John Williams, Treasures of Nhill & District Facebook page 24 September 2025, Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times
During the Battle of Britain Luftwaffe pilot Heinz Grabow was shot down on 5 September 1940, making a good forced landing near Wichling, Kent. He was wounded in both legs.
Grabow, who became a prisoner of war, was shot down on the same day as Franz von Werra whose story was told in the movie “The One That Got Away” starring Hardy Kruger.
Grabow’s damaged Messerschmitt 109 (Yellow7) was to become a story in itself, transported to Australia as a “prize” to be put on show at various locations including Nhill where it was exhibited on the 4th of August 1941 in the Williams Garage next to the theatre.
Some local businesses shut down for the day to give everyone an opportunity to see the German fighter plane and school children were marched down at noon to hear Flying Officer A. S. Wilkinson, describe the machine.
Also on show were numerous exhibits not connected with the plane including rubber boats and a Rolls Royce Merlin engine.
Just after arriving in Australia the plane was left on the Melbourne docks for several weeks where it was vandalised and had to be patched up before going on display.
After the war the Messerschmitt was scrapped and the only remaining piece known to have survived is one of the main wheels which is in a private collection.
Another war “prize” to be exhibited in Nhill during the war was a Japanese Midget Submarine.
It was actually a composite of two subs destroyed following the attack on Sydney Harbour in 1942. It was displayed in Davis Park on the 6th of April 1943 with Nhillites told to roll up and show their appreciation of the great job that the “boys in blue” were doing in the present conflict.
Admission proceeds went to the Navy Comforts Fund and once again children were first in line to see the exhibit where some were able chalk their names on the steel hull.
The composite sub is now on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
See all the pictures in the issue.
This article appeared in the Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 1 October 2025.
