Herrmann led a small force of 3 Ju88s of 7./KG4 against a target in Newcastle on Tyne in the late afternoon/early evening of 2 July 1940.. At about the same time, an enemy aircraft aimed four bombs at oil storage tanks at Jarrow. The bombs missed and exploded in a workers’ residential district, causing a number of casualties.
It is not known for certain whether the aircraft responsible was one of the Ju88s led by Hajo Herrmann. However, Military Intelligence in Newcastle suggested that one of those aircraft had retired out to sea, '..gained height, turned and glided from a bearing of about 70º from Jarrow in a direct line for the oil tanks, which were undoubtedly the target, (but) the bombs were released too late'.
When the three crews returned to Bad Zwischenahn they were interrogated by a Provost Marshal, who informed them that information from Hitler's Headquarters indicated that '.German aircraft had carried out a terror raid on the civilian population of Newcastle at about 5.00pm that day..' and that the Provost Marshal had been instructed to find out who was responsible.
Can anyone shed any more light on this incident: the crew/aircraft responsible, the consequences for the crew responsible...?
Bill Norman
(website:
www.billnorman.co.uk)