Allied air missions over central France : 18 January 1944
 

Hello,
We would like to gather information concerning the Allied air missions (RAF, USAAF) over France; missions which occurred on Tuesday 18 January 1944. Above all, we would like to identify the Allied unit(s) which strafed and bombed one of the two airdromes settled nearby and West of the city of Chateauroux : La Martinerie (Indre, 36).
Any detail would be greatly appreciated.
Phil.

Re: Allied air missions over central France : 18 January 1944
 

Hi,
checking "2nd TAF Vol 1 " by Chris Shores; "FC War Diaries vol 4" by John Foreman and "Mighty 8th War Diary" by R.Freeman and "Bomber Command War Diaries" by M.Middlebrook. I can see no air activity at all on Jan 18th 1944 !

Regards

Bruce Lander

Re: Allied air missions over central France : 18 January 1944
 

There was an attack on 5 February 1944.
http://paul.rutgers.edu/~mcgrew/wwii...ml/Feb.44.html

" Mission 210: Airfields in France are targetted. 103 B-17s are dispatched
to Chateauroux/Martinerie and Avord Airfields with 50 hitting each target;
121 B-17s are dispatched to Chateaudun (61 bomb) and Orleans/Bricy (60 bomb)
Airfields; 182 B-17s are dispatched to Romilly-sur-Seine air depot but 133
hit Villacoublay; 103 B-24s are dispatched to Meslay Airfield (90 bomb) and
8 hit Chateaudun; they claim 5-0-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-24s are lost, 3
B-17s and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 39 B-17s and 31 B-24s are
damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 15 WIA and 22 MIA. Escort is provided by 92
P-38s, 496 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 46 Ninth Air Force P-51s;
they claim 6-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-47s are lost, 1 P-38 and 1 P-47 are
damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 and 1 P-47 are damaged; casualties are 2
MIA."

Re: Allied air missions over central France : 18 January 1944
 

Bonjour Gentlemen,

Thank you very much indeed for your serious and intensive efforts to help us … This mission seems to be a mystery ... Eye witness remembered it. Not such a bombing by heavies like on 5 February 1944 (B-17 of 8AAF) or Lancs of RAF on 10:/11 March 1944.
Was it an intruder mission? Or a support fighter units action in the frame work of an another bombing mission?
Damages seem to have been very important. We found out every mission but ... this one! Probably with a bad localization on archives?
Above all: thank you very much for your help … We are on a good track thanks to everyone.
Greetings
Phil.