WWII original GERMAN MILITARY RAD photo album AVIATION Josef Scherm BURIAL

Description

This album contains photos of the German Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) Reich Labor Service
The most interesting photos in the album are of the memorial service of German Pilot Obergefreiter Josef Scherm.
On 27 September 1939 an airfight evolved in the area around Bitche in which first three British aircraft of type Fairey Battle were erroneously attacked by three French Curtiss.  As soon as the error was discovered four German Me-109’s of JG 152 appeared. Obergefreiter Josef Scherm forced one of the Battles to emergency land on a French airfield. Scherm was eventually severely hit himself by one of the remaining Fairey Battles and crashed near the Kirchheimer Hof farm near Breitfurt.  He was first buried near the farm and after the war was transferred to the Brebach cemetary.
The first Royal Air Force RAF UK victory
27th September 1939
The victim was a Messerschmitt Bf109D-1 from JGr. 152. It was shot down by return fire during an attack on three No. 103 Squadron Battles by four Bf109D-1s from JGr.152 west of Hornbach and crashed near Bockweiler at 1230 hrs. Gefreiter or Obergefreiter (sources differ on his rank) Josef Scherm was killed, the aircraft was a write off. The victor was Leading Aircraftman (LAC) John Ernest Summers in Fiying Officer A.L. Vipan’s K9271. The Bf 109s had attacked just as the Battles had completed their mission to take oblique photographs along the Siegfried Line and turned for home. LAC Summers had held his fire until the Bf 109 attacking his Battle had closed right in before giving it a burst from his Vickers GO gun, whereupon the 109 had fallen into a wood. The observer of his plane, Sergeant J.H. Vickers, was badly wounded and died of his wound on 7 Oct. The pilot F/O Vipan had to make a forced landing onto a field with failing engine. However K9271 wasn’t badly damaged and the other two Battles returned unscathed. LAC Summers was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal.
I believe the album was owned by German RAD officer Fritz Goller, possibly from Ludwigshafen.
I purchased the album at an auction in Springfield, Illinois.
The front cover has a WWII U.S. 8th Armored Division Sleeve Patch affixed to front.
My guess is the album was a “souvenir” collected from a U.S. serviceman from the 8th Armored Division.
Photos are removable and some have a short description on reverse, most servicemen are identified.
77 photos total
·
German Reichsarbeitsdienst RAD Reich Labor Service 1939 - 1940
·
Memorial Service German Aviator Obergefreiter Josef Scherm
·
Bombed buildings
·
Field photos
·
German RAD military training compound buildings
·
Gesamtansicht
·
Reichsarbeitsdienst in Reckenfeld
·
Arbeitsdienstlager
Album condition Excellent
Front/Back covers excellent condition, album tight, clean, intact
Album Dimensions approximate 10 x 7 x 1 inches  ( 24 x 15 x 2 cm )
Shipping lower 48 states, or to be calculated
International Shipping includes insured / signature delivery