Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Dear all,

I am looking for the exact crash location of B-26 42-107680 of the 322nd BG/451st BS. According to the MACR, the aircraft was shot down towards 02.50 hrs on the night of 7/8 July 1944 and abandoned in the Autheux area (east of Abbeville). Grateful for any deyails, including details of the area (near Abbeville?) where it was first hit (by Flak/NF).

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

KU 2490 states at Avesnes, 22 km S of Abbeville, exploded and crashed at 02:44, 100% destroyed, number 2107680.
A piece of wreckage was recovered with apparently painted details: Lt C. B. Jones - Pilot, S/Sgt S. Mrozewski - Crew Chief. Other names were too burnt to make out.
4 dead were recovered and not immediately identifiable.

However 3 identification tags were later found which gave the names:
Raymond F. Noeth
Julius L. Toth
R. H. Blackstone

Although 42-107680 had markings for the Jones crew it appears that it was being flown by the Lemmond crew.

Sean

ps. Further research shows that the three named dead were handed over to the Amiens Military Hospital by Unit 32650 who had collected them whilst moving through. Enquiries were not made as to where and how they had been found.
They had been linked to this aircraft after the event in the contemporary documentation and it is now apparent that they are probably not associated with it.

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

You can try to contact the Somme 1939-1945 association: https://www.somme-aviation-39-45.fr/contact.html

On the following page, in 2009, they reported having found the crash site of 42-107680 at Belloy Saint Léonard, west of Amiens (and 40 km from Autheux).
https://www.somme-aviation-39-45.fr/...couvertes.html

To be confirmed as this is very close from the location liste for B-26 41-31814 (Warlus, 3 km from Belloy Saint Léonard) in the current list at http://francecrashes39-45.net/rech_avion.php.

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Thanks chaps for your helpful replies and leads, which I will follow. Reason for asking are the German Nachtjagd claims for B-26s destroyed on 7-8 July 1944, which is a rather complex picture ..

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Dear all,

Apart from the nine Madauders destroyed by German night fighters on 7-8 July 1944, two more B-26s (named ‘Geraldine’ and ‘Homesick’) struggled back to Britain with severe battle damage, the ‘Homesick’ crashing at Tangmere airfield with over 1,000 holes in the airframe.

Who can supply me with the serial numbers of these two Marauders, and the combat reports for these two aircraft detailing where/when they were engaged by the German defences?

Cheers and thanks, Theo

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

This website https://www.markstyling.com/b26_research.06.htm has 41-31756 for 'Geraldine'.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Take a look here as well: https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/B-26-Mar...l-1944-01.html

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Thanks for that Leendert!

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Geraldine = 322BG 450 BS B-26 B-20-MA ER-J 41-31756

Homesick = 322BG 452BS B-26 C-45-MA DR-D 42-107751

Losses of 8th and 9th AF Vol5 (Additions and Corrections)

Martin

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

The Annihilators - 322nd Bombardment Group (M) Book 2

Homesick piloted by 1 Lt F M Cookson attacked four times by Me210 aided by a strong concentration of searchlights. On fourth attack it knocked out our top turret but not before the gunner, aided by the tail gunner scored direct hits on the intruder

The waist gunner and tail gunner bailed out as they thought the a/c was out of control
Sgt RE Johnson (TG) and S/Sgt J W Brandmihl (Engineer/Gunner) credited with destruction of Me210


1st Lt F M Remmele's a/c was attacked by single engined e/a. Sgt K M Locke (Engineer/Gunner) returned fire and e/a seen to catch fire, it was enveloped in flames and fell out of control. Credited with its destruction

Martin

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Hello Martin,

Thanks for these details. I hope someone will still be able to supply the mission/combat reports of these two Marauders, as they will probably explain a couple of German night fighter claims for B-26s shot down that I have yet not been able to match.

A mission report for the 322nd BG that details the routes flown to and from the target the V-1 HQ at the Chateau de Ribeaucourt on 7-8 July 1944 would also be of help!

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Hi Martin -your and my posting crossed -many thanks for these interesting additional details. Does the book also give times/locations for these combats of Homesick?

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

No times given.

Only other hint is that at least nine e/a engaged in 14 combats with the bombers. The area of attacks stretched from Oisemont area (18 miles from enemy coast along approach route) to 10 miles out in the Channel on the return

Martin

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Thanks for that Martin. My research of the German side has shown that during the air battle with the Marauders at least 20 night fighters engaged the B-26s, making 14 victory claims, ten of which were subsequently confirmed by the OKL/RLM (nine twin-engined fighter claims plus one single-engined fighter claim). Will present full details in the next volume of the NCA series, hope to fill in a few last-minute details with the questions that I raised.

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location B-26 42-107680 in Autheux area, 7/8 July 1944?
 

Dear all,

Just found the route map for the Marauder raid:


https://www.fold3.com/image/1/28993086


Cheers, Theo