THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — These Findon Chronicles created by Valerie Martin, contain scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

PARSONS FARM JUNKERS Ju88 — Sunday 23rd March 1941

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Copyright Valerie Martin 2012

Originally published in the Sussex Local in March 2012

There was extensive low cloud with rain, drizzle and mist.... in fact, a rather miserable day weatherwise on Sunday 23rd March 1941.   Junkers Ju88 A-5 departed from Reims in France at 10.00 with the intended mission of bombing the aeroplane factory near Sheffield with four 250 kilo bombs.   

It was soon flying above the clouds on a north-west course to the English coastline where it then turned north.   The pilot flew by pin-pointing the course at 7.500 feet but before reaching the goal the Junkers was intercepted and turned back. 

Half an hour later the Junkers was engaged over Alton by intercepting Hurricanes attacking from above and below.   The pilots were from No. 238 Squadron and they pursued the damaged invader over our area.  

The Junkers starboard engine was hit and packed up.   The pilot could do nothing else but continue and and flew on only the port engine.   It was not long before this caught fire and by this time the aircraft was flying too low for the Germans to bale out.   A forced landing was attempted  at Poling, some 8 miles by car from Findon..... and a lot closer as the crow flies.   

When coming into land the pilot saw a wartime trip wire straight in front of him.  The time was 12.30.    One wing of the aircraft was broken off and the aircraft crashed, killing the gunner and injuring the observer.  Having crashed through the anti-glider posts the Junkers 88 came to rest and immediately caught fire.   The result was a badly damaged aircraft with the front portion burnt away.

The crew were —

Oberleutnant W. Lode, unhurt, captured.

Unteroffzier E. Waraczinski, unhurt, captured.

Oberfeldwebel J. Billesfield, captured with a broken leg.

Unteroffzier F. Wallner added to the statistics of those killed.

The Junkers 88 was a complete write-off.
 
However hard I have searched my maps, I cannot find Parsons Farm at Poling in the 1940s but I suspect it is close to the boundary with Rustington and the agricultural land is now built upon.    It has been reported that small pieces of the Junkers 88 have been recovered over the years — so someone out there knows exactly where the Junkers 88 crashed. 
 
Continue to read A Teddy Bear Lives to Tell the Tale — Herbert Dieterle's Parachute

This is Findon Village —  is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.