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Re: Dakar 1940
Hello,
I’m not an expert of the topic, but I‘ve always admired Fleet Air Arm and Armée de l’Air pilots for the professionalism and accurateness they demonstrated.
There is a nice (and complete) description of the Dakar’s combat in the French book: “Batailles Aeriennes vol.26 Combats fratricides en Afrique…” from SARL LELA PRESSE editor. The book was originally published in 2003 and most likely is still available.
Here the combat between Lieutenant De Montravel (H75 A-3 n° 318), Adjutant Chef Baillet (H75 A-3 n° 306), and Sergeant Lemare (H75 A-3 n° 295), of GC I/4 is described as happened at 9.15 in the morning against a formation of six 810 Squadron Swordfishes led by Lieutenant Commander Johnstone.
Apart from the two claims of Baillet and that of Lemare the book quotes three claims from the French Navy AA and one from the seaplanes of escadrille de exploration 4E, suggesting also that one of the torpedo bombers was lost most probably to the combined effort of AA and 4E and the other two to the Curtiss. The Swordfish lost to AA-4E was later recovered from the sea and was P4217 “A3L” (crew: Lieutenant Jackson, Lieutenant Crabbe, N/A Jarvis all p.o.w.)
The first Skua loss was a 800 Squadron machine coded “6C” obliged to ditch, whose crew was saved. It was probably shot down by over Dakar by Commandant De la Horie (H75 A-3 n° 301), of GC I/4 that took off at 9.40.
The second Skua loss was coded “7K” this time of 803 Squadron, ditched too with the crew (Pilot Officer Sabey and Leading Aircraftman Coles) safe. The book suggests that their victors were: Capitaine Viguier and Adjutant Chef Feuillat that were out to escort a reconnaissance plane.
It seems that both were not claimed as "confirmed" by the French pilots.
Two other Swordfishes were lost during the day, when a formation (unit not recorded) attacked the French fleet at 15.00.
The first was the plane of the leader of the formation that ditched for an engine’s breakdown, the other was the plane coded “A4A” piloted by Lieutenant Campton that was shot down by French AA and then recovered.
On the 25th, Capitaine O’Byrne (H75 A-3 n° 258), Capitaine Gauthrin (H75 A-3 n° 212), and Lieutenant Minot (H75 A-3 n° 228), fought a Swordfish at around 6.35. Their victim was the plane coded “A4K” that in fact was just heavily damaged (from the book it seems that they didn’t claim it but that it was credited to the AA of the Battle cruiser Richelieu), succeeding in landing back on Ark Royal. Later Gauthrin claimed another Swordfish as damaged.
The Walrus shot down was the plane of the cruiser Australia (Flight Lieutenant Clarke, Lieutenant Commander Fogarty, Pilot officer Burnett all K.I.A.)
It seems that it went shared to Commandant De la Horie (H75 A-3 n° 301) and Lieutenant Milbeau (H75 A-3 n° 324).
Two more Swordfishes were lost or heavily damaged on the 23rd.
During the afternoon a reconnaissance machine from Ark Royal was obliged to crash-land (crew wounded) on the deck by the combined effort of Commandant De la Horie (H75 A-3 n° 301), Lieutenant Milbeau (H75 A-3 n° 324) and Aspirant Duval (H75 A-3 n° 312) whose plane was hit by the Swordfish’s gunner (Leading Aircraftman Clithero) causing his death (only French fighter loss of the battle). At 18.15 another Swordfish was lost for a breakdown (crew rescued).
Hope it was useful.
Ciao
Ludovico.
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