battle of graveney marsh,kent.1940

[terryb]

just stumbled across this on the web -I am gobsmacked that there was actually a battle between  Brits and Germans here in Kent in 1940!

terry

[ww2rupert]

I remember watching something about this on TV once, there was no proof or evidence it actually happened apparently, only here say, but they did find bodies of German sailors washed up, probably from a sunken ship out at sea.

Colin

[Richard Farrant]

38 minutes ago, ww2rupert said:

I remember watching something about this on TV once, there was no proof or evidence it actually happened apparently, only here say, but they did find bodies of German sailors washed up, probably from a sunken ship out at sea.

Colin

Nothing to do with bodies of German sailors, it was a battle with the crew of a downed Junkers 88, well documented:

http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=fvi0adesovuq1ughh0s1fm8822&topic=8597.0

 

[john1950]

An interesting piece

[Adrian Dwyer]

I remembered reading this thread some time ago and, whilst late to the party, thought some of you may be interested in a follow-up.

A recent thread on the Royal Engineers BD History page (<https://www.facebook.com/groups/rebdeodhistory/>)concerns the use of self destruct mechanisms used in SOE radios and in aircraft carrying IFF, radar, special bomb sights, etc.  The JU-88 brought down on Graveney Marsh carried such a self-destruct mechanism and the RE BD History page contains the following:

Bomb Disposal action on the day was attributable to T/Captain John CANTOPHER, of A Coy, 1st Bn London Irish. An excellent article with great pictures was published in 2019 by Don Hollway. (Sadly, Facebook will not allow the link to be included here). In summary, the JU-88 was 'factory-fresh' when it was brought down. The crew set the self-destruct and also tried to destroy it by means of their own dismounted machine guns (something that seems more plausible than a 'last stand' by a shot down bomber crew). Capt Cantopher was warned of the impending explosion by the crew and searched the aircraft until he found the 1kg charge, and rendered it safe (means unknown but possibly by the expedient of separating the components: or just 'tossing it into a ditch' . . .).  [By this stage, one self-destruct charge had already been discovered and disposed of!] Given the limited time available to perform this task, a valiant effort whatever! He was awarded a George Medal. The article is well-worth googling. Try 'The Battle of Graveny Marsh' and the author's name. The Daily Mail, however, has no such restriction <https://www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Battle-Graveney-Marsh...> but the article is more pedestrian and less coherent. 

The London Irish Rifles Association adds the following level of detail <https://www.londonirishrifles.com/.../george-medal-gm/....>: 'When the riflemen reached the machine a time-bomb was discovered and successfully removed. As the prisoners were being taken away, one of them remarked that the aircraft would “go up any time now. Captain Cantopher, who had arrived on the scene, went back and searched the machine and found another time-bomb. The aircraft was thus saved from destruction and it proved to be a new type, only two weeks old. It provided the experts of the Air Ministry with highly valuable information. For his timely action Captain Cantopher was awarded the George Medal. '

Don's article is worth a read.

All the best.

A

 

Edited July 28 by Adrian Dwyer
detail

[Adrian Dwyer]

The image below shows the safety fuze  arrangement used to initiate the high explosive charge.  From initiation, the fuze would burn at a rate of approximately 1cm per second.  Given it had been 'active' for some time before Capt. Cantopher began his search (and hopefully he was guided by the sulphurous smoke given off during the burning process), the GM seems very well deserved.  The man himself (the only image I have found thus far) is also shown below.

[Adrian Dwyer]

Couldn't resist sharing this in depth analysis of events on the day, published in the 1970s. (from 'X')