Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Dear all,

Who can help me with establishing the identity of a Wellington that was claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova by a German night fighter on 7-8 May 1944 (205 Group raid on Bucharest), I can supply the following claims details:

Hptm. Herbert Lütje: 33 Stab IV./NJG6 Wellington Marosheviz, N. Craiova (UL 2-5/24 Ost, i.Zus.Arb.): 4.100 m 23.54. Note: victory confirmed on 18.7.1944

Cheers and thanks, Theo

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Hello Theo, do you have access to the book "La chasse de nuit germano-roumaine", de Roba et Craciunoiu ?

This book says that the claim below was made on the 6-7 May night, not on the 7-8 May night.

The 6-7 May 1944 raid is described pages 50-52 and list four RAF losses:
_ Liberator EW341 of 178 Sqn (shot down by Hpt Martin Bauer), crashed at Belciug
_ Wellington LP128 of 40 Sqn (possible victim of Lütje), attacked three times, third anf inal time over Craiova, crashed at Castranova.
è Wellington LN982 of 40 Sqn (possible victim of Maisch, 2./NJG 100), crashed at Balta Greaca on the Bulgarian-Romanian border -> so possibly the one claimed N of Alexandrowo.
_ Wellington JA525 of 150 Sqn (possible victim of von Meien, 2./NJG 100), crashed in the lake of Comana.

I could provide more details if you wish.

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Hello Laurent,

Thanks for your reply -I have a copy of the book "La chasse de nuit germano-roumaine", by Roba/Craciunoiu, but I'm afraid the authors put the claim by Lütje under the wrong date. Both the KTB of Stab NJG6 and the confirmed Abschusslisting for Stab IV./NJG6 give the date as 7/8.5.44 (2nd confirmed claim of Stab IV./NJG6, 7 May 1944 23.54 hrs)...

Cheers, Theo

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Theo,

Believe the US serial of EW341 was originally 42-64146.

Hope that helps

Nick

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

NicK / Theo - EW341 had nothing to do with 7/8 May 1944 but 6/7 May 1944 it came
down near Belciug some 16 Km NE of Rosiorii de Vede ( near an ARR airfield)

Theo-7/8 May 1944 several 205th bombers down , one in Serbia , none of them crashed
near or at Craiova maybe at some distance at Draganesti Olt SE of Craiova but not really
close. Again, using copy / paste from Net is not really very useful.

As into scans you need to indicate the page and if I may ask for what purpose
do you research Rumania air campaigns ?

Alex K

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

EW341 was not a Lib : http://www.ukserials.com/serials-older-ea.htm.

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Hello chaps,

Many thanks for your additional details, I've checked the correct serial number for the 178 Squadron Liberator on 6/7.5.44, this is:

B.VI EV841 'H'

Cheers, Theo

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

More precisely that Lib was:

EV841 SNAKE H

(In pic 'EV841' was black, 'SNAKE' and 'H' was red) ;-))))
Cheers,
Gabor

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

What pic which pic comrade Gabor ? can u post it just in case u have one ?

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

This one ;-)

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Okey Dokey then....

I believe the serial number of EV841 was 42-64146, Theo.

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

I don't know right now (book at home), but this was the crew which flew her still in April, 1944. Not sure if the same crew went down with it.
Gabor

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Pataky, Rozsos, Sárhidai:

Légi háború Magyarország felett I-II. (I.)
(Aerial war over Hungary I-II.)

Gabor

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Tovarish ,
к сожалению, я не говорить и читать по-венгерски, Yah neh panymay
Mogyar ---- how this 205th crew's fate arrived in a Hungarian book ?

Alex K

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Not their fate. Only they sank the ships at Mohacs on the Danube in April.
Gabor

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Oh OK, thanks a lot mate

Cheers
Alex

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Crew of EV841 SNAKE 'H' on April 12/13, 1944 was:

l-r, standing:

Don Bygrave - nav.
Harry Lewis - 1st pilot
W.J. Allingham - tail gunner +
R.C. Griffin - t.t. gunner

1st row, l-r:

Herb Melton - Co-pilot
Mike Fedorchuck - nose gunner
Tony Anselmo - radio op.

(Harry Lewis, 178 Sq. collection)
Gabor

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Comrade Gabor,

Thanks for the update, those were just the originals and may or
may have not survived the war . As into the last crew ,2 were
captured near Buc and 5 lost their lives in Romania at Tincabesti.

BR
Alex K

Re: Identity of Wellington claimed shot down at Marosheviz, north of Craiova on 7-8 May 1944?
 

Maroshévíz was back then part of Hungary (Northern Transylvania). Currently it's known as Toplița (in German Töplitz). It's far away from Craiova.