Messerschmitt Bf 109E crash - Wickham Lane (Fanny on the Hill)

Whilst collating the records of Civilian War Dead Records, at c.1994, I came across the mortuary record of a German Pilot "Albert Friedmann". These showed that 2nd Lieu Albert Friedmann of the German Air Force was burnt, had baled out and found dead in a nearby field on Gibson Farm. He came from Leipzig Neusdolf. He is buried in Bexleyheath Cemetery service grave E492.

The crashed Messerschmitt Bf 109E in Wickham Street.
(Click on photo for a MUCH larger view)

The plane, a yellow nosed Messerschmitt Bf 109E, crashed in the front garden of a cottage on the verge of a roadway in Wickham Street on Sunday 20th October 1940.

Shortly afterwards I was walking with the Eynsford Walking group and chatting with Peter (I've forgotten his surname) and mentioned this incident. He stated he had seen this aircraft crash site; he was 10/11 at the time. A photo was taken and published in a local newspaper, his father saw this photo and Peter was given a smack for playing truant.

On returning to the Bexley Local Studies Centre I searched and found the attached photo which was published in the Sidcup Times on 25th October 1940.

Around this time I bought a copy of "Kent at War" by Bob Ogley, and on page 79 is printed the same photo but adding the fact that the plane was shot down by Pilot Officer Bryan Draper of 74 Squadron.

Ken Costin

Roger Munden writes:

My Father, Harold Munden, was in the A R P and the Civil Defence in the Second World War. He was an Engineer in the Woolwich Arsenal and they were working on a secret gun mum said. One day he saw a dog fight between a Messerschmitt and a Spitfire. Dad said the Messerschmitt should have shot the Spitfire down but either he run out of bullets or his guns jammed,the Spitfire got the better of him and shot him down. As he was spinning down one wing broke off, both parts of the Messerschmitt landed in the allotments at the Upper Wickem Lane, Plumstead as the road bends round to the right on the way to Welling, In the side of the allotments was a First World War Nissan hut and the wing fell between it and a tree and never knocked a branch off. When my father got there the local policeman was there, father looked in the cockpit the pilot had half of his face shot away and had a big row of medals on his chest.

rogerdmunden@hotmail.co.uk