[Larry Hickey]

Mark,

At present, and somewhat varying from the Heinrich Weiss account, which seems to indicate that II./KG30 Ju88s did all or most of the damage to the Lancastria, here is what the EOE Data Base has for German losses relating to this event:

"June 17, 1940: 1./KG26 Heinkel He111P-2. Returned reportedly damaged by fighters between Toul and Nancy. BF Uffz Karl Magerkurth badly wounded - admitted to hospital in Frankfurt, rest of crew unhurt. Aircraft damage state not recorded.

3./KG30 Junkers Ju88A-1. Returned damaged by flak over the Loire estuary and also attacked by F/Sgt Berry of No. 1 Squadron during armed-reconnaissance and attack on shipping off St-Nazaire 3.45 p.m. Believed also engaged by PM Barbé of AC 5. BO Oberfw Lufwig Edmüller killed, BM Fw Franz Erdel and BF Obergefr Herbert Krauss both slightly wounded, FF Oberlt Siegmund-Ulrich Fr von Gravenreuth (Staffelkapitän 1./KG30) unhurt. Aircraft 10% damaged but repairable. Possibly the aircraft that attacked the Lancastria, von Gravenreuth’s logbook noting a direct hit on a 10,000 ton transport. But other aircraft of I./KG30 were operating and also attacked shipping in the estuary, as did Oberlt Suin de Boutemard of 4./LG1. Standing patrols of allied fighters may have provided some small sense of security to troops on the vessels below but were clearly unable to prevent such attacks - as British experience at Dunkirk should have proved."

The Heinrich Weiss account and the EOE Data Base are two separate sources underlying the research underway for the EOE book project (See Permanent Post on the Luft Board). Neither have necessarily been fully reconciled as we are still in the fact gathering stage of the project for this period. I also note that we haven't yet picked up the 10% damaged Ju88 from II./KG30 in our DB. More work clearly needs to be done here.

Regards,