Herald - Issue 410

v READ THE HERALD ONLINE: www.herald-publishing.co.uk v 5th August 2021 • The HERALD • Page 25 NAVAL RESEARCHER AVAILABLE to comprehensibly investigate your relative’s NAVAL HISTORY - using official Admiralty records, photographs of bases & ships, service histories of vessels and their engagements in naval operations - and professionally present the results as an illustrated biographical record, and thus a memorable keepsake for you and your family. Please contact to discuss your requirements: free estimates David Verghese Naval Researcher and Biographer for the period 1900-1970 Tel: 023 9252 8642 or 07867 792900 Email: daveverghese@gmail.com SOLO CARS Available 24 hours, 365 days a year 023 8089 0244 023 8084 1951 FRIENDLY AND RELIABLE • Local and Any Distance • Airport & Cruise Transfers H 8 SEATER MINIBUS NOW AVAILABLE H All major credit cards accepted Estate/Saloon Cars Available H ESTABLISHED SINCE 1992 H TAXIS TAXIS All General Plumbing • Boiler Installations • Boiler Breakdowns • Gas Appliance Servicing • Central Heating Repairs 023 8089 9300 07917 445369 petertarr1@hotmail.co.uk Reg: 3515993 PETERTARR Gas, Plumbing & Heating The Mystery of the German Helicopter Crash at RAF Beaulieu by local history enthusiast, Marc Heighway When you think of the New Forest during the Second World War, helicopters might not immediately spring to mind. But sometimes truth can be stranger than ction. is is certainly the case with the story of the Drache. It was a German helicopter, own by a Lu wa e pilot, crossing the English Channel in 1945, only to crash at Beaulieu Air eld, never to be own again. Adding to the intrigue of this story, rumours that persist to this day that the helicopter wreckage is buried somewhere on Beaulieu Heath. What is the truth? Before I explain, here’s background to the story. During the Second World War, German engineers were developing helicopters. But each time they made signi cant progress, the Allies would bomb the factories. is meant just one helicopter entered active service: the FA 223 Drache own by expert pilot, Hans-Helmut Gerstenhauer. As the war came to an end, Gerstenhauer and 2 crewmen were captured in Germany. With an RAF escort, they ew the Drache helicopter across the English Channel to Britain. No helicopter had ever crossed the English Channel before. It was a world rst. Arriving at Beaulieu Air eld, the 3 German POW’s lived and worked alongside the RAF. eir job was to help extract as much secret technology from the Drache as possible. It was short-lived though, as within just a few weeks of the captured Lu wa e crew and helicopter arriving in the New Forest, disaster struck. Whilst hovering above the air eld, the rotor blades failed, causing the helicopter to drop, hitting the ground with force. Nobody was seriously injured, but the Drache was irreparable. Rumours have circulated for years that the helicopter wreckage is buried at Beaulieu Air eld. Earlier this year I found out how this rumour started and what the truth is. I managed to track down the son of a war photographer who witnessed the crash. e son explained to me that his father said aspects of the Drache were buried a er the crash. But those aspects were simply scrap remains including fabrics and thin metal tubing – all of which would have rotted away over the last 80 years. Down the years this story has evolved with hearsay, with websites and even a local newspaper suggesting there’s a German helicopter buried at Beaulieu Air eld. Despite the romanticism of the story, nobody is going to be nding a Lu wa e helicopter buried at RAF Beaulieu anytime soon. For the full story, lms, and more photos, visit: www. ra eaulieu.co.uk/drache I am not a professional historian. I am not an archaeologist. I am not a metal detectorist, and I don’t dig holes. I am simply passionate about our local history so you can learn and enjoy from what we find too. Do you have any memories, stories, or photos of Beaulieu Airfield? I am currently looking to document the history of the airfield from the Second World War period to present day. If you can help, please contact me on: mheighway@hotmail.com Drache at Beaulieu Airfield with the German pilot and his 2 crewmen e aim of the Totton Repair Café, along with all repair cafés, is to try and prevent small household goods from going to land ll if they stop working. ere are so many items being thrown away with minor faults which can normally be xed by their team of repairers. While they can never guarantee to x all items, they will always give it a good go! If they cannot repair it they are able to give advice on the repair items and will also PAT test electrical items once they have worked on them. After your repair is completed all they ask for is a voluntary donation towards the cost of the hall and any money raised over cost will go to the Community Centre. Totton Repair Cafés are running on Saturday 21st August and Saturday 16th October. They will be open from 10.30am until 1pm at Totton & Eling Community Centre. Please feel free to pop down & see what it’s all about and have a chat & TOTTON REPAIR CAFÉ Make New and Mend - Volunteer repairers hard at work if you have the necessary talents, please go along and volunteer as a repairer. For further details please contact the Totton & Eling Community Centre on: 023 8086 3769 or email: tottonrepaircafe@gmx. co.uk