4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Hi,
from this link I have info, that this day AA of U-155 shot down Mustang from 126.sq RAF - are other information about this action ?

http://www.uboat.net/boats/u155.htm

Thanks for all reply

Faenor

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

The 126 CO Arne Austeen was lost on this mission flying KH578/5JB. The ORB records that he was hit by Flak from a submarine.

Steve

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Hi SteveB,

thanks for info - other info about this sortie is on page 86 of Osprey Aircreaft of the Aces no 93 - RAF Mustang and Thunderbolt Aces. Have you other info about Beaufighter attack?

From my personal archive - this day RAF loss other 3 Mustangs over Danish and Norwegian coast. Every info about this operation are welcome.

Thanks again

Faenor

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

The other two losses were from 19Sqn escorting Mosquitos they were not part of the same operation.

Steve

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Looked at The Strike Wings (Roy Conyers Nesbit) …

He writes that on that 3rd May 1945, the North Coates Strike Wing made its last attack from that location. Led by Wing Commander Jock Hutton, 236 Squadron and 254 Squadron were dispatched for the Kattegat. The planes attacked at least 16 vessels with rockets and cannon fire, including one U-boat and a converted ocean liner. One Beaufighter was shot down by a minesweeper and the others diverted to a Dutch forward base (B86 Helmond) to refuel and rearm.

From B86, on 4th May, the Wing took off for its final strike of the war, this time led by Squadron Leader Stan Hyland. 22 Beaufighters returned to the Kattegat; a destroyer and later four submarines were found and attacked. A few Beaufighters were damaged and returned to Holland while the rest flew back to North Coates.

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Six Nifty .50s - thanks for info !

My other question is, that there was 2 operations:

1st mission - Banff Wing with Mosquitos escorted by 19 Sq (loss 2 Mustangs which collided ) and in my opinion 234 sq (which loss 1 Mustang by AA ), which started in England

2nd - North Coates Wing with Beaufighters escorted by 126 sq Mustang , when Beaufighters started in Holland and Mustang ? This Beaufighter sunk 4 U-boats and after attack some damaged Beaufighters landed in Holland and Mustang in Lüneburg (page 85 Osprey Aircreaft of the Aces no 93 - RAF Mustang and Thunderbolt Aces).

Does anyone able to access ORB of 19.,126. and 234.SQ ? For this day.

Thanks Faenor

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

I am sorry to disappoint you. There was a third mission. Dallachy Strike Wing with escort consisting of 12 Mustangs from No. 65 Sqdn and 6 Mustangs from No. 19 Squadron.

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Hi Delmenhorst,

thanks for your reply, but in this link, there is info about 19 and 234 sq :

http://www.airmen.dk/p477.htm

losses of 19 sq by name :
http://www.airmen.dk/e777865.htm
http://www.airmen.dk/e777866.htm

loss of 234 sq by name:
http://www.airmen.dk/e777866.htm
http://www.airmen.dk/p432.htm
http://www.flensted.eu.com/1945050.shtml

...same number of aircraft, but different squadrons

Summary list for this day for all squadron is what I need, thanks to all for reply or any idea.

Faenor

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Well, I am in a good mood today ..

Coastal Command Strike Wings the 4th of May, 1945:

