For a long time, there has been a rumour surrounding a German Junkers bomber that may have been shot down and crashed in the hills above Greenock during the Greenock Blitz.
There are various versions of this story. One claims the bomber was shot down by a Spitfire over the River Clyde. Another version claims it was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Both versions of the story allege it crashed into a small dam above Greenock.
It makes for an incredible story, but we need to step back and question if any of it happened.
The first thing we need to think about is the proposed crash site…
Different reports specify different dams as the eventual location for the aircraft. Most tales mention the small dam below the Whilhill, although some suggest the aircraft crashed into the Whinhill Dam itself (Beiths Dam).
During WWII there was a heavy anti-aircraft battery located on the present site of the Whinhill Golf Course clubhouse. It seems very unlikely that a plane could crash within sight of an anti-aircraft battery without there being a full and detailed report.
Had a crash been witnessed in this area, it’s almost certain that personnel from the battery would have gone to check for survivors. Not just from a welfare point of view, but would they risk German military personnel being left to roam the hillside?
Another point that should be taken into account is fuel. If an aircraft was operating over the west coast of Scotland it would need to have sufficient fuel to make it back to mainland Europe.
If the aircraft was forced down in either the Whinhill Dam or the small lower dam there would have been extensive water pollution. It is worth noting that during this period both the Beith Dam and the lower dam were part of Greenock’s drinking water Supply. This would have caused major problems, and would almost certainly have resulted in better documentation of the event.
So what, if anything did happen?
Well, the aircraft in question did exist and was on a bombing run over the Clyde. There is also a report of a Junkers being engaged and shot down on the night of the 5th-6th May 1941. This certainly ties in with the rumoured aircraft being shot down over Greenock.
Late on the night of the 5th May 1941, an RAF Defiant took off from RAF Ayr. It intercepted several Junkers bombers on a bombing run over the Clyde. Targets in this mission included strategic locations in Greenock, Clydebank and Ayrshire.
The Defiant targeted one of the Junkers in the area of Greenock and engaged this aircraft. The aircraft in question was a Junkers Ju 88A-5 number 0662. The pilot in command was Hptm G Hansmann. His plane took substantial damage over the Clyde but did not crash in Greenock. The aircraft was able to continue flying.
Due to the damage sustained the Junkers’ fate was sealed. It continued to fly east away from the Clyde but crashed in a forested area near Lennoxtown.
Of the four-person crew on board, two were killed in the crash. Two were able to bail out but were captured and became prisoners of war.
Both the killed airmen were laid to rest at Lennoxtown with plain crosses marking their graves. After the war, the widow of Hptm G Hansmann began making regular visits to the gravesite. She had a proper gravestone constructed and arranged for flowers to be placed at the grave periodically.
The gravestone reads:
Hauptmann
Gerd Hansmann
German Air Force
Killed in Action
21-9-1914
5-5-1941
The elephant in the room appears to be the date of his death. It is shown as the 5th of May 1941. Most records on the subject are clear that the plane crashed on the 6th. The date of the 5th was probably all his wife had to work with from the information available at the time. He took off on the 5th and never returned. It would have been some time into the post-war era before more information became available.
It’s always good to have a great local story to tell, but this one has been blown out of all proportion (mainly by the tabloid media). A little bit of research can often turn up a lot of answers.