NELSON & RODNEY - 9 Oct 1939
 

Evening

On 8th October 1939 battleships NELSON, RODNEY, battlecruisers HOOD, REPULSE and the aircraft carrier FURIOUS sortied from Scapa Flow to reports of battlecruiser GNEISENAU moving out from Kiel.

According to war diary of U.46 on morning of 9th October, whilst searching for reported enemy groups including large warships in the North Sea she saw up to 30 of her own bombers and recon A/C presumably searching for the same.

Can anyone identify the KG wing(s) involved?

James

Re: NELSON & RODNEY - 9 Oct 1939
 

Probably KG 26?

Re: NELSON & RODNEY - 9 Oct 1939
 

Rohwer/Hümmelchen are stating that KG 26 and LG 1 fielded 127 He 111s on a search for the british force, KG 30 a further 21 Ju 88s. They achieved no successes.



Source: http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/39-10.htm


Cheers,
Christian

Re: NELSON & RODNEY - 9 Oct 1939
 

Hi,

at 06.00 hrs 4 Ju 88s of the 1./KG30 had taken off for armed reconnaissance
between 09.00 and 09.35 hrs 4 He 111s of stab/KG26, 36 He 111s of the I./KG26, 30 He 111s of the II./KG26; 17 Ju 88s of the I./KG30; 28 He 111s of the I./LG1 and 19 He 111s of the III./LG1 had taken off to attack enemy flotilla A and B. Additionally 10 He 111s of 1.(F)/122 were engaged.

Regards

Robert

Re: NELSON & RODNEY - 9 Oct 1939
 

Wow. That is quite a force. But I can understand considering the target's importance.

Thank you for your assistance guys

Re: NELSON & RODNEY - 9 Oct 1939
 

Other sources say I./KG 30, two Gruppe from KG 26 and two Gruppe from LG 1 supported by 3./506 and 3./706. They claimed 6 hits with 250 kg bombs on a heavy cruiser but 2 He 111s from II./KG 26 force-landed in Denmark, a He 111 from LG 1 crashed at Warlow, a Ju 88 from I./KG 30 was reported missing, a He 59 was reported missing and a He 59 and two Do 18s force-landed in the sea. Not a good day!