8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Hi guys

On 8 November 1940, a lone Ju88 (V4+ER of 7./KG1) attacked RAF Honington (Suffolk) in a daring low-level daylight raid - and was shot down by Army Lewis gunner, Gunner Tom Sudbury. Ltn Peter Ungerer and his crew were killed when the aircraft crashed on the airfield.

According to my late Dad, who was in the same unit (429 Company, 60th Searchlight/9th Middlesex), Tommy Sudbury was 18 years-old and was awarded the Military Medal for his feat.

I haven't been able to confirm this - name or award - can anyone help? Is there an official report? I couldn't find anything relevant in RAF Honington's ORB.

Cheers
Brian

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Hello Brian,
A bit of a long shot , but could this be your man ?
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...CHARD%20THOMAS

The age would be about right.

25/26-6-1942
23 OTU
Wellington Ic - X9875 -" -D3" Op: Bremen.
See BCL vol3 page 135.

Alex

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

There must have been many instances of gunners shooting down aircraft which in itself didn't warrant an MM for a single act like this. I can see no mention in The Gazette and the chap that Alex noted has no MM. Maybe contact the Regimental Museum if there is one?

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Hello Brian & Chris,
My thoughts were that perhaps he transfered from army to air force after the event.

He doesn't seem to be in this Army link either .

http://www.unithistories.com/officer...s_british.html

Alex

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Thanks Alex and Chris

Perhaps my Dad's faulty memory!

Cheers
Brian

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Ground Gunners in most cases went to the RAF Regiment, unless they volunteered for aircrew and were accepted.

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Thanks for that, Larry, I take your point.

However, 'Tommy Sudbury' - if he did exist under that name - was a fellow Middlesex Regt searchlight/gunner with my Dad. He was at the time doing 'jankers' which, on this occasion, meant manning a Lewis gun emplacement. My Dad had suffered the same indignity a few weeks earlier, and briefly fired the Lewis at a low-level Do17.

Cheers
Brian
PS: Has anyone a photo of the crashed Ju88 V4+ER?

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Luftwaffe Crash Archive has no picture so unlikely one exists unless in private hands

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

The loss of the Ju 88 V4+GR from the 7./KG 1 is listed in the GenQu. loss report from November 10, 1940:

8.11. III./KG 1 (Fl.Pl. Norwich) Ursache unbekannt Ju 88 A-5 2186 V4+GR 100%
F Lt Peter Ungerer vermisst
B Fw Gerhard Lahme vermisst
Bf Uffz Josef Hildebrand vermisst
Bs Gefr Wilhelm Wile vermisst.

The correction from December 28, 1940 cipher aa:
Besatzung Lt Ungerer gefallen. Streiche 4 Vermisste. Setze: 4 Tote.

Regards
Leo

Re: 8 November 1940 RAF Honington raid
 

Leo- the question is about who shot this aircraft down, not details of the aircraft lost which, as Brian has indicated, are well known thanks to such books as Luftwaffe Crash Archive