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Bf 109F-2 serial number 0324 crash landed at the island of
Langli 9/9 1941.
The aircraft belonged to Erg. Gr./ JG 3 and was coded ?
T/o 18:43 Esbjerg. Op: Feindflug.
Unteroffizier Walter Janish took off from Fliegerplatz Esbjerg at 18:43 hours
with two more planes on an operational flight.
At approximately 19:30 hours Janish experienced engine failure and decided to
make an emergency landing on the island of Langli north west of Esbjerg.
He approached the island from the south and belly landed the Bf 109 in the
meadow on the southern tip of the island. The aircraft skidded along while
bumping up and down until it hit the first larger dune. It ended on the top of
the dune and started burning.
Janish managed to get out of the aircraft even though he suffered from severe
burns. He walked over to a nearby shepherd cottage where he met the shepherd.
Janish face was severely burned and suppurating and so were his hands. His
fingers were broken and bent backwards and he was not able to release the
parachute that tangled from his back.
By gestures he made the shepherd understand what he should do to relieve Janish
of the parachute.
Morten Christensen Nielsen was hunting with his father in law from a small boat
near the island, and when they saw the crash they sailed to the shore to help.
When they reached the burning aircraft, the ammunition started to explode and
they hurried on.
They sailed Janish across the Ho Bay and handed him over to the Germans at
Hjerting who brought him to “Hjerting Badehotel” hotel and later to the hospital
in Esbjerg.
Later Morten Christensen Nielsen was called to the local police station where he
was given 100 Kroner for having sailed Janish across the bay. He also received a
letter from Janish mother who thanked him for having rescued her son.
It is believed that this was Janish last flight as a pilot. He died on 14/2
1945.
A few days later Morten Christensen Nielsen was commandeered to sail 6 or 8
German soldiers from Fliegerplatz Esbjerg across the bay to Langli. They removed
the machinegun from the burned out wreck and dug a hole in the sand next to the
dune. They then tumbled the wreck down in the hole and covered it up with sand.
On the way back across the bay to Hjerting they dumped the machine gun in the
water.
After the war, the wreck was recovered and sold as scrap.
Sources: RL 2 III/755, LBUK, JJ, UA, Morten Christensen Nielsen.
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