Obfw Fritz Schellwat of 2/NJG1 Info request

Hi, Finally added some info and pics to the Wings Museum website including photos of the F-16 flypast, my S3 couldn’t hack it, just would not focus on them. Here is the link….

http://www.wingsmuseum.co.uk/stirlling_bf479_memorial_kasterlee_belgium.htm

I am still in process of updating the museum website with more info and photos etc of the memorial service but in the meantime the link below has some great shots of the memorial service on Saturday, the F-16 flypast was on the Friday, I only took large HD video files and sadly no photos :apologetic:

http://opa.cig2.canon-europe.com/s/m/FTdQKhK3BT8

Hi Kelly,

Thanks for that, seems nothing is simple in the world of research. I will follow up your suggestion, would love to find a photo of Schellwat. Thanks again.

Firstly great work that you chaps at Wings have done regarding the memorial.
According to Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie – ‘Nightfighter War Diaries Vol’s. 1 and 2’, this 149 Squadron Stirling was shot down at 03.07 hrs by Lt. Walter Schön of 3./NJG1 at Kasterlee. 149 Squadron Stirling BK726 was shot down by Ofr. Fritz Schellwat at Immerath. As Kev45 rightly said, he also shot down a Wellington from 429 Squadron LN439. This was the 4 kill for Schön who after 9 kills was himself killed on the 20/21st October 1944 in a crash at Gross-Ballerstedt after air combat.
I am not saying who is right and who is wrong I am simply providing further information. Claims are notoriously difficult to verify although the Luftwaffe did keep first class records of them.

Will do probably in September when schools have gone back, thanks .

Hi thegypsy,

It seems that Schellwat was a troublesome fellow in this area. I am sure the Belgium people will make you feel most welcome and I hope your visit is a good one, perhaps an emotional one but memorable none the less.

You would be more than welcome to visit the museum, if you e-mail prior to your visit to the museum then I can meet you.

Dan

redhillwings

Thanks for that.

Schellwat also shot down my father’s Stirling night of 14/15 Feb 1943 which crashed at Helchteren ( Limburg ) and in Houthalen cemetery there is a plaque listing the crew names of four different aircraft shot down in that area.

Through a Belgian WW11 aircraft crash enthusiast he made contact with a local historical person from that area who knows where the crash site is and my son and I are going there on July 11/12th and to Houthalen cemetery and also Heverlee War Cemetry where the crew are buried.

PS I must come and visit the museum soon.

Wonderful that the crew have been remembered in this way, thank you.

Here are some photos of the event:

Info as requested…

Short Stirling III BF479 OJ-E of  149 Squadron took off from RAF Lakenheath on 13/14th March 1943 to bomb Bochum which was situated in the industrial region of the Ruhr Valley in Germany. BF479 was part of a force of 442 aircraft, 135 of which were Halifaxes, 104 Wellingtons, 98 Lancasters, 95 Stirlings and 10 Mosquitoes. Overall 24 aircraft and their young crews were lost on this raid alone including 13 Halifaxes, 6 Wellingtons, 4 Stirlings and 1 Lancaster.

The raid started well but after 15 minutes, what were believed to be German decoy markers drew much of the bombing away from the target. 394 buildings in Bochum were destroyed, 716 were seriously damaged. Tragically 302 people were killed in the bombing.

So what of the crew of Stirling BF479, with there mission complete, the young crew began their homeward journey, but they were not safe yet. At 03.05 hours on the 14th May 1943 when flying over Belgium the crew requested a bearing which was given – nothing further was heard from the crew of BF479. The aircraft was claimed by a night fighter Obfw Fritz Schellwat of 2/NJG1 at 03.15hrs, the Stirling crashed 10km SE of Turnhout near Kasterlee.

The gun camera of Schellwat confirmed the kill. Obfw Fritz Schellwat had a total of 17 confirmed victories by the end of the war. The crew of BF479 were
buried locally at first before before being re-interred at Schoonselhof after the war.

The Crew:
LESLIE CYRIL MARTIN – Pilot
ROBERT CHRYSLER FERGUSON – 2nd Pilot RCAF
GEORGE REICHER ROYDE (DFC) – Bomb Aimer
JACK ERIC BUTT – Flight Engineer
HOWARD PHILIP FUDGE – Mid Gunner RCAF
HAROLD ARTHUR JAMES BERRY Rear Gunner
NORMAN HARRY FRANK – Navigator
EDMUND HAZELDEN-FRENCH Wireless Operator

On Friday 24th May 2013 two Belgian F-16’s performed a low flypast over the crash site and memorial in remembrance of the gallant crew of BF479. Present were families from: Sgt. Ferguson, F.O. Royde, Sgt. Berry and Sgt. Frank. The Nephew of Sgt. Ferguson made the long trip from Canada, we had made contact with him for the first time only 2 weeks previously. There were other families that we could not trace but it is hoped they will be traced sometime in the near future.

Then on Saturday 25th May 2013 the official unveiling of the memorial was carried out by the daughter of George Royde DFC in the presence of members of the press TV and local authorities etc. The air was once again filled with the sound of piston engines albeit slightly smaller when another flypast by light aircraft took place including a SV4 Stampe, Chipmunk and a Piper Cub.

This is the museum’s 4th memorial in Belgium and as always the local community were amazing, it was a previllage to be present, the F-16’s brought a lump to my throat as they roared overhead.

Later we put on a small display in the town hall displaying some of our finds from the crash site and information on the aircraft and crews etc.

I will post a few pics although I did not get a photo of the F-16’s as I was taking video at the time. I will also post more info and photos on the museum website in due course.

Well where are those details then??

Hi, thanks to everyone for your replies, it must be “Schellwat”, and great to know his total victories, has anyone got a photo of him I wonder? We meet with the families next weekend and I am sure they will find the info of interest, the Stirling concerned is BF479 OJ-E 149 squadron. We are unveiling a memorial to the crew, hopefully (weather permitting) 2 Belgium Air Force F-16’s will do a flypast in remembrance. Will post all details if people are interested on our return.

In that case its a total of 17 victories.

Schellwat claimed a Stirling and a Wellington on the night in question. He flew with 5/NJG1. Total of 19 victories with 17 confirmed.

Regards,

kev35

I cannot find any referrence to the name Schellar,could the name be Ofw Fritz Schellwat ?
Regards Mike