Can anyone help in tracing the home town of this German pilot? Oberleutnant Harry Wappler was the pilot of a Heinkel 111-P2 bomber that was brought down over Newport, Monmouthshire on the 13th September 1940. It was the first confirmed kill by a barrage balloon in WW2 and it resulted in the death of three crew members and two Jewish children in the house that it landed on. Harry Wappler baled out and landed in a tree with some injuries and was captured. His story goes further when he escaped from the Shaps Well PoW camp in Cumbria with Leutnant Heinz Schnabel and posing as Dutch airmen, they managed to steal an aircraft and almost managed to get away. Anyway I digress a little, was a pilot of the Kampfgeschwader 27 based at Rennes and it was on the return from a bombing mission to Ellesmere Port that they hit the balloon cable. I know that he had two children and he died aged 76 in 1985 but what I don't know is where in Germany. The reason being is that the BBC are trying to find his relatives for some series that they intend filming next year but so far have drawn a blank of where he was from or his family may be so any help would be appreciated.
It was from RAF Carlisle No 15 EFTS (Kingstown) that the two Luffewaffe aircrew stole a Magister,intending to fly to the continent.They were forced down at Great Yarmouth due to lack of fuel.Taken to RAF Horsham St Faith,they purported to be Dutch and requested that the aircraft was fuelled up.Alas the game was up as the aircraft had been declared missing and the two went back into the bag. Barrage ballon defences were "neutral" insofar equally likely to cause losses to friendly aircraft as much as the enemy.
There are threads on this Forum regarding this subject. Unfortunately there are no clues as to where Harry Wappler resided Post War. He and his wife apparently visited the crash site regularly in the UK. Perhaps enquiries with the Town Hall of the area may prove fruitful. Regards Tom Regards Tom
Hi Papa, have a look at this WEB site, it not only mentiones the crash, but also the name of the family living in that house at the time. You might get further with them or the present owners of the house if indeed Harry Wappler visited the crash site a number of times post war. Stefan. New Page 1
Chris Goss has a brief excerpt from Harry Wappler in his book The Luftwaffe Bombers' Battle of Britain Luftwaffe Fighters and Bombers: The Battle of Britain - Chris Goss - Google Books Mr Goss is a member of Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum - Powered by vBulletin as am I so if you're not having luck with the other places mentioned to you, I don't mind dropping him a message on that forum to see if he has any further information on Harry Wappler. Thanks Mark
There are threads on this Forum regarding this subject. Unfortunately there are no clues as to where Harry Wappler resided Post War. He and his wife apparently visited the crash site regularly in the UK. Perhaps enquiries with the Town Hall of the area may prove fruitful. Regards Tom Regards Tom I live in the town and they are useless. The Reference library are lookin for information for at the moment.
I live in the town and they are useless. The Reference library are lookin for information for at the moment. I hope that you get some clues from the above threads posted by Stefan and Mark. Regards Tom
Hi Papa, have a look at this WEB site, it not only mentiones the crash, but also the name of the family living in that house at the time. You might get further with them or the present owners of the house if indeed Harry Wappler visited the crash site a number of times post war. Stefan. New Page 1 Thanks HA96, most of the photo's on that page are mine. The guy that runs that site is also looking for Wapplers home town. This is a link to my story and there's a link to a story of their escape. The manager of the Shaps Well hoet in Cumbria has also done a lot of research into the escape. Newports War Dead - German War Dead
Just a thought, but the International Red Cross kept records of all POW's and perhaps they had a home address on record that may have stayed in the family. Regards Tom
I hope that you get some clues from the above threads posted by Stefan and Mark. Regards Tom Thanks Smudger Jnr. Yes they did visit the town possibly in the 1970's early 80's on freebee holidays. They were invited over by the policeman who arrested him and at present haven't been able with help to trace his family either.
The Wappler family may be traceable via the German telephone directories.The directories should be online and evidence that the Oberleutnant visited the UK, postwar, would suggest residency in the former West Germany. Had he lived in the GDR,it is highly unlikely that he would be allowed to travel.
TitleRocks in the Clouds: High-Ground Aircraft Crashes of South WalesAuthorEdward DoylerushEditionillustratedPublisherIan Allan Publishing, 2008ISBN1857802810, 9781857802818Length112 pages May be something in this the author knew him? Kyle
The Wappler family may be traceable via the German telephone directories.The directories should be online and evidence that the Oberleutnant visited the UK, postwar, would suggest residency in the former West Germany. Had he lived in the GDR,it is highly unlikely that he would be allowed to travel. Harry, Good point regarding restricted travel for DDR residents. Have looked at online telephone books and althought there are many entries for the surname, non for Harry, but there again when he passed away his name would have been taken off the phone book if he was on it. A Place name would help to narrow down the search if anyone comes up with the name. Regards Tom
Harry, good point. There are about 2000 Wapplers in German Phone directories, 5% in Sachsen (ex East Germany). Any search can be limited to West Germany, because in the years before 1989, travel restrictions were such that, Wappler may have been able to travel on his own, but not with a wife (may never return as a family). Still too many possibilities, so the location would help. Stefan.
I have the book Rocks in the Clouds and from a newspaper cutting from 1990, it says that Wapplers wife was invited to Newport and her name is Ruth. Now I know the BBC have been searching for Wapplers in Germany and I also now know that Wappler had a son and daughter. Harry Wappler died in 1985.
