82 years ago today, during the height of World War II, shocked Isle of Wight lorry driver Harold Blow was amazed to be flagged down by a German Luftwaffe airman in military uniform on Bowcombe Road.
He was even more astounded when his passenger asked him in a German accent whether he could be taken to the Blacksmith’s Arms for a drink.
The name of the pilot was Horst Hellriegel. He was the pilot of a Messerschmidt BF109E on a freelance mission to attack any suitable targets to keep air defences on the alert.
His plane had been intercepted by a Hurricane of No. 145 Squadron, which damaged his craft. Knowing he would never be able to reach his base in France, Hellriegel crash-landed near Gypsy’s Hollow on Bowcombe Down.
The German told Harold that he knew the Island well, having visited Southampton by cruise liner before the war.
Harold – who had been driving an empty coal lorry – searched the driver before taking him to the Waverley in Carisbrooke – not The Blacksmiths as he has hoped. There, the landlord gave him a glass of beer, before telephoning the police who took him away as a prisoner of war.
The pilot did not seem to have been an enthusiastic Nazi. Mr Blow observed that Herr. Hellriegel “did not seem worried that his fighting days were over for the present”.
Hellriegel had left his plane on Bowcombe Down virtually intact. However, by the time the military had arrived on the down, many of its vital parts had been stripped by local souvenir hunters.
There are several versions of this tale. There is no doubt that the Messerschmidt landed on Bowcombe or that its pilot was taken prisoner after having been picked up by lorry driver Harold Blow. However, in some versions of the story, he was taken to the Waverley, in others to the Blacksmith’s Arms and also to Harold Blow’s house, where his mother provided him with a meal.
The account of his going to the Waverley may be found in the Isle of Wight at War by Adrian Searle and Battle in the Skies over the Isle of Wight by H.J.T Leal.
UPDATE: According to 2 members of the family of the lorry driver Harold Blow, Horst Hellriegel – the German pilot – was taken to Harold’s mother’s house in Gunville, where he was given tea and a sandwich before being taken prisoner by the British army. Their recollections can be read in the comments section following this article.
If anyone has further information on what happened to the German pilot after being picked up by Harold, please feel free to leave a comment.
Hardly anyone wants Wars, it’s innocent persons who go to War due to incompetent Governments.
Peace is the answer.
Wars do not achieve anything.
Apart from preventing the invasion of our shores by the Nazi regime .
That’s a different end to storyline Harold Blow called the Newport Bobby to find out he was on holiday so Blow took him home to his mother who made the German a sandwich before being collected by the home Guard, then the home Guard had to wait until the German finished his sandwich and tea because Blows mother wouldn’t allow the home guard in to her house
fascinating, thanks for that bit of war history, need more of the same to keep WW2 alive so that those that gave everything can be remembered
You are unbelievably ignorant to think that every member of the German armed forces during World War II was an ‘Enthusiastic Nazi’?…. What’s that all about then? I suggest those of you who think like this, look up about Luftwaffe Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille. He was openly anti-nazi, an absolute legend and the polar opposite of whatever the common perception is, of a personnel of the german armed forces at the time. Stop reading the news and get your information from reliable historical sources instead. There are 2 sides to every coin.
There is (or was) an old b&w photograph of a downed Messerschmidt B109 hanging on the wall of the Blacksmiths Arms many years ago. I’m wondering could this be Heir Hellriegel’s ill-fated plane? I’ve also heard a similar version of this story. Allegedly Horst Hellreigel remained on the Island throughout the war as a POW. After the war he remained on the IW where he met a local girl, fell in love, got married and lived happily ever after. Maybe true? But makes for a nice happy ending to an intriguing tale.
Politicians want wars it makes them rich the world will always have wars as long as humans exist because humans are a vile greedy aggressive distructive narcissistic species war and destruction and a need to control is in its nature you want world peace exterminate the human species the world will be a better place
My late father Gordon, Harold’s little brother was only very young when this pilot was brought home to Gunville where his mother, my nanny made him tea and a sandwich before he was collected by the British army. He told me however that he was sent out of the house as he walked in, I suppose for his safety while the german pilot sat at the kitchen table. He also said there was a gun and that the army had confiscated it and he believed it was Freddy, my grandfather who brought him home but of course these are the memories of a little boy.
What I do know is my family were outcast by the village because in their opinion, my relative should of shot the German pilot on the spot and not brought him home for tea as much was the hatred back then.
The true story is as quoted by 4LOSTOKER. The pilot was taken back to Harolds home in Gunville Road. I know because Harold was my uncle and his sister at the time, Doris, became my mother. Harolds mother was my grandmother and was a force to be reckoned with. She had no fear and would not stand any nonsense from anyone.