:

 

 

This was 10 years ago in a Night fighter GB.  I then remembered my source:

 

 

and I let Hannes know, adding that in the Nachtjagd War Diaries it noted that Barthel had shot down four bombers and himself was shot down on 26 March 1945 whilst in a ground attack role.

 

I was intrigued so decided to do a bit more digging, especially since downloading material from the National Archives is free at the moment.  A friend in New Zealand (Rod Mackenzie, co-author of the Nachtjagd War Diaries) told me the Mosquito that shot down Barthel's Bf110 was from 410 Squadron, a Canadian squadron based initially in Lincolnshire UK but moving to France as the invasion of Europe advanced.  I found the entry in 410 Squadron's Operation Record Book:

 

 

 

and then crucially the Combat Report:

 

 

It didn't take too long to research the Mosquito pilot, Flight Lieutenant Ben Erwin Plumer DFC

 

 

 

 

From this point the story started taking off......more later!!

Edited June 13, 2020 by mozart

[Out2gtcha]

Cool stuff Max

[John1]

Fantastic opening to your story.   I'm very much looking forward to more.   On a related note, the Mosquito pilot's report mentioned that they ID'd the enemy aircraft using "night glasses".  On other forums, there is some controversy about what these are.   Some folks just think they are binoculars adapted for low light use, others believe they are an early IR device mounted on the windscreen.    If anyone has details on these, I'd love to get more info. 

 

 

[mozart]

Glad this is proving of interest to some of you, I'll post some more a little later this evening but the before the final stage I have to get permission to post it......but it's worth waiting for and neatly closes the loop! 

 

So Barthel was shot down but all the crew baled out successfully and were made POWs.  Barthel at least was sent to England to face interrogation, see the ADI(K) report below:

 

 

 

This is the area where G9+KC crashed, stated previously as Orsov but actually Orsoy:

 

 

Pontoon bridges had been constructed to cross the river, these were the target.

 

There's more!

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by mozart

[mozart]

So all the while a dialogue, or should that be trialogue, had continued between Hannes, Rod and myself.  Rod of course was interested because of his Nachtjagd Combat Archives book covering 1945 in preparation, so he wondered if a portrait photo of Lt Werner Barthel was available from Hannes.  He, Hannes, knew of something "in Grandma's box" at his parents house, he would see what could be found. And: 

 

 

 

and, when he was promoted to Leutnant in 1943:

 

 

Note the signature at the bottom.

 

Also from the Bundesarchiv was an Abschussmeldung (roughly aerial victory claim report) for an earlier attack by Barthel on 21 February 45, a night when the Allies mounted operations against Duisburg, Worms and the Dortmund-Ems canal at Gravenhorst.  Two Nachtjagd aces, Schnaufer and Rokker, shot down 7 and 6 bombers each that night:

 

 

 

 

 

translated by our very own Lothar:

 

 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by mozart

[ade rowlands]

Loving this. Keep it coming Max.

[mozart]

7 minutes ago, ade rowlands said:

Loving this. Keep it coming Max.

There's more Ade!!   What could possibly be missing? 

Edited June 13, 2020 by mozart

[Out2gtcha]

Wow, that is super cool stuff.  Connecting the dots as it were, in this case is ultra fascinating.

[Uncarina]

Max, you are bringing this history to life! Great work.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Gazzas]

Great story Max!  On the edge pf my seat.

[Rick Griewski]

Me too

[Dragon]

And who says history is boring! To think a model made this connection happen. Great stuff!

 

Mike

Edited June 14, 2020 by Dragon

[mozart]

2 hours ago, Dragon said:

And who says history is boring! 

 

Mike

That’s a very “hot” point in many countries across the world right now Mike in the context of accusations racism, the slave trade etc. Without getting political, history made us all who we are and its study enables us to look at the mistakes of the past and learn from them. When I wrap this thread up before too long, Hannes will have the last words very much along those lines.  

[jenshb]

What was the IPMS Belgium slogan again?  "Plastic modelling is holding history in your hands."  This thread proves it.

 

Jens

[kkarlsen]

Love this kind of stuff Max!

 

Kent