Kurt Brand

125 Squadron RAF
16th February 1943, Swansea was bombed for the last time.  On this night 32 HE and numerous incendiary bombs were dropped, and there were 34 civilian deaths. According to German sources, the Luftwaffe dispatched 37 Dornier Do 217, each aircraft had a crew of 4. The squadron took off from Eindhoven, Holland, refueling at Evreux, France. At the same time, in Swansea, 125 Squadron RAF were based at the newly constructed in June 1941, RAF Fairwood Common.



The squadron received the first warnings of the Luftwaffe attack and scrambled Beaufighter aircrafts. One of the Dornier Do 217 was shot down in flames crashing at around 22.25 into the sea off Port Eynon. There were no survivors. The aircraft in question was crewed by Pilot Gunther Hubenthal; Wireless Operator Karl Hochmuth; Flight Engineer Hans Krause and Observer Kurt Brand. Two pilots claimed that they were the ones to have shot down the plane, Flight Lieutenant W. Jameson and Pilot Officer H. Newton.  

On 25th April 1943, the badly decomposed body of the German airman was washed ashore at Rhossili, and later being identified as Kurt Brand. A death certificate was issued on the 27th April. The information from the certificate states that the cause of death was “Due to War Operations”. Other information gleaned from the certificate gives his occupation as German Airman and his service number as 58213/184. Interestingly the information regarding Second World War German dog tags, indicates that the only information etched is the wearer’s service number. 

St. Hilary’s Church, Killay

Kurt Brand’s military funeral took place on 28th April at St. Hilary’s Church, Killay. The funeral was conducted by a RAFVR Padre H.S. J. Harries. 

His name is found in church’s burial registrar, Page 26, burial No.204. These registrars are in the West Glamorgan Archive Service, Civil Centre. 

St. Hilary’s Church
Burial Registrar 
credit West Glamorgan Archive Service

Kurt Brand site of original burial 
St. Hilary’s

He was buried by the boundary, away from the Allied Airmen. St. Hilary’s, the closest graveyard to RAF Fairwood, is the final resting place of RAF service men from many other countries. 

Brand Headstone
Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery,
Staffordshire








During March 1963, following an agreement made between the British and German governments, Brand’s remains were exhumed  re-interred at the Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire.

All the other men on board the plane were never found, the sea off Gower remains their final resting place.  June 1992, the wreck site was located. 

Germany - Military Killed in Action 1939-1948
Kurt Brand


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