Finding the Foe: Outstanding Mysteries of the Battle of Britain and Beyond Investigated and Solved
DESCRIPTION
A follow-up to Finding the Few, this companion volume deals with the postwar discovery and recovery of wartime Luftwaffe aircrew who were downed and lost over the UK, most of them during 1940. There is a lot of detective work involved here. Sometimes airmen have been identified with the tiniest clue, although each case has a common thread; they were all concluded by the diligent research of private individuals and researchers, many involving the author. Indeed, as a result of his work, Saunders was given a special award by the German ambassador in London.
Not all involve recovery and identification of the ‘missing’ – some are cases where buried German airmen were ‘unknown’ and are now able to be named and given formal confirmation by the German War Graves Service. Each case is remarkable and intriguing. Just one example will suffice: One Luftwaffe pilot was downed on September 5th, 1940. He had been born on September 5th, his flying license awarded on September 5th, he was recovered and identified on September 5th (many years later!) and laid to rest in Austria on September 5th.
This amazing book, eloquently written, covers casualties right through 1940 to 1944 and is, as with the author’s earlier work, a real page turner!
PRODUCT DETAILS
- Hardcover: 182 pages
- Publisher: Grub Street; 1st Edition edition (13 Sept. 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1906502854
- ISBN-13: 978-1906502850
- Product Dimensions: 17.5 x 2 x 24.6 cm
COMMENTS
Includes the recovery of the aircraft and body of Unteroffizier Fritz Buchner in 1984.
Unteroffizier Fritz Buchner in a Bf 109 Wk No. 3874 of 6/JG3 crashes near Stuart’s Farm at St. Nicholas-at-Wade. Pilot killed but body not recovered until 1984 due to the severe impact. Some reports credited to F/O K.J. Marsden of No.56 Sqn or P/O Kennneth Marston of No.56 Sqn. After two further years to confirm his identity, he was laid to rest at Cannock Chase in 1987.
