German Death Card of Erich Schiml (Killed over England)

[Heartfeltzero]

Erich was a Obergefreiter in the Luftwaffe and served as a Radio Operator. The card states he went on a mission with his combat squadron over London and was killed in action on March 22 1944. Based on the date he would have been involved in Operation Steinbock. He is buried in England. Unfortunately I don’t have much info on his specific unit, plane type etc. I’ve hit some roadblocks with researching him.

[hucks216]

He served in 2./KG-6 and was killed while flying in Ju-188E-1 3E+BK (Werk Nr 260326). The aircraft took off from Melsbrock or Laon/Couvron and was attacked by a Mosquito night fighter of 488 Squadron. The aircraft broke up in mid-air and only one crew member managed to bail out with the wreckage falling in the area of Butlers Farm, Shopland, near Rochford (Essex) at 0110.

Pilot: Leutnant Günther Lahl - killed and buried at Cannock Chase 1/64
Observer: Unteroffizier Julius Fromm - killed and buried at Cannock Chase 1/67
Radio Op: Obergefreiter Erich Schiml - killed and buried at Cannock Chase 1/65
Engineer: Unteroffizier Erwin Kosch - survived
Air Gunner: Unteroffizier Rudolf Budrat - killed and buried at Cannock Chase 1/66

(Source: Luftwaffe Crash Archive Vol 11 Pg 1341/1342)

[hucks216]

He was shot down by Squadron Leader E.N. Bunting DFC & Flight-Lieutenant C.P. Reed DFC. They had two claims that night but as the first was seen to jettison its bombs while the bomb load of Schiml's aircraft was found amongst the wreckage this combat report seems to be the one that matches.

[BlackCat1982]

The crash site at Shopland is mentioned in Volume 3 if Blitz Then and Now published by After the Battle on page 353. Not much was left of the aircraft at the time nor years later when the site was unearthed in 1980 by the Essex aviation group.

[Willmore]

Hi there.

Thank you for sharing this death card.

To add to Hucks and BlackCats excellent information I found this.

In the photo below are, (left to right) F/Lt Phil Reed (Navigator), S/Ldr Edward Bunting (Pilot, pointing toward the wreckage), AM Sir Roderick Hill, W/Cdr Richard Haine (Squadron CO) and F/Sgt Johnny Wood (Navigator). This particular aircraft, a Junkers Ju 188E-1 (3E+BK) of 2/KG6, came down at Butler’s Farm, Shopland, Essex, and was Bunting and Reed’s second ‘kill’ of the evening.

The crew of the 3E+BK were: Lt Günther Lahl (Pilot), Uffz Julius Fromm (Observer), Ogefr Erich Schiml (Radio Operator), Uffz Rudolf Budrat (Gunner) (all killed) and Uffz Erwin Kosch (Gunner) who baled out injured and was then captured.

Photo caption -
© IWM (CH 12537) – Air Marshal Sir Roderick Hill, Air Officer Commanding ADGB, is shown the wreckage of one of five enemy aircraft shot down by aircrews of No. 488 Squadron RAF, flying from Bradwell Bay, Essex, on the night of 21 March 1944.

Lt. G. Lahl | Broody's war

Kind regards,

Will.

[Heartfeltzero]

Thank you so much!

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Thank you!

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Thank you!

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Thank you!