Messerschmitt Me110C-1
Werknummern (serial): 2837
III./ZG 76
Crew: Oblt. Florenz (MIA)
Gefr. Herbert (MIA)
Date: Battle of Britain, 1940
Place: Near Washington, West Sussex

In 1965, historians Dennis Knight and Peter Foote excavated the remains of an unknown Battle of Britain casualty near Washington in West Sussex. Having experienced the Battle first-hand as schoolchildren, they set about investigating the events of twenty-five years before.

Working mostly by hand, with a tractor to pull out the larger pieces, they found enough to identify the remains as Bf 110C-1 WNr 2837 of III./ZG 76. The crew, Oblt. Florenz and Gefr. Herbert, were listed as missing but lay more deeply buried, along with the aircraft’s engines.

Two years later, the new A24 dual carriageway was cut across the site, and any chance of recovering the crew was lost, despite a parachute being unearthed during the roadworks.

Peter Foote dedicated his whole life to recording the air war over Britain and, along with Dennis, brought the only Battle of Britain Me 109 survivor back from Canada — the aircraft now on display at Duxford.

A talented artist, Dennis illustrated many of the Battle of Britain losses in pen-and-ink sketches, including the Washington 110. Some, as well as the images in this article, have been included in Dennis Knight’s Battle of Britain Sketch Book, available for sale at www.wingleader.co.uk.

Both Dennis Knight’s and Peter Foote’s archives are now held in the Wingleader collection.