Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Goss
Tony: In all honesty it does not answer my question. Following 10-11 May attack on London, other attacks do occur (11-12 May airfields; 12-13, 13-14, 15-16 coastal targets; 16-17 Birmingham; 17-18, 18-19, 19-20 coastal) before (reduced) city attacks recommence in June. Could it be that coasatl/shipping attacks were simply in advance of and in support of the escape of the capital ships and the general reduction in response to the mass movement of yet more bomber Geschwadern to the east/Balkans and Mediterranean?
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Chris, maybe, but the Germans were worried by carriers and not land-based aircraft, and the carriers were beyond the GAF's reach.
Hitler had the Taranto raid in mind, and was worried about an attack on Bismarck by carrier-based torpedo planes. He told his naval aide that he had foreseen the torpedoing of Gneisenau at Brest.
Hitler visited Bismarck on May 5, and was dismayed to hear Luetjens point out that though Bismarck need fear no other capital ship, there was a threat from enemy carriers and their torpedo planes.
However, before May 20 when the Admiralty received evidence from the Swedes that Bismarck was in the Kattegat, BP detected increased LW activity pointing to a major naval operation.
I do not know how BP made that connection.
This and the thought on the Hess connection represent the sum of my knowledge on this subject.
But while I have you on, so to speak, I have just consulted your book, 'Luftwaffe Hit-and-Run Raiders', to see if there is anything to be added to the following extracts from my book on the battles of Kervenheim and Winnekendonk. Specifically do you have any information about the identity of the pilot who shot up the Kervenheim road on the night of March 1/2 and the pilot who dropped the bomb on the Winnekendonk cross-roads on the night of March 2/3. Also, do you know if these pilots were operating out of Germersheim, Bonn-Hangelar, Twente or Zwolle? And do you have any observation to make about these two attacks? The one on Winnekendonk almost obliterated 2 Lincolns' Battalion HQ, and was an extraordinary piece of flying.
I have identified the places in the attached Google-Earth map.
Kervenheim, March 1, 1945
At last light the Germans supported by 50 howitzers were holding Kervenheim strongly, especially Müsershof, Rittergut and the cemetery. Their departure as they slipped away during the night was not noticed by the extensive patrolling of the Warwicks, nor did a unit from 53 Division realise that Weeze was emptying. Two Warwick patrols, which must have gone out early in the evening before the Germans disengaged, reported that both Oberfeldshof and Müsershof were occupied by the enemy at 5.45 am. But one hour later, the G Ops log records that returning patrols had found the Germans gone from there and from Müsershof. It had been reduced to a burnt-out ruin containing the charred corpses of five German soldiers. Oberfeldshof was also empty and the patrol heard motor transport in the area. The Germans had slipped away just before first light rather than earlier, ensuring that the British focused on their set-piece attack to give the Germans several hours’ grace before the advance could be continued. Likewise Weeze was found to be very quiet with all its bridges blown.
While the Germans were preparing to leave, at 2 am (March 2) a German aircraft machine-gunned transport on the track running from the Üdem-Weeze road towards Kervenheim, alongside the wood where RW Thompson and the Norfolks had spent their long wait. This could have been a deliberate attempt to create a diversion. The Duty Officer of 185 Brigade was convinced it was a German aircraft and informed G Ops 3 Division who checked with Corps. They replied that it was definitely enemy action. A discussion then took place between Division and Brigade about dispersing vehicles when possible, but with their air superiority unchallenged the allies had long before decided to ignore the Luftwaffe..................
Winnekendonk, March 2, 1945
George Wall of 2 Lincolns recounted what happened after dark in Winnekendonk;
'During my advance I had been joined by another soldier from where I don't know. Anyway, he stayed with me until I asked 'Mousy' from Bermuda if I could help him as he had been shot through the leg. I asked if he wanted my first aid. He replied: "You had better get down or you'll be shot". By then I had swapped my rifle for a Bren gun. It was whilst talking to 'Mousy' my Bermuda friend that I saw the KOSB putting in their attack with the bagpipes playing. I made my way into the white house, to be confronted by an officer. Seeing I had a Bren gun, he shouted: "Hey you, cover that window with your gun, there will be a counter-attack any minute". I took up my position looking into the yard where three British soldiers lay dead. One was a blond youth of about 18 years old. I remember him well by his blond hair. He was always asking us when we would be having a go at the Germans - and there he was a few weeks later laying dead on German soil.
Whilst all this was taking place I was peering out into the yard all night. I was told the Germans might send bombers over to bomb the village. I didn't believe that - not their own village. Just after midnight I heard the drone of a single engine plane go over the village. He made a pass then came back. I heard a plonk! never giving thought that it would be a delayed bomb. It dropped right on or near the crossroads about 50 to 100 yds from the white house. There was a terrific explosion. I should imagine the pilot intended to drop it in the field. We were told the next day, had it not been on clay soil it would have collapsed the house we were in. Come daylight we were stood down. There was still spasmodic firing - I handed over my Bren gun to a white house Sgt who pointed out there were only seven rounds in the three magazines. Terrible wasn't it?”
The German attack was by a FW 190 G of NSG 20 dropping an SC 1,000 Kg general purpose bomb. The Luftwaffenkommando West War Diary contains the following on the raid: "40 Fw 190 (NSG 20). Attack on enemy concentration in Goch-Üdem area. On the target: 38 aircraft from 1845-0043 at 1800-700 m. Explosions and several fires observed. After discharging bombs, road traffic shot up without any special results being observed."
Nachtschlachtgruppe 20 was commanded by Maj Kurt Dahlmann, who