The Totnes Image Bank published the account of a wartime funeral in Newsletter No:3/2002. In 2005 Walter King wrote an account in the Totnes Review under the heading 'The Funeral that Never Was'.

 

This year, 2006. Philip Irwin a Torquay based air crash researcher obtained 4 photographs from the Public Records Office showing the funerals of the German airmen, there was no doubt that the official events did take place as reported in the local and national press. The second account maybe accurate as the coffins were exhumed on a rainy night by the light of two hurricane lamps from the town cemetery and reburied in the German War Cemetery at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. Was this account confused with the official funeral? If this is the case all the eye witnesses were correct and the story can finally be laid to rest.

 

 

 

In 2002 Lilley Ramsden, who was the first lady Mayor of Totnes in 1946, donated to the Image Bank a series of letters and photographs. All those who read the letters were moved by the sad story they told. Maria Bunge wrote in 1946 from Aachen in Germany to ask if her son, Marius had in fact died in the air crash on the night of February 14/15th, 1941. Lilley Ramsden replied as Mayor of Totnes with the sad news that Marius had died in the crash.

 

 

 

The German aircraft a Heinkel He111 was damaged over Lime Bay by a Bristol Beaufighter of 604 Squadron flown by the legendary Lieutenant 'cats eyes' John Cunningham and Sergeant John Rawnsley who operated the then top secret radar equipment. The Heinkel eventually crashed at Higher Luscombe Farm, Harberton. All four crew died in the impact and ensuing fire.

 

 

 

Lilley Ramsden and Sheila Lethbridge arranged for Maria Bunge to visit Totnes after the war ended. At that time anyone leaving Germany could not bring out any currency so her six week stay in Totnes was funded entirely by the people
of the town.