August 19th 1944 Seenotstaffel 1 Biscarosse was ordered to retreat. The evacuation was done during the night and two Do-24T-3's, W4+BH and W4+DH (Werk Nr. 1101), flown by Feldwebel H. Reif and Feldwebel Bohlem respectively collided. This was all caused by the ordered radio silence. There were three aircraft due to take-off, the first was flown by Bohlem who, due to lack of waves, had to zig-zag in order to create waves and make it able for the aircraft to take-off. This fact was not reported to the other second aircraft and Reif calculated the time needed for the first aircraft to take-off and started his own take-off run, eventualy hitting the first aircraft. Both aircraft were badly damaged and towed to the shore in the morning. The aircraft were left there and the crews taken on as passengers on the third aircraft, a Breguet Bizerte, of Seenotstaffel 1. The two Do-24's were later towed on the lake by the Wehrmacht and sunk.
The W4+BH was brought to the surface by French divers in 1980. For a short period it was on exhibition outside at the 'Musee de l'Hydravion ' near Biscarosse. After this period it was scrapped. In an gigantic blunder the authorities and owners of the wreck decided to throw everything away, unforgivable!!! There is absolute nothing left.
