Scampton, Lincolnshire, England
Scampton Parish Church
RAF Scampton is a well-known Royal Air Force station. It was the base of 617 Squadron (The Dam Busters) led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, VC, DSO, DFC, from which the attack on the Moehne, Eder and Sorpe Dams in the Ruhr district of Germany were launched on May 17th, 1943. Today, the base is the home of the Royal Air Force's world-famous "Red Arrows" aerobatic team.
Another winner of the Victoria Cross based at RAF Scampton during World War 2 was Sergeant John Hannah. Here is an account of the action that resulted in him being awarded Britain's highest military decoration for bravery:
"On 15/16 September 1940 a Hampden of 83 Squadron, piloted by a Canadian Pilot Officer C. A. Connor, was attacking barges in Antwerp. As Connor came in and bombed on his second run, at 2,000 feet, his aircraft was violently struck. Shells hit the bomb bay, the tail boom, the wing petrol tanks, and in an instant the rear interior was aflame. Quickly the aluminium floor then melted, leaving a large hole through which the rear-gunner had no option but to bale out. Sent back to see what was happening, the navigator from up front found himself unable to open the dividing door, saw that the gunner was gone and that the wireless operator, Sergeant John Hannah, was apparently on fire, and baled out too, expecting his pilot to follow. But Hannah, a determined Scot not yet nineteen years old, was able to smother the flames around him. Despite the fact that the stored ammunition was now bursting from the heat, he forced the jammed door open, grabbed an extinguisher and started to put out the remaining fires, beating at the last with his logbook when the second extinguisher went out.
Though burnt on the hands and face he then crawled forward to help the pilot, passing him maps and the navigator's log. With both wing tanks holed, Connor brought the aircraft back and made a successful landing. Sergeant Hannah was awarded the VC for gallantry, determination and devotion to duty. Unhappily, these two men did not survive for long. Connor, who received the DFC, was killed only a few weeks later; Hannah, the youngest airman ever to be awarded the VC, went on to instructional duties but never really recovered his health. He was invalided out in 1942 and died soon after the war, still in his twenties and leaving a widow and three young daughters".
In the churchyard at Scampton, there grows a rose bush "The Hannah Rose" that was created in John's honour. An inscription was placed in front of the bush and here are photographs of the inscription and the rose bush:
German War Graves in the Churchyard
In the churchyard of Scampton Parish Church are to be found eight graves of German airmen who were shot down during the Second World War during raids on the airfield at RAF Scampton.
The graves are carefully tended and the former enemy airmen are always remembered, alongside their RAF and Commonwealth counterparts on Remembrance Sunday and at other times.
The German War Graves
The details of the deceased are as follows: (I am most grateful to my friend Stefan Reuter for researching more details about these airmen from German sources - ranks are translated to the nearest wartime RAF equivalent)
Rear Row - Left to Right:
1. Feldwebel (Flight Sergeant) Heinrich Conze, born 20.1.1920 in Essen, killed in action 4.3.1945
2. Unteroffizier (Sergeant) Alfred Altenkirch, born 20.9.1924 in Bergeow, killed in action 4.3.1945
3. Leutnant (Pilot Officer) Kurt Hanning, born 11.9.1919 in Hannover, killed in action 12.5.1941
4. *Helmuth Wimmender, born 19.5.1920, killed in action 12.5.1941 (further details unknown)
*E.H. Reidel, (date of birth not given, details unknown), killed in action 12.5.1941
*
This grave contains the remains of two people. Local legend says that E.H. Reidel was, in fact a woman. It is said that she was the girlfriend of Helmuth Wimmender, who had taken her along on the raid (illegally of course). This may be true, as no record is inscribed on the gravestone of the date of birth of this person. In association with Stefan Reuter, I am attempting to discover more!Front Row - Left to Right:
1. Unteroffizier (Sergeant) Rudolf Scherer, born 4.4.1922 in Aschaffenburg-Alzenau, killed in action 4.3.1945
2. Obergefreiter (Corporal) Werner Nollau, born 8.10.1923 in Oschatz, killed in action 4.3.1945
3. Unteroffizier (Sergeant) Wilhelm August Christian Hansen, born 30.3.1916 in Herford, killed in action 12.5.1941
4. Gefreiter (LAC) Johannes Dietrich, born 8.12.1918 in Heinrichswalde, killed in action 12.5.1941
UPDATE TO THE STORY - OCTOBER 15th, 2003
I have received the following information from my good friend in Germany, Stefan Reuter:
"Re the fallen in the grave; they were the crew of a Ju 88 A-5 (serial no. 5168), markings: F1+BS, downed by the anti-aircraft artillery of the airfield while on a low-level attack on the night of May 11th/12th, 1941 at 1.35 a.m. (British time). The aircraft crashed at Brattleby Lane (near Scampton airfield), the whole crew was killed.
Note: Gefreiter (LAC) E. H. Reidel probably belonged to the ground personnel and was "unofficially" on board the aircraft. He was buried together with Gefreiter Wimmender in one grave.“
Seems, that the story about a "stowaway" aboard the aircraft is at least partially true, although – regarding the rank "Gefreiter" – Reidel obviously wasn‘t a woman."
Here are some photographs taken by my son, Scott Webster, of me paying my respects to the German airmen, 3rd October, 2003:
My personal tribute to fellow airmen
Replacing the Royal British Legion Cross of Remembrance on the grave of Rudolf Scherer
A Royal British Legion poppy wreath lies on the grave of Kurt Hanning
Detail on the headstone of Werner Nollau's grave
