Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Hello,

Anyone know which force made an Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour, Corsica on the 30th September 1943 ?
Was it by Italian Forces, the Luftwaffe, RAF, RN, USAAF, USN, or Free French Forces ?

Thanks
Alex

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Did you check here?

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/chronik.htm#Z

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Alex, the island had been invaded by French forces earlier that month through this port, there is no doubt the attacking forces were luftwaffe.
A vessel sank was the LST79, there are plenty of online resources which should leave no doubt that it was a Luftwaffe attack.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Army_Corps_(France)

http://books.google.ie/books?id=Kk0T...Bw&redir_esc=y

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

From the web site above:

Ab dem 11.9. werden franz. Soldaten von Algier nach Ajaccio (Korsika) transportiert: am 11.-13.9. 109 Mann durch das franz. U-Boot Casabianca (FKpt. D´Herminier), am 13.-14.9. 500 Soldaten und 60 t Material durch die franz. Zerstörer Le Fantasque und Le Terrible (KKpt. Perzo), am 14.-16.9. 30 Soldaten und 7 t Material durch das U-Boot Perle, am 16.-17.9. 550 Mann und 60 t Material durch die Zerstörer Le Fantasque, Tempête und L´Alcyon, am 16.-18.9. 5 t Material durch das U-Boot Aréthuse, am 17.-18.9. 400 Mann eines US Kommandos sowie 20 t Material durch die ital. Zerstörer Legionario und Oriani, am 19.-21.9. 1200 Mann, 110 t Material, 6 Geschütze und 6 Fahrzeuge durch den Kreuzer Jeanne d´Arc und die Zerstörer Le Fantasque, Tempête und L´Alcyon, am 22.-23.9. 1500 Mann und 200 t Material durch den Kreuzer Montcalm und Zerstörer Le Fantasque, am 23.-25.9. 350 Soldaten, 100 t Material, 21 Geschütze und 30 Fahrzeuge durch die Zerstörer Le Fortuné, L´Alcyon, das Landungsschiff LST 79 sowie die Minensucher MMS 1 und MMS 116, am 25.9. 850 Mann und 160 t Material durch die Jeanne d´Arc, am 26.9. 750 Mann, 100 t Material, 12 Geschütze und 10 Fahrzeuge durch die Montcalm und den brit. Zerstörer Pathfinder, am 28.-30.9. 200 Mann, 4 Geschütze, 70 Fahrzeuge durch die Le Fortuné und LST 79 (beide bei dt. Luftangriff beschädigt, letzteres sinkt), am 30.9.-1.10. 700 Mann und 170 t Material durch die Jeanne d´Arc und L´Alcyon.

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Thank you both,
Thats just what I was looking for.
Also from the U-boat site LCT 2231 was lost, she was loaded aboard LST 79.
From the RN Casualties site 4 crew were lost and from the RAF Commands site it looks as though 5 possibly 7 airmen aboard LST-79 were also killed.
Alex

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Ajaccio Harbor Bombing 30 September 1943
Prospects:
I./KG 54: bombed harbor on 12 October.
II./KG 54: same.
II./KG 100: BINGO!! “Two British landing craft were sunk in the Corsican harbor of Ajaccio during an attack by 11 planes on 30 September, 2 of which failed to return.” II./KG 100 was based at Istres at the time.

Source:
de Zeng, Henry L. IV and Douglas G. Stankey. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945: A Reference Source. Volume 2. Hersham/Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, March 2008. ISBN: (10) 1 903223 87 3. Hb. Dj. 204p. Profusely illustrated. Copious source notes. Color art work. Glossary/Abbreviations. Index.

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Thank you Larry, now will have to look for the two Luftwaffe losses .
Alex

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

In "Kampfflieger Volume Four" (Classic Publications, 2005) I wrote:

"On 30 September, French Spitfires intercepted ten of KG 100’s Do 217s, 12 miles off Ajaccio, shooting down three. The survivors attacked the harbour from about 3,000 m and set on fire an LST (Landing Ship, Tank) which was a total loss as well as scoring a near miss on a French destroyer. The one relative success amongst these setbacks was the employment of 'a weapon whose novelty came as a surprise to the Allies', Fritz-X , whose successes against Allied warships are described in Kampfflieger Vol. 3. These attacks had all but ceased by the end of the month, however."

