Hazel Grove Heinkel Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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On the 7th May 1941 a number of Heinkel bombers took off from Melun-Villaroche in Norther France, their destination was the industrial heartland of North West England. The raiding craft were of the Kampfgeschwader 1/KG55. Aboard aircraft G1LH was its pilot Adolph Knorringer, its bomb aimer Karl Kohlhopp, its flight engineer Alois Klos and the aircrafts wireless operator Ludwig Rathsam ( the youngest of the crew who turned 21 on that raid). Also on board was around a thousand kilograms of lethal ordanance. One of the main targets of the ordanance was the Fairey Aviation factory in Heaton Chapel ( the factory didnt suffer a direct hit that night but the McVities factory next door did!). The Heinkel was spotted by anti aircraft gunners who opened fire and started searching the night sky with spot lights. Shortly before a Boulton-Defiant night fighter had taken off from RAF Squires Gate ( Blackpool airport) its squadron 256 was tasked with defending important NW industry. Onbord the fighter was Flight Lieutenant Edward Christopher Deanesley AAF and Gunner Sergeant William Jack Scott RNZAF, both veterans who would soon be decorated. Deanesley used the fires on the ground and the anti aircraft rounds as a starting point in his search for the enemy bomber. After an unsuccessful search Deanesley and Scott were becoming frustrated. At 01:15 on the 8th May 1941 unsure of their exact position they saw an ominous grey shadow emerge from smoke to their rear. Deanesley banked sharply taking position behind and beneath the enemy bomber. Deanesley closed the range to 100 yards, Scott brought his turret to bear unleashing a hail of rounds from the four Browning .303 machine guns. The round struck the Heinkel on its underside. Knorringer threw the Heinkel into a steep dive but Deanesley followed, once more Deanesley closed the range, this time to less than 50 yards, Scott opened fire again this time striking the Heinkels engines. The Heinkel was doomed so Knorringer ordered the crew to abandon immediately. Sightings of a falling fireball was reported as far away as Chinley. The Heinkel streaked across the stockport sky before crashing to the ground in a field of Springfiel farm in Hazel Grove ( the field next to GZ). Knorringer came down uninjured in Cheadle, Karl Kohlhopp came down uninjured on a rooftop in Bramhall and Alois Klos came down uninjured in the fields next to Mirrlees. The last crewman Ludwig Rathsam came down close to the Heinkels wreck. Rathsam suffered superficial wounds to his hands and face. A prominent local solicitor, his friend and two air raid wardens were quickly on the scene. They accepted Rathsams surrender and guarded him untill the authorities arrived. The full story of this incident is quite long, ive just given a brief description of the incident here. For people wanting to know more just search for " The Manchester Heinkel". The parking waypoint is for a small layby on Torkington Road. Its the closest suitable parking area. There are no pavements on Torkington Road so take care.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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