I find it quite upsetting that he maintains a reference to our friend Steve Young all this time after Steve sadly passed away in such tragic circumstances.

Obiviously not, whatever happened to those voices in my head ????

Did or do the Germans operate the F’ variant ?

I think you’ll find your answer then !!!

Note my area, as we try to stick to the North West of England – though have been known to stray to foriegn parts such as Cumbria and even Yorkshire!!! 😮

My first Forster was bought from a chap on Jersey, who said he had bought it in the hope of finding the iron cannon from a shipwreck just off shore – turned out after a few more years research he found a document in which it was noted that in a last desperate attempt to save his ship, the captain ordered the cannon to be thrown overboard some two miles before the ship came ashore and foundered – not aviation I know, but to those in the know it might help track down the location.

Anyway he was very dissapointed as in two years of searching the beach, all he found was the remains of an Me110!!! 😮 How true or elaborated the story is I have no idea – but I can tell you the Forster functions perfectly and is very good at pinpointing cannon – Hispano 😀

Interesting, the most noted diver in Jersey for this kind of thing is Tony Titterington, he owns several wrecks around the island including the SS SCHOKLAND a Dutch freighter which sank after hitting a reef in 1943 while under the command of the German forces, from which he has the main gun in one of his out-houses.

When I had chance to visit him a few years ago, he showed me part of a propeller from McPhail’s Whirlwind and the crank shaft from a Bristol Hercules (identity unknown) amongst other things. I believe he has given up diving due to ill health.

There is a plaque to two Whirlwind pilots at the large German gun position on the coastal cliffs (North west).

John

Thank you, I was responsible for it. Though mine is on a bunker at Noirmont Point on the South West coast.

Hi there,

I heard from a local that a FAA pilot ditched his Corsair off Lihou Island
made to the shore and gave himself up to the Germans at low tide.
The Hellcat engine is at the Occupation museum along with an B-26 radial.

The Fw 190 bits came from the North shore on Herm Island and I was told
that a He 111 lies between Herm and the adjoining Island. A Me 109 was
just off the runway at Aldeney and lies of the beach. The Lanc and B-17
are off Lancresse beach.

Hope this helps, JJ.

Don’t always believe what the locals tell you the first was a Hurricane of 87 Sqn not a FAA Corsair.

The Hellcat was left to rot and finally scrapped as far as I am aware no parts survived.

No B26 parts, especially engines are in Guernsey, though one of the landing gear is in the War Tunnels in Jersey, as is a part of the hood from a P51C that came down in Jersey. The only engine I can remember being at the Guernsey museum was a Merlin from a Spitfire.

Two B17s lie to the west of Guernsey IIRC “Screwball Express” and “Piccadilly Commando” both came down on News Years eve 1943. Parts have been retrieved by local divers.

A 49 Sqn Lancaster crashed on Sark 23/11/42 a 207 Sqn Lanc came down approx 10 miles north of Guernsey 24.10.42 as did three Typhoons of 263 Sqn 22/02/44, and another from 263 in June 1944 crashed on Jersey.

Two 263 Sqn Whirlwinds crashed to the South of Jersey in December 1942, another to the North of Sark along with a 616 Sqn Spitfire on 15/06/43.

A 439 Sqn Typhoon crashed close to the harbour mouth St Peter Port 05/06/44.

A Spitifre came down on Alderney IIRC sometime in 1942.

Several 41 Sqn Spitfire XII’s were lost around June 1944, one pilot lost one saved, another PRU Spitfire crashed onto cliffs to the south of Guernsey in 1943.

A 247 Sqn Typhoon came down close to Guernsey 28/02/44,
234 Sqn Spitfire close to Alderney 02/11/42 ,
431 Sqn Wellington, St Ouens Bay Jersey 10/04/43,
541 Sqn Spitfire close to Guernsey 25/01/43,

A P38 crashed onto cliff to the SW of Jersey early 1945, the pilot was rescued from the sea by a local.
P51C crash landed at St Ouen in mid 1944, as did a P47.
A C47 crashed into Bouley Bay to the north of Jersey, also in Mid 1944, all bar one of those on board died.

A 464 Sqn Ventura came down close to Guernsey, shot down by FW190’s 13/06/43.

And of course Spitfire Vb EN830 which crash landed in Jersey November 18 1942.

These are the ones that I can recall from memory, I will dig out a much more detailed list at the weekend.

Our Remembrance weekend kicked off yesterday with the annual coffee morning in the Parish of Trinity. If anyone has any doubts that the youth of today has little if any interest in the events of the past 100 years, then the donation of £500 by Warren Holt and Warren Le Sueur (No relation) organisers of the Jersey Live pop concert to the Poppy appeal, should go a little way to dispel that myth. The cheque was received by Chelsea Pensioner and local boy Les Perrier.

This morning I spent a couple of cold hours at the Cenotaph in St Helier:-

The island has a small TA unit, however nearly half of the guys have now done a 6 month tour in either Iraq or Afghanistan. Much to the annoyance of one of our (left wing) politicians who wants the unit dispanded in protest at the two conflicts. His absence was noted this morning .

It’s also an excuse for the great and good of the Island to wear silly hats and clothes, these are members of the Islands legal judiciary.

Les Perrier was in attendance again

The smallest band master I have ever seen.

On the way home I took a detor back through the Parish of Trinity to pay my respects at Bernard Scheidhauer’s memorial

To the fallen of both world wars who are remembered on the main gate to the parish church

and finally the memorial to the men of operation Hardtack 28, the only Commando raid to take place on Jersey on the night of 25/26 December 1943. The CO Captain Philip Atterbury of the SBS died of injuries received on this raid. His medals now take pride of place in the parish hall.