Banff Strike Wing
No. 143 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘Y’ W/Cdr. C N Foxley-Norris & F/O P J Tuhill
Mosquito VI ‘A’ F/Sgt. J V Collier & F/Sgt. R R Gardner
Mosquito VI ‘H’ F/Lt. H Graham & F/Sgt. L S Malkin
Mosquito VI ‘V’ F/O G G Symons & F/Sgt. L W Flintham
Mosquito VI ‘R’ S/Ldr. A G Deck & W/O P B McGregor
Mosquito VI ‘F’ F/Lt. E O Walsh & F/Sgt. E G Coker
Mosquito VI ‘N’ F/Lt. M Crocker & F/O R F Simmons
Mosquito VI ‘D’ S/Ldr. D C Pritchard & F/O A G Silcock
Mosquito VI ‘K’ S/Ldr. A G Sincott & F/O R J Webster
Mosquito VI ‘J’ F/Sgt. L R H Wigg & F/Sgt. R H Hawkins
Mosquito VI ‘T’ F/Lt. J Keohane & P/O A Fielding
Mosquito VI ‘Z’ F/Sgt. G W Shewry & F/Sgt. J E Hornby
Mosquito VI ‘Q’ F/Lt. P L C Bradshaw & F/O B E Rose
No. 248 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘F’ W/Cdr. Jackson-Smith, DFC & F/Lt. E Gittens, DFC
Mosquito VI ‘B’ F/O A E J Burrows & F/O H Nicholson
Mosquito VI ‘H’ F/O S C Price & F/Sgt. W O’Brien
Mosquito VI ‘P’ F/Lt. L H Milsom & F/O R Holmes
Mosquito VI ‘N’ F/Lt. R D Luckwell & F/Lt. M L Coulstock
Mosquito VI ‘V’ S/Ldr. H H K Gunnis, DFC & F/O J M McCabe
Mosquito VI ‘S’ F/Lt. J G Cooper & F/Lt. G L P Palombi
Mosquito VI ‘Z’ F/Lt. G N E Yeates, DFC & F/Lt. T C SCott, DFC
Mosquito VI ‘M’ Sgt. R E D Kelly & F/Sgt. J J Gallacher
No. 404 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘X’ W/Cdr. M Pierce & P/O M H Michael
Mosquito VI ‘Q’ F/Lt. J A Hill & F/O L M Williams
Mosquito VI ‘D’ F/Lt. J A Stewart & F/O A A Johnston
Mosquito VI ‘A’ F/Lt. J R Hughes, DFC & Bar & F/O W A S Wade
Mosquito VI ‘M’ F/O W R Ramsden & P/O R Rumble
Mosquito VI ‘L’ F/O D A Catrano & F/Lt. E A Ford
Mosquito VI ‘C’ F/O A C Gibbard & F/O N M Burns
No. 235 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘R’ S/Ldr. J R Barry & F/O A Lloyd
Mosquito VI ‘Z’ F/Lt. A J C Proctor & F/Lt. J W D Thomas
Mosquito VI ‘L’ W/O A S Shimmin, DFC & F/O J F Lettington
Mosquito VI ‘W’ F/Lt. D K Thorburn, DFC & W/O L W R Crocker
Mosquito VI ‘B’ F/Lt. J D Taylor, DFC & W/O E H Wilkinson
Mosquito VI ‘J’ F/Lt. G R Mayhew, DFC & F/O S W Farrow
Mosquito VI ‘A’ F/O W Moffatt, DFC & F/Lt. C Hardy
Mosquito VI ‘D’ W/O C A Cogswell & F/Sgt. E C Brown
No. 333 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘H’ Maj H Wenger & Sgt. H Hansen
Mosquito VI ‘K’
Mosquito VI ‘F’
Mosquito VI ‘R’

Escort Banff Strike Wing
No. 19 Squadron
Mustang KM163 S/Ldr. Hearne
Mustang KM698 W/O Wright
Mustang KH818 F/Lt. Davidson
Mustang KH674 P/O Natta
Mustang KM272 F/O Schofield
Mustang KH655 F/Lt. Yearwood
No. 234 Squadron
Mustang KM279 S/Ldr. Steib
Mustang KH863 F/Sgt. Bourne
Mustang KM128 F/Lt. Cooper
Mustang KM125 W/O McCosker
Mustang KM305 P/O Farmiloe
Mustang KM203 F/Sgt. Harrell
Mustang KH696 F/Sgt. Robertson
Mustang KH843 F/Lt. Stein
Mustang KH860 P/O Beller
Mustang KH857 W/O Steedman
Mustang KH707 F/O Hooker
Mustang KM103 F/Sgt. Stewart

North Coates Strike Wing
No. 254 Squadron
Mosquito XVIII ‘W’ F/Lt. A V Gendebien & F/Lt. S E Drinkwater
Beaufighter X ‘H’ F/Lt. G H Webb & P/O I Cay
Beaufighter X ‘J’ W/O C E Wright & W/O R Balfour
Beaufigther X ‘C’ F/Sgt. P C Sharman & F/Sgt. G T Cordon
Beuafighter X ‘F’ F/O B V Ekbery & W/O R M Thomas
Beaufighter X ‘K’ F/Sgt. J McHutchen & F/Sgt. A Caldwell
Beaufighter X ‘Q’ F/Sgt. G Taylor & F/Sgt. A H Brown
Beaufighter X ‘A’ F/Lt. T F Leaver-Power & F/Lt. A Musto
Beaufighter X ‘Z’ W/O W Grant & F/Sgt. W Taylor
Beaufighter X ‘M’ F/O E A Mills & F/O C A Hurst
Beaufighter X ‘T’ W/O J T Madsen & F/Sgt. W C Duncombe
No. 236 Squadron
Beaufighter X ‘W’ S/Ldr. S R Hyland & F/O G F Barnes
Beaufighter X ‘C’ S/Ldr. T H Christie & F/O D R Irvine
Beaufigther X ‘E’ F/Lt. W H Fulton & F/O P E Crisp
Beuafighter X ‘R’ F/O A Thompson & F/Sgt. E S C Small
Beaufighter X ‘D’ F/O A S Ross & W/O K H Dowling
Beaufighter X ‘A’ F/O J H Benson & F/Sgt. K H Lilly
Beaufighter X ‘T’ F/Lt. J Chamberlain & F/Sgt. S W Shakespeare
Beaufighter X ‘F’ W/O F T Cornish & W/O L A W Bell
Beaufighter X ‘U’ W/O H Bennett & W/O P C Bardoe
Beaufighter X ‘E1’ F/Sgt. D Montgomery & W/O J A Reeves
Beaufighter X ‘K’ F/Sgt. J N Fenton & F/Sgt. J Clarkson
Beaufighter X ‘Q1’ W/O C M Sim & F/Sgt. J S Jefferies

