[takata_1940]

Hello DDT,

Many thanks for your informations, that's exactly what I was looking for.

Here is one report on British side. No.3 Sqdn was flying from Lydda airfield (Palestine, East of Jaffa)

No.3 Squadron RAAF report :
"13th. Eight Tomahawks took off at 1450 hrs. to provide a protective patrol over H.M. Ships off SAIDA. Our formation arrived over the ships at the same time as a formation of eight JU-88's had commenced or were about about to commence a bombing attack on the vessels. Three JU-88's were shot down into the sea, one each by S/L. Jeffrey, F/L. Perrin and F/O. Sauders and at least two were damaged. The a/c. carried Italian markings. No damage was sustained by any of our aircraft and all returned to base at 1620 hrs."

Now, is it possible that this flight, 1450-1620 hrs. match the bombing around 1700 hrs. with German/British time difference?

The Ju-88 lost crashed into the sea at Pl.Qu.5454/23 Ost, any idea how to convert that into coordinate to check if it's close enough to "off Saida" (North of Tyre, Lebanon)?

On the other hand, C. Shores reported this same event on June 12th :
"at 14.50, the eight Tomahawks intercepted eight Ju88s", which were attempting to bomb the ships, identifying these (incorrectly) as Italian-flown aircraft. Three of these were claimed shot down by Squadron Leader Peter Jeffrey, Flight Lieutenant Perrin and Flying Officer J. W. H. Saunders, while two more were believed to have been damaged. These were in fact Luftwaffe aircraft of II/LG1 from Crete. Two of the German bombers actually failed to return, one from 4 Staffel (L1+DM) flown by Leutnant H. Diekjobst, and one of 5 Staffel, flown by Leutnant R. Bennewitz.

Is there any precision in Peter Taghon's book about those losses (apparently on 12th June) and recorded by II./LG 1?

Regards,
Olivier Bacca.