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Touching History:
The He111 Bill Downed

On April 16, 1940 while 801 and 803 squadrons were providing escort cover for HMS Suffolk, Bill (serving on 801 Squadron) scored his first kill when he helped down a Do 18 flown by Ltn zur See Keil. Two days earlier 801 Skuas from Hatston had carried out raids in the Bergen area and sank transport Brenfels.

In preparation for the British landings at Namsos and Aandalsnes to take the major port of Trondheim, 801 squadron embarked HMS Ark Royal with 9 Skuas and 3 Rocs. During operations on April 26th 801 squadron launched six Skuas to patrol over Aandalsnes and Lake Lesjaskog. During this time Bill damaged a He 111 that was also hit by Lt Cdr Bramwell. The He 111 made a crash landing on Digervarden mountain, but was later recovered and restored and is featured in the Norwegian Air Force Museum in Gardermoen.

The pilot of the He 111 (markings 5J CN), Fw.Gumbrecht was able to make a forced landing on Digervarden mountain, saving the lives of himself, Oberfeldwebel Günther Hölscher and Uffz.Karl Stolz, who was wounded. The mechanic, Willi Stock was killed in the attack. The three surviving crew made there way to Lordalen where three days later they were pickled up by the Norwegian ski-patrol. They spent the rest of the war in Canada as POW’s and were released in December 1947.

Royal Navy Aces of World War 2 book cover

For a detailed account of these actions and more, I recommend Royal Navy Aces of World War 2 by Andrew Thomas.
Actions Bill ‘Moose’ Martyn was involved in feature on 6 separate pages and there is a picture of him on page 37 (which I have seen nowhere else).

Here are more pictures of the restored He 111.
Find out more about the aircraft in the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection.

How rare, that I should be able to stand in front of, and perhaps touch an aircraft that my grandfather helped shoot down during the war. I very much look forward to doing that someday.

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