Author John Stanley sets sights on solving World War II German bomber plane crash mystery
THE German bomber emerged from the clouds on 18th April 1944 heading over the Solent towards the New Forest, harried by RAF Typhoons and anti-aircraft fire.
Instead of fighting back or fleeing, however, the overloaded Luftwaffe plane unexpectedly circled, sending out red distress flares – before crashing to the ground near Exbury House, Exbury, killing all seven on board.
Theories range from it being a foolhardy defection attempt to a brazen bid to kill top brass, including King George VI and Winston Churchill, who on the very same day were overseeing D-Day preparations only a few miles away at Studland, near Poole.
The Second World War mystery of the Junkers 188 twin-engine aircraft is one which author John Stanley has investigated.
He said his “obsession” with the strange incident began when he visited a museum exhibition on the Isle of Wight.
It featured the written account of a man serving in the Royal Observer Corps on the day the Junkers flew north over the Island.
John said: “The serviceman’s account said he had never seen an enemy aircraft behave the way that one did and that it was the weirdest thing he’d seen during the war.
“I became extremely fascinated.”
John spent the next seven years researching the crash, viewing both Allied and Luftwaffe war records relating to the ill-fated flight and interviewing the families of five of the seven airmen on board.
He traced and spoke to servicemen and Wrens stationed at Exbury on the day of the crash and, as he puts it: “Before I knew it, I’d written a book.”
On the day of the crash, the Junkers 188 was supposed to be a pathfinder for the final bombing raid of the war on London.
The aircraft, stationed at Avord in France, was meant to fly to Soesterberg in Holland before deploying to lead the attack on the capital.
Instead, the Junkers took off from France on a “beeline” for the south coast of England.
It has been suggested the crew got lost, having taken off in low visibility, but John is not convinced by that explanation.
He said: “They were all fairly junior in rank, but that’s how the Luftwaffe was at that time.
“They were a designated pathfinder unit and they had flown together for a year. They’d seen operational tours in Italy and were experienced.
“There were also seven men on board and, at most, there should only have been five.”
On the day of the crash, King George VI, US General Eisenhower, Field Marshal Montgomery and Winston Churchill were at Studland personally overseeing dry runs for the D-Day invasion.
It has been theorised that the Junkers crew had been trying to target the Allies’ top brass in one fell swoop – although there is little evidence to support this.
John has also heard an account from a Wren working in Winchester during the war that the Junkers crew was expected by senior military personnel but an order not to fire on them was not followed on the day.
Surprisingly, the German airmen were buried at Exbury with full military honours, including a brass band and gun salute.
John said: “Just because they were the enemy it doesn’t mean they were any less deserving of respect.
“Over time my research became less of a mystery and more of just a tragic human story.”
He concluded: “The bottom line is I don’t think we can arrive at any degree of certainty as to what brought the plane here.
“The surrender of the crew can’t be ruled out, but I’ve seen letters from one of the airmen who was very hostile towards the British for the bombing of German cities and killing of civilians.”
The story of John’s research and the people involved is told in The Exbury Junkers: A World War II Mystery, available online at Waterstones and Amazon for £9.95.
