GOTHA CREW GRAVES

[Aspern]

I'm sure this is a bit of a long shot but was wondering if anyone on the Forum has photos of the graves of two Gotha crewmen shot down during a raid on Sheerness on 5 June 1917. The third crew member survived. The two men eventually were moved to the German cemetery at Cannock Chase in the 1960s.

Lt Hans Francke - Plot 17, Row 6, Grave 131

Vfw Erick Kluck - Plot 17, Row 6, Grave 132

I am worlking on a talk I am giving next year in Sheerness and it would be good if I could include a photo of their graves.

Thanks for any help.

Cheers

Ian

www.IanCastleZeppelin.co.uk

[Kath]

Photograph of the final resting place of Kluck, Erich - The War Graves Photographic Project (twgpp.org)

Photograph of the final resting place of Franke, Hans - The War Graves Photographic Project (twgpp.org)

 

[Aspern]

Hi Kath - many thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

I have also been contacted by someone I know who also has a photo of the grave and is sending me a copy in the morning! I'm amazed people have the photo of this grave. But thanks so much for getting in touch.

 

Kind regards

Ian

[GraemeClarke]

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2316029/cannock-chase-german-military-cemetery

[Aspern]

Hi Graeme

 

Many thanks for taking the trouble to reply. I did not know that was available.

 

Cheers

Ian

[GraemeClarke]

Hi Ian,

I have this on them if it of any use to you

FRANKE and KLUCK

     Leutnant der Reserve Hans Franke, born on Saturday 24 February 1894, (observer), Vizefeldwebel Erich Kluck, born on Tuesday 11 August 1896, (pilot) and Unteroffizier Georg Gustav Schumacher (gunner) were the crew of a Gotha G.IV 660/16 of Kasta 14, Bogohl 3, German Air Force.

     During the daylight hours of Tuesday 5 June 1917 22 Gothas of Kagohl 3 attacked the Army gunnery establishment at Shoeburyness and the naval dockyard of Sheerness, Kent resulting in 13 people being killed and 34 injured.

     The Gotha was brought down by anti-aircraft fire at 6.31pm and crashed into the sea 3,000 yards north of Barton’s Point, Sheerness.

     Kluch was found strapped to his seat and had apparently drowned, Franke was severely injured and succumbed to his injuries the following day in the Naval Sick Quaters, Sheerness Naval Hospital and Schumacher was made a prisoner of war having survived the crash with a broken leg.

     British sources record,

    “During the inward flight a Gotha detached itself from the formation and descended to 9,000 feet, dropping four bombs close to the Barton’s Point gun site before going into a spin and crashing into the sea at 6.31pm,  about 3,000 yards north of Barton’s Point and close to the Nore lightship. The Barton’s Point gunners, who had fired a total of 93 rounds, subsequently claimed it destroyed. The wreckage was salvaged two days later and it was discovered that the starboard engine had stopped after the magneto drive teeth had stripped.”

     Franke and Kluck were originally buried in the Isle of Sheppey General Cemetery, Minster-in-Sheppey, Kent in Graves ZZ.75/1 and Grave ZZ.74 respectively.

Edited 29 December , 2022 by GraemeClarke

[Aspern]

Hi Graeme

Thanks for sending the additional info; I do have most of this but was interested in one comment.

"Kluch was found strapped to his seat and had apparently drowned,"

I have seen a newspaper report that says:

'The drowned body of one of the occupants of a German machine brought down in the estuary was landed on the coast on Thursday'.

The raid was on a Tuesday so that must mean that Kluck was floating in his seat for two days before he was recovered? It's interesting because images of the wrecked Gotha being dredged up show it as a complete wreck but all more or less together.

 

Cheers

Ian

[nils d]

It could be that Kluck had been recovered from the wreckage on the Tuesday but the ship didn't return to shore until the Thursday.