Flugplatz Triqueville
In the first of an occasional series looking at battlegrounds around the world today, Chris Goss visits the former Luftwaffe airfield at Triqueville, Normandy.
Located east-south-east of Le Havre, and west of Pont Audemer, Triqueville airfield was under construction on farmland by the French Air Force when taken over by the Luftwaffe in June 1940. Improved and expanded with extended taxiways, drainage system and newly constructed buildings and hangars, the grass airfield had no hard runways, and its fuel and ammunition stocks were stored in woods just to the north. A water pumping station was also installed along with airfield lighting, the whole site defended by two heavy and at least 15 light flak positions, as well as several ‘Tobruk’ bunkers for ground defence.
The farmhouse at Ferme du Ponctey, together with its buildings, were all commandeered for the HQ, with pilots housed north-east of the airfield. Today, the farmhouse is a family home, the outbuildings used for storage and display of cider and apple-based products. However, the pilot’s accommodation no longer exists. Four small hangars were built, each with taxiways connecting to the airfield. Of the hangars, only one remains today and is used for cider production and storage.
OPERATIONAL AIRFIELD
The Luftwaffe began using the airfield almost immediately in the summer of 1940, although the first recorded ‘incident’ there was on 8 October 1940, when Messerschmitt 110 C-3, W.NR 1372, of I./ZG26, suffered slight damage on landing during a training flight. Another incident occurred on 2 December 1940, when Messerschmitt 109 E-4, W.NR 4117, of 1./JG2, suffered a similar accident.
Although, it was an ‘active’ and operational airfield, to all intents and purposes at least, it seems not to have been utilised until 6 May 1942. Then, with
development of the airfield complete, I./ JG2 moved in from Le Havre-octville. Two days earlier, the Gruppe lost its Gruppen Kommandeur, the highly experienced former Legion Condor fighter pilot, Hauptmann Ignaz Prestele, shot down in Messerschmitt 109 F-4, W.NR 8404, ‘Black 2’, off Cap D’antifer during combat with 72 and 124 Squadrons. The 32-year-old pilot’s body was later washed ashore and today lies in the German Miltary Cemetery at Champigny-ste André. He would be replaced (until the end of June 1942) by Oberleutnant Erich Leie, the Geschwader Adjutant, who had been awarded the Ritterkreuz the previous Summer. His three Staffelkapitän at Triqueville were Oberleutnant ‘Rudi’ Pflanz (1 Staffel), Oberleutnant Siegfried Bethke (2 Staffel) and Oberleutnant Julius Meimberg (3 Staffel).
I./JG2, though, was no stranger to Triqueville with three of its Messerschmitt 109 F-4s force-landing there during operational flights on 16, 18 and 30 April 1942 - all due to technical problems. The first combat casualty from Triqueville came on 17 May, with the Gruppen Adjutant, Oberleutnant Horst Steinhardt, force-landing in W. Nr 13016 at Toutainville following a ‘dogfight’ with Spitfires. In the same combat, Meimberg, Pflanz and Oberfeldwebel Josef Wurmheller each claimed a Spitfire. All three were (or became) Ritterkreuz holders, with only
Meimberg surviving the war.
SPRAYING OUT OIL
Around this time, I./JG2 began converting from the Messerschmitt 109 F-4 to the Focke-wulf 190 A-2, the first accident occurring on 3 June, when W.NR 0342 force-landed at Triqueville with a technical issue after a combat sortie. At the same time, combat victories were on the increase with I./JG2 claiming no less than 37 Spitfires in June 1942 when operating from Triqueville. One of those victories came on the 19th, when Oberleutnant Julius Meimberg and Oberfeldwebel Josef Heinzeller took off for a fighter sweep east of Portsmouth. Two patrolling Spitfires of 129 Squadron, flown by Sgts Bernard Mccormack and Eugene Irish, were bounced by the two ‘190s as the squadron’s record book noted:
“Section on patrol Selsey to St Catherines Point received various vectors and told that fighters were at 3,000 ft. As they came out of thick haze at 2,000 ft, and started to orbit left as instructed, two 190s dived from above and behind and Sgt Mccormack was shot down in flames crashing at Siddlesham*. Sgt Irish (Blue 1) chased and fired at both enemy aircraft but saw
*Note: At Oakhurst Farm, Sidlesham, West Sussex, at 21.00 hrs. Sgt Bernhard Mccormack (Australian) KIA.
no results, although is certain he hit the leader.”
Sgt Irish (wounded in the leg during the bounce) had hit Focke-wulf 190 A-2, W.NR 0325, ‘Yellow 13’, flown by Heinzeller, damaging the engine. Spraying out oil and his fighter “…looking like a sardine in a tin of oil”, he struggled back to Triqueville.
THE DIEPPE RAID
July 1942 proved quieter, with two victories going to Julius Meimberg, the last being another 129 Squadron Spitfire on the 28th and the loss off Flight Lieutenant Henry Bowman DFC. However, the month also saw the formation of 11./JG2 with high-altitude Messerschmitt 109 G-1s under Rudi Pflanz, the command of 1 Staffel passing to Oberleutnant Jürgen Hepe.
