Why did 10./JG2 bomb a school in Catford? Part 2
 

The original thread was closed and cannot be reopened, so this will be called Part 2.

A translated transcript of Schumann's radio interview has just been provided by: Information and Archives Written Archives Centre, BBC, Caversham Park, Reading, Berkshire RG4 8TZ.
Below is an exact rendering of their document.
There is an obvious error regarding 'Bunkerfuehrer', and I have no idea what the Airman actually said. Has anyone any suggestion?

GERMAN HOME SERVICE VIA FRANKFURT 251.9m IN GERMAN FOR GERMANY 19.15 21.1.43
Front Reports
London's Day Raiders Interviewed


Today's communique announced that London had been attacked in daylight by fast German bombers. (Follows text of communique). Our reporter interviewed several members of the crews concerned immediately on their return.


Reporter: Flight/Lt Schumann, you were in command of this formation and have lately taken part in many of these attacks. This daylight attack on London however was surely one of your most interesting experiences.


Flight/Lt Schumann: Yes, that is true. Recently we have been giving England a proper pounding, flying in from the South coast. But it is a very unusual experience to attack London from a low level at last.


Reporter: Did you reach your target?


Schumann: We all of us reached our targets and the bombs were dumped where they belonged.


Reporter: That is astonishing. Did you get little flak or none at all?


Schumann: The flak was very inaccurate. We saw a few Spitfires, but they took no notice of us.


Reporter: You flew with your Flight/Lt.: what did you see?


Airman: I saw the bomb aimer (Bunkerfuehrer) on the Flight/Lt.'s plane release his load and our aircraft did the same immediately afterwards. I observed the effect of these bombs. They were very heavy bombs and there was a huge grey column of smoke after the explosion. Great damage must have been caused.


Reporter: Was there much interference when you were leaving the target area?


Airman: As we were leaving the London district, barrage balloons went up. We saw them rising slowly; apparently it had dawned on them that there were some Germans about after all. We fired on them and set 10 ablaze.


Reporter: Marvellous! Did you hit any industrial installations?


Airman: Yes: we set fire (one word indistinct) on fire in London which must have been very painful for the Londoners. We also attacked a locomotive, a station and quite a lot of other things.


Reporter: You must have been rather glad when you crossed our coast again.


Airman: Yes. It is 80 km. from the coast to London and that is quite a way.


Reporter: I will now speak to the Commodore of the Geschwader, Sqdn Ldr. (?Koehl), Bearer of the Oak Leaves. You were under orders to protect the fast bombers with your fighters.


Sqdn. Ldr.:Yes. And I was lucky as we encountered Spitfires over the Kentish Coast and engaged them. Two squadron commanders (Staffelkapitaen) shot down one Spitfire each. At any rate we were very glad to have been able to make the task of our bombers easier. That was our job and we did it.


Tony