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Re: Sept. 9th, or 20th,1939?
Dean,
Having looked at these claims during preparation of The Battle of France Then & Now I declare that I share your confusion. However, I am satisfied that the claims filed by Lessmann and von Bothmer were on 20 September, 1939, and not the 9 September as described in Fledgling Eagles. I believe that the French losses cited by Shores on that date were actually as follows:
GB II/31 Bloch 200 (163). Shot down by Bf 109s over Zweibrücken during reconnaissance sortie to Sierck-les-Bains. Believed that claimed by Oblt. Rhinow (Staffelkapitän) of 4./ZG76. Crashed in flames near Saarbrücken 1.45 p.m. Cmdt. E. Delozanne (Groupe Commandant), Lt. M. Joly, S/Lt. J. Charreire, Adjt. G. Petton, and Adjt. J. Gaillères killed. Aircraft lost.
GB I/31 Bloch 200 (132). Shot down by Bf 109s over Saarbrücken during reconnaissance sortie to Sierck-les-Bains. Believed that claimed by Lt. Hoffmann of 3./JG53. Crashed in flames near Zweibrücken 1.35 p.m. S/Lt. Béranger, and Lt-Col. Enselem (Escadre Commandant) captured unhurt. Adjt. Charpentier, Sgt. Senot de la Londe, and Sgt. Audoux captured wounded. Aircraft a write-off.
My copy of Tony Wood’s invaluable listing gives the claims on 20 September, 1939, as an unspecified ‘Bloch’ and a ‘Battle’ at 14.45 (CET) west of Saarbrücken. But having said that I regret that, to date, I have been unable to attribute them to any recorded Allied loss.
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