Quote:
Originally Posted by MW Giles
Really?
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It gets better … Christophe Cony's article about Clostermann in Avions #227 (Jan/Feb 2019)says that on the afternoon 14 March 1945, Clostermann's section broke away from a 274 Sqn. sweep and (my translation):
halfway to Bremen, 30 Messerschmitts fell on them from above, near Hoya aerodrome. After ‘a big fight with German fighters’ he was able to record in his logbook that he accounted for three of them: one confirmed, one probably destroyed [confirmed destroyed on 24 May 1945] and one damaged, adding that despite reinforcement by other Tempests ‘We lost three chaps but the Squadron shot down 2-2-4; 1-1-1 for me.’
Cony (who says he had access to a copy of Clostermann's second logbook) continues:
This time it was too much! [274's CO] grounded [Clostermann] and … had all mention of the results of this mission omitted from the ORBs of the Squadron and the Wing. Pierre’s combat report having disappeared from the archives of the Public Record Office — like so many others at the end of the 1980s — it is difficult to learn more about these victories, even if [the CO] confirmed them personally by countersigning his logbook on the line where they were written down …
There is indeed nothing in the ORB's of either particpitating Squadron and no indication of personnel casualties, nor that any Tempest was lost or damaged (and nothing in the notes I took many years ago from TNA AIR 37/5: 2nd Tactical Air Force, Log of casualty claims, assessments and losses). Are we to believe that the records of multiple different authorities would be falsified to cover up one local case in of indiscipline?
Should we also believe that the Luftwaffe took part in the cover-up? The Evening Report West for 14 March (Bundesarchiv RL 2-II/842, page 0123) mentions only one Bf 109 operation over the northern sector:
Landing protection for KG 76
II. and III./JG 27 (14. Flieger Division)
24 Me 109, 15.55–16.55 [GMT+1], no sighting of enemy, no losses.
ULTRA says nothing and neither does the daily Air Operations Watch Report (based on ULTRA and Y-Service information) in TNA HW 13/42.
The Bletchley Park Archive (BLEP 0362 6: PEARL/ZIP/GAT German Air Traffic Reports Nos. 391–464 (28 Feb–12 May 1945) has intercepted Flak Liaison messages for the Jagdkorps II area and these are the only items mentioning operations by formations of Bf 109s (times GMT):
4) 1340: [number unknown] Me 109 starting 13?? from GP, GQ, free-lance patrol in same area [i.e. taking in III./KG 76's base at Achmer].
5) 1430: 50 Me 109 starting 1440 from GP, GQ, free-lance patrol in same area.
6) 1610: Ref. 1430, a/c landed 1600.
7) 1615: Ref 1340, a/c landed 1510.
So I haven't found any independent corroboration of what Cony says was claimed in Clostermann's log book.