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

1943-09-30, 5./KG 100, Do 217E-5, 5605, 6N+AN, Hafen Ajaccio, Bordwaffenbeschuß. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Uffz Bachmann, Ernst, verletzt
Beobachter Ogfr Doerper, Joachim, verletzt
Bordfunker Ogfr Werner, Kurt, verletzt
Bordschütze Ogfr Huß, Günther, verletzt
1943-09-30, 6./KG 100, Do 217E-4, 1169, 6N+KA, (Hafen Ajaccio), Unbekannt. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Lt Baumert, Joachim, vermißt
Beobachter Uffz Bernheimer, Rudolf, vermißt
Funkbeobachter Lt Donat, Hagen, vermißt
Bordfunker Ogfr Wydra, Arno, vermißt
Bordschütze Uffz Bauer, Franz, vermißt
Donat von 7./Ln.-Rgt.Ob.d.L.
1943-09-30, 6./KG 100, Do 217E-5, 5667, 6N+MP, (Hafen Ajaccio), Unbekannt. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Uffz Ruland, Rudolf, gefangen
Beobachter Olt Wolf, Friedrich, gefangen
Bordfunker Uffz Liegig, Wolfgang, gefangen
Bordschütze Uffz Kratz, Hugo,gefangen

Matti

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Oblt. Hagen Donat from 7./Ln.-Rgt. Ob.d.L., who was aboard 6N+KA, was Führer of a special signals detachment responsible for observing and jamming enemy radar transmissions. No doubt this had to do with the Fritz-X weapons system.

[Source: ADI(K) interrogation report 272/45; Hoffmann, Karl-Otto - Ln., Band II/2, p.578.]

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Many thanks to you all for the excellent response.
Alex

Aerial "Radio controled bombs" Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

The whole story, from the french fighters side is in the book "Pilotes français sur la l'Afrique du Nord et la Corse" written by Daniel et Alain DECOT (printed in 2000).
One of the DO 217 shot down made the mission without bomb : the captured crew explained that they where only in charge of filming the attack.

RB

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Alex,

For what it is worth, I cover this attack in some detail in my book Warriors & Wizards.

To be clear, the guidance system was for the Hs 293. II./KG 100 was not equipped at the time to carry the Fritz-X.

Several of the weapons missed their target and fell into the water. The British recovered major sections of these weapons. This was a vital part of the effort to develop countermeasures for these guided weapons. The details of this recovery are recorded in the UK National Archives.

The presence of an ESM aircraft was significant since it suggested the Luftwaffe was prepared to detect jamming signals. There was no jamming in effect at the time and the loss of the aircraft (one of only two equipped for this) became significant later when the Luftwaffe failed to detect the sophisticated Allied jamming. Had they done so, they could have reverted to alternative frequencies or even a wire-guided version.

Interesting that the crew of the Do 217E-4 claimed they were only filming the attack. A clever cover story for their real mission.

Happy to provide more details if desired.

Marty

Re: Aerial Torpedo Attack on Ajaccio Harbour.
 

Another reference to this attack in my notes from TNA AIR23/6790 (MAAF Air Intelligence Weekly Summaries Nos. 33-58, July-Dec. 1943): According to a PoW, 10 Do 217 of II./KG 100 went in with Hs 293s at 17.00 hrs.

North West African Air Force ORB (AIR24/975) entry for 1 October 1943, says three Do 217 attacked Ajaccio harbour from 9000 ft and all three were claimed destroyed. An LST was hit and on fire, there was a near miss on a French destroyer.

At 1545, two Spitfires of GC 1/3 had shot down a recon Ju 88 off the west cast of Corsica and 10 Do 217 were plotted heading for Ajaccio. Four Spitfires of GC 1/3 and two of GC 2/7 intercepted them 12 miles out. They claimed three, breaking up the formation so that only three bombs were dropped.

(I can't currently find the reference for the quote I posted earlier — it was before TNA allowed cameras, and I've got too much paper to look through).