Escort North Coates
No. 126 Squadron
Mustang KH578 Major Austeen
Mustang KH551 W/Cdr. Donnet
Mustang KH438 F/Lt. Holmes
Mustang KH502 F/O Rattray
Mustang KH570 F/O King
Mustang KH518 F/O Reid
Mustang KH477 W/O Fincher
Mustang KH563 F/O Kingsbury
Mustang KH523 F/O Armour
Mustang KH564 F/Lt. Thompson
Mustang KH442 F/O Tunnadine
Mustang KH521 F/O Wright
Mustang KH566 F/Lt. Clarke
Mustang KH448 F/Sgt. Day
Mustang KH464 F/O Vullers

Dallacy Strike Wing
No. 254 Squadron
Outriders
Mosquito XVIII ‘D’ F/O Hayton & F/O Vacher
Mosquito XVIII ‘B’ F/O Davis & W/O Buckley
No. 455 Squadron
Beaufighter TFX ‘N’ W/O K J Newell & F/Sgt. M J Walsh
Beaufighter TFX ‘X’ F/Lt. A W Roper & F/Sgt. B Crean
Beaufighter TFX ‘H’ F/Sgt. E A Smith & W/O W A Hirst
Beaufighter TFX ‘P’ F/O W L Ives & W/O D G Frey
Beaufighter TFX ‘C’ F/O J MacDonald & F/Lt. W Bremner
Beaufighter TFX ‘Z’ F/O D R Cristofani & F/Sgt. W F A Waldock
Beaufighter TFX ‘Y’ F/O R H Penhall & F/O H E Blakers
Beaufighter TFX ‘B’ F/O C S Howard & F/O F H Balfour- Ogilvy
Beaufighter TFX ‘L’ P/O J A McLean & P/O W A McHugh
Beaufighter TFX ‘G’ F/Lt. J S Addison & F/O C Mason
Beaufighter TFX ‘F’ F/O W G Herbert & P/O J W Tucker
Beaufighter TFX ‘W’ S/Ldr. Pilcher, DFC & F/Lt. M F C Jackson
Beaufighter TFX ‘R’ F/Lt. C G Thompson, DFC & W/O I M Gordon, DFC
No. 489 Squadron
Beaufighter TFX ‘D’ S/Ldr K Sawyer & W/O L Reeves
Beaufighter TFX ‘G1’ F/O K Bond & F/Sgt. R Clarke
Beaufighter TFX ‘B1’ W/O C Hamilton & F/Sgt. R Aldridge
Beaufighter TFX ‘T’ F/O J Leech & F/Sgt. W Taborn
Beaufighter TFX ‘L1’ F/O P Southernwood & F/Sgt. S Gray
Beaufighter TFX ‘H1’ S/Ldr J Brice & F/O R Henson
Beaufighter TFX ‘C1’ W/O R Priest & W/O D Ball
Beaufighter TFX ‘F1’ F/O J Jolley & F/O T Morgan
Beaufighter TFX ‘X’ F/O K Marsh & F/O J Ward
Beaufighter TFX ‘O1’ P/O F Hall & W/O J Gordon
Beaufighter TFX ‘U’ F/Lt R Pulham & F/O K Lang
No. 144 Squadron
Beaufighter X ‘D’ W/Cdr. Gadd DFC & Bar & F/O Marrow DFC
Beaufighter X ‘T’ F/O Page & F/Sgt. Jones
Beaufighter X ‘B’ W/O Murphy & F/Sgt. Winter
Beaufighter X ‘M’ F/Lt. Daffurn & F/O Hill
Beaufighter X ‘K’ W/O Gribbin & F/Sgt. Atkinson
Beaufighter X ‘A’ W/O Meldrum & W/O Harvie
Beaufighter X ‘S’ W/Cdr. Whitworth AFC & F/O Carter
Beaufighter X ‘Z’ F/Lt. Wood & F/Sgt. Straut
Beaufighter X ‘A1’ F/O Hamar & W/O Purnell (263 Sqdn.)
Beaufighter X ‘W’ F/Sgt. Robertshaw & F/Sgt. Hudson