Despite claiming eight aircraft in July, and having shot down his 52nd aircraft on 31st, ‘Rudi’ Pflanz was then shot down and killed, possibly by Sgt ‘Bill’ Kelly of 121 Squadron who claimed a Messerschmitt 109 near Le Crotoy. It is believed Pflanz crashed at Monchaux-les Quends, but now lies buried in Bourdon German Military Cemetery. He was replaced by Julius Meimberg, who in turn was replaced on 3 Staffel by Oberleutnant Elmar Resch.
August 1942 saw I and 11.JG2 active over from Triqueville over the landings at Dieppe on the 19th - I Gruppe claiming 26 RAF aircraft and 11 Staffel having one claim. However, I Gruppe suffered six aircraft shot down and three damaged, four pilots killed and three wounded. The wounded included Oberleutnant Erich
Leie and Oberfeldwebel Josef Wurmheller, while 11 /JG2 lost one pilot killed.
AIRFIELD DIVE-BOMBED
The next three months were quieter at Triqueville, with 11./JG2 moving to Poix in September, and at the start of November 1942 (following the Allied Invasion in North Africa) I./JG2 moved to Marseilles. No fighter unit immediately took their place, but two months later, I./ JG2 , now commanded by Major Helmutfelix Bolz, returned from the south of France, with 2 Staffel now commanded by Oberleutnant Christian Eickhoff, 3 Staffel by Oberleutnant Herbert Huppertz and 11.JG2 (now part of I Gruppe) by Oberleutnant Günther Behrendt. However, their time at Triqueville was short lived; Stab I and 3 Staffel moving to Bernay at the end of April 1943, 1./JG2 having gone to Vannes in March 1943 and 2./JG2 moving to St André-de-l’eure at the end of June with 11./JG2 going to Beaumont-le-roger at the end of May. The departures likely precipitated, at least in part, by an attack in mid-april.
With the Allies gaining greater air superiority, airfields like Triqueville increasingly came under attack in attempts to deny the Luftwaffe airfields in the expected invasion zone. One of the first attacks on Triqueville was by Typhoons of 182 Squadron on 16 April 1943:
“Squadron airborne from Tangmere at 17.25 hrs making landfall at Trouville and approaching Triqueville from the southwest. Airfield dive-bombed from 11,000 to 6,000 ft. Bursts were seen on dispersals in south-west corner and direct hits on
buildings caused these to disintegrate. On pulling up to 7,500 ft, 15-20 enemy aircraft were observed 4,000 ft above flying in vics, line astern. 182 Sqn opened throttle, maintained height and crossed coast at Fécamp. More, probably the same enemy aircraft, dived to attack from port. Squadron dived on crossing coast and maintained speed of 420 ASI. Flak over target was intense. Flying Officer Snowdon was lost over target area probably due to Flak.”
In fact, Oberleutnant Günther Behrendt of 11./JG2 claimed a Typhoon at 18.07 hrs 10 km north-west of Pont Audemer, and this must have been Snowdon who is assumed have fallen in the sea and is missing with no known grave. A number of Focke-wulf 190s on the ground were believed to have been damaged in the attack, while Unteroffizier Eugen Rowedder of 11./ JG2 was shot down - probably by Flight Lieutenant Reg Hyde of 197 Squadron when trying to intercept 182 Squadron. Rowedder also fell in the sea and remains missing
AIRFIELD BECOMING UNTENABLE
With JG2 gone from Triqueville by June 1943, no other unit was based there permanently for the remainder of the war - the situation not helped by attacks by B-17s on 26 and 29 June 1943, and B-26s on 27 and 31 July, 25 August and 16 September. Each time, the airfield was attacked again as soon as bomb damage was repaired and craters filled in. Another attack by B-17s took place on 3 December 1943, and then by B-26s on 2 February 1944. By now, the airfield was becoming untenable and only partially serviceable. When freshly dug trenches were noted on 5 February, it was clear the Luftwaffe had disabled the flying field. In fact, the last aircraft recorded to suffer an accident at Triqueville was a Focke-wulf 190 A-4, W.NR 7195 of I./JG2, over six months earlier, on 5 June 1943 – around the date of the airfield’s last operational use.
For the remainder of the war, Triqueville was quiet with its airfield no longer used. The area was liberated by Canadian troops soon after D-day, a passing Churchill tank clearly having had a track bogie problem, one being left behind and still in the farmyard today. However, the remaining buildings and airfield infrastructure in a peaceful landscape stand as reminders of a Luftwaffe fighter airfield which, in a brief period of use, saw more than its fair share of action – including crashes, aircraft lost or shot down from here, pilots killed and repeated bombing raids.
Today’s pastoral landscape belies what once happened at this place.
Note: The Author would like to thank Marc Jouen, Ferme du Ponctey, for assistance with this article. Please note that the old airfield site and its buildings are private property.