There are about 5-6000 WWII crash sites of German and allied aircraft in the Netherlands.
As long as these crashed planes don’t interfere with for instance building new houses we just leave them in the ground.
When they start building houses near the crash site the wreck is salvaged.
Last Monday the Dutch Army and Air Force started recovering a German Messerschmitt Bf 109 G.
The aircraft crashed on January 30th 1944 at 13.30 hours near the city of Apeldoorn (about 20 miles north of Arnhem).
There was not much left of the aircraft.
Next to the debris like the engine, propeller, machine gun they found human remains and the so called “Erkennungsmarke”.
That’s German for Dogtag.
When they have identified the German pilot they will bring him back to Germany where he will be buried.
German enemy or not....he was a soldier and has a right to be buried in his homeland.
When possible the family will be informed.
Picture of a Messerschmitt Bf 109Crash Site
....what is left of the propellersI will update this post when there are new developements.
Met vriendelijke groet,
Martin