Escort
No. 19 Squadron
Mustang IV KM152 F/Lt. Doley
Mustang IV F/Lt. Seed
Mustang IV KH742 F/Lt. Shirreff
Mustang IV KM118 F/O May
Mustang IV KH778 F/O Maynard
Mustang IV KH664 P/O Avery
Mustang IV KH847 F/Lt. Clayton
No. 65 Squadron
Mustang IV KH788 S/Ldr. Foster
Mustang IV KH708 F/O Taylor
Mustang IV KH678 F/Sgt. Colthart
Mustang IV KH829 F/O Black
Mustang IV KH758 F/Lt. Bedford
Mustang IV KH777 W/O Stone
Mustang IV KH658 F/Sgt. Lown
Mustang IV KM223 F/Lt. Sims
Mustang IV KH715 F/O Richardson
Mustang IV KH644 F/Lt. Minto
Mustang IV KH646 F/O Roamin
Mustang IV KH822 F/Sgt. Larkins

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

'L' and 'C' of No. 404 Squadron acted as fighters/fighter cover and did not attack during this "sortie".

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Delmenhorst,

That was really very kind of yours to submit such a detailed answer for Faenor and all of us. THANK YOU....
PS: Please, could you inform us where to look for such vast amount of information? A book ( Strike Wings do not have this amount of details, unfortunately )? Do this lot of information come from the ORB from each Squadron?
Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us...I personally contacted one or two of the airmen who flew on the 04th May 1945.
Yours
Adriano Baumgartner

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Hi Delmenhorst,

as say Adriano Baumgartner - thanks for sharing this info !:)
Its very gratifying and truly deserve many thanks.

Today I received from my friend scan of relevant pages (242-245) from the book and like write Adriano, info are probably from ORB of units.

My last question is, that 126 sq started in England and have "rendezvouz" with North Coates Strike Wing Beaufighters in target area (if they fly from Holland). I feel that 126 sq attacked U-155 solitary, because Beaufighters sank other 4 U-boats. 22 Beaufighters (and 1 Mosquito in your list) are hard opponets and I think,that met her fate like other 4 U-boats.

Thanks again and look forward to futher info

Faenor

PS - F/O Schofield from 19 sq use for this escort "fame" Mustang Mk.IV "Dooleybird" KM 272 and "his pilot" F/Lt. Doley use KM152

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Hi Adriano
I have been researching attacks on German shipping in the spring of 1945 for quite a few years. I worked on a book about five to six years ago that was supposed to be called 'Five minutes to twelve' (German for 'just before closing time') about Coastal Command attacks on German shipping in Danish waters.
I researched in Kew (mostly AIR 27 and AIR 15) and Freiburg plus in Danish sources. I also travelled around in the UK and talked to former Coastal Command crews and in Germany and talked to Luftwaffe airmen and Naval crews.

Time went by and I did not get the book out. I just started again last year and is now expanding the book to cover attacks on shipping in North German, Danish and Norwegean (south) waters in March to May 1945. I am covering British (Coastal & Bomber Command plus 2 TAF), American (9th AF) plus Russian Naval Air Arm.

I know that the book will be quite big and it might end up only on the internet ...

Besides searching for information, I also bought a lot of photos on the German EBAY and from local stores in Germany and Denmark.

I expect the book to be finished in about a year.

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

DELMENHORST,

Firstly: I do wish your book the best of luck that it deserves...There are really few books about the Coastal Command operations; as well as few books ( War Diaries, like they were once called ) by the veterans themselves ( Coastal Command airmen ). Six years of research is really something...I fully understand your thoughts because, several of us ( non-professional researchers or writers ) are on the "same road"...researching for years subjects of the same area of interest, like the Coastal Command operations. BE SURE...your book will be a winner.
Secondly: I contacted several veterans ( mostly from the former Mosquito Aircrew Association ). If I can be of assistance, please email me ( baumgartner_asv@yahoo.com.br )
Third: We will be waiting for the news on your book.

Yours and again Thanks

Adriano Baumgartner

Re: 4th May 1945 - attack on U-155
 

Delmenhorst,

P/O Vullers is the Dutchman Frits Vullers who became general-major in the Royal Netherlands Air Force after the war.
If you need information about this operation as seen from the Dutch side, B-86 was Helmond ALG in the Netherlands in 1945, please send me an email.

Jaap