Battle Britain re dig

[ian_]

It was fitting, on the weekend after Battle of Britain Day, to excavate one of the may casualties. Lt. Kurt Sidow and Gefr. Josef Repik were part of the last big Bf110 raid on the UK, attacking the Westland Aircraft factory at Yeovil on October 7th 1940. Intercepted on the return leg by Spitfires of 609 Sqn, 3U+BT was shot down over Dorset and buried itself and it's two crew in the clay of Stoborough Heath.
This was the third excavation, with MoD approval and the kind permission of the landowners, Natural England. Very little was left after two previous digs, the first in the late 1950s. Amongst the few items recovered were fired cases, the lead round from a saddle drum magazine, a piece of airframe with a single .303 bullet hole and an exploded round fused into a blob of once molten aluminium. Effectively the whole story of the engagement in a couple of fragments.

The Messerschmitt was brought down by Flying Officer Dundas, probably flying Spitfire R6195. This aircraft is now hanging from the ceiling of the Imperial War Museum in London.

[NickW]

No engine remains then Ian? What gave the Forster readings? Spent the day getting soaked taking son around Lancaster Uni, but then picked up pair of Mustang U/C legs and a 20mm Hispano on way home and then another little detour managed to catch the farmer at home at the Defiant site and another "re-dig" has got the green light :-)

[ian_]

As nearly bugger all as it's possible to get, Nick! The Foerster was fooled by a big magnet and and steel fragments. You know a dig is going badly when you find a 'best before June 1985' dated Twix wrapper ten feet down. The bullet holed piece was very satisfying to find but that was about it. The nature reserve are going to put a little display together though, as another 110 and a Spit came down during the Battle, a B24 was lost on the way out on D Day and a Ju188 brought down after that, all within a mile of each other. Will make for some more interesting school trips for the local kids.

[NickW]

Not a total loss then Ian - someone will get the benefit and might inspire a few kids - The farmer's wife I visited is a teacher, so I took the engine plate to show her + I had managed to track down photos of both of the crew who were killed - one was only 19 and at the request of both sets of relatives they were interred together in the same grave - she was obviously moved and wants me to write an account for the local parish newsletter & wants to display the finds in the school - You don't have to find tons of wreckage to bring a forgotten incident back to life & comemorate those who were lost!

[fighterace]

Ian, its not always about filling the trailer full each time, anyway both your and my shed is full up!!. Great day out and very nice to see you found a bullet strike by made John Dundas the victor

[Woodmeister]

Brand new to this forum and stumbled across this thread whilst trying to find out information about Lt. Kurt Sidow, who himself was credited with 10 victories flying the Bf110.

I would be interested in seeing any further photographs of your finds from 3U+BT or indeed if there are any on display anywhere.

[fighterace]

This site was excavated in the 1950 but a local enthusast, during the excavation he unearthed a complete 3 bladed VDM prop unit together with engine parts and the prized engine badge.

Ian, looking at your finds I also found one of the odd shaped brass plates on Strassers 109 dig. Trying to work out exactly what it is !!

[ian_]

I think the brass plate might be out of an instrument as there were a couple of tiny cogs attached, will need to compare cockpit pics to see which is common. I didn't realise Sidow had such a history, Woodmeister. There is nothing about him in Vasco and Cornwell's Zerstorer book which is suprising. Parts from the 50's dig have been lost to history. There was very little found in the eighties, so little that it only took part of the morning to excavate and with a JCB hired for the day the group set off to dig a Spitfire a couple of miles away. My photos pretty much cover what was found this year, the rest is unidentifiable corroded structure. I don't suppose you have a photo of Kurt Sidow?

[Woodmeister]

Found the information about him on www.cieldeglorie.com

I would paste the actual link but Ipad is rubbish for that sort of stuff!

Most of his victories were against Spitfires and Hurricanes including one of each on 3rd September 1940. Last victory was a spitfire on 27th September 1940.

There would appear to be some further information available in 'Luftwaffe In Focus Edition 10' which I have just ordered from Aviationbookcentre.com but I suspect that there is no picture.

Trust this helps

[Woodmeister]

14/05/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Morane - 13.18 Western Front
14/05/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Bloch 131 - 13.3 Western Front
26/05/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Spitfire - 14.07 Western Front
14/06/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Hurricane - 17.09 Western Front
18/08/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Spitfire - 14.18 Western Front
18/08/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Hurricane - 18.44 Western Front
31/08/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Spitfire - 9.38 Western Front
03/09/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Hurricane - 11.42 Western Front
03/09/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Spitfire - 11.47 Western Front
27/09/1940 Ltn. Kurt Sidow 9 ZG 26 Spitfire - 12.43 Western Front

This is a copy of what I have in respect of his victories.