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Re: Italian attacks over Djibouti in june 1940
Dear Bertrand,
this is the list of air activity over French Somaliland as I can piece it together.
17 June
Reconnaissance of Zeila and Djibouti Harbour by a Ro 37 bis of 110a Squadriglia.
A S81 of 15a Squadriglia made a reconnaissance of the border area around Lobucurust (?)
18 June
From 8.00 to 12.45 1 S81 of 63a Squadriglia made a reconnaissance to check eventual movements of English troops towards Djibouti. It encountered light and inaccurate AA fire from the French city.
19 June
6.45 – 10.45 one S81 of 15a Squadriglia made a reconnaissance from Berbera to Djibouti encountering light AA fire from ships in the Harbour of Djibouti and heavy AA from the airport.
20 June
1 Ro 37bis of 110a Squadriglia made a reconnaissance of Djibouti from 13.15 to 16.45 he saw 5 or 6 warships in the Harbour and 15-16 planes in the airfield.
21 June
11 Ca 133 of 18a and 52a Squadriglia based at Dessie took off from 18.30 to 18.50 in three groups, to bomb Djibouti harbour and airfield. Bad weather dispersed the planes . Two planes, one of each Squadriglia, came back immediately with faulty engines and instruments. The target was hit starting from 20.30 and fires started. Three planes came back at Dessie, one at Assab, three force landed undamaged in Italian territory and were later flown to base, two failed to return presumed shot down by the AA defences:
Ca 133, MM20571, 18a Squadriglia (S.Ten. Sconci Federico, Serg. Belcaro Bruno, 1° Av. Pallaro Antonio, 1° Av. Garito Pietro) crew presumed P.O.W.
Ca 133 MM60086 52a Squadriglia (S.Ten. Putzolu Giuseppe, Serg.Magg. Saura Armando, 1° Av. Treghini Mario, 1° Av. Fuoco Rodolfo) crew presumed P.O.W.
22 June
3 S81 of 63a Squadriglia attacked the harbour of Djibouti from 3.40 to 7.55. The last one landed back at 8.50. bombs fell close to some merchant ships in the harbour.
1 Ro 37 bis piloted by col. Mario Pezzi, 1 CR 32 piloted by cap. Corrado Ricci (CO of 410a Squadriglia), and equipped with bomb throwers for two 25 kg and thirteen 2 kg bombs, 4 more Ro 37bis of 110a Squadriglia and 3 CR 42 of 413a Squadriglia took off from Dire Daua and carried out a strafing and dive bombing attack of the airfield of Djibouti. The formation took off at 5.40 and landed back at 8.30 (according with other sources, the CR 42 were four and the timing was 7.00-11.00, the latter timing is consistent only with the endurance of the Ro 37bis). On landing back , the Ro 37bis MM 10767 crash-landed overturning and was declared RD, the pilot was unhurt.
At 8.05 two SM 79s of 7a Squadriglia and one of 6a Squadriglia from Addis Abeba took off and bombed Djibouti airfield and harbour from 10.15 to 10.18 hitting the hangars area in the airfield and the south pier in the harbour. They were back at 12.35
Similar mission was repeated from 8.55 to 12.55 by three SM 79 of 7a Squadriglia and by one SM79 of 6a Squadriglia from 9.45 to 13.50 ( bombing at 12.00). Two more machines of the same Squadriglia aborted.
At 13.30, 3 bombers presumed French “Potez 65” but probably British Blenheims, attacked Dire Daua destroying on ground the CR 42 of 413a Squadriglia where S.Ten. Miroslav Komjanc was ready to take off ( the pilot escaped miraculously) and damaging the CR 32 of 410 squadriglia of Ten. Giuseppe Volpe (MM 4648). One ground crewman was killed and two wounded. Some Italian documents dated this attack on 21 June but from the documents kept by cap. Corrado Ricci (then in Dire Daua) it seems that the attack was on the 22nd.
23 June
One Ro 37 bis of 110a Squadriglia made a reconnaissance of Djibouti from 14.00 to 17.15.
That's all.
If you are aware of more details on the raid on Dire Daua of 22 June and of the Italian attacks on 21 and 22 it would be nice to share them with us.
Ciao
Ludovico
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