[Chris Goss]

I am assuming that your Grandfather was Fg Off P James in L9500/TL-H of 35 Sqn? As to Germans losses in the La Pallice attack, RAF claims were a little optimistic and the only losses suffered were:

1/JG 2 Bf 109 E-7, Wk Nr 5963. Landed at la Rochelle 1420 hrs after combat & written off. Ofw Rudolf Taeschner wounded
I/JG 2 Bf 109 E-7, Wk Nr 7672 Landed at La Rochelle with combat damage
I/JG 2 Bf 10-9 E-7, Wk Nr 3813 landed La Rochelle with combat damage
E/JG 53 Bf 109 E-7 Wk Nr 6328 written off at La Rochelle after combat

Who got whom in this attack is hard to ascertain as are matching RAF claims to German losses especially, as you can see, no German fighters were actually shot down rather the 4 of them were only damaged. I have 35 Sqn claiming 3 destroyed and one probable and 76 Sqn claiming two destroyed. No doubt the two lost by 35 Sqn and 3 lost by 76 Sqn also claimed German fighters. Incidentally, the Germans claims 11 Halifaxes plus 3 by Flak-interesting as only 15 were assigned to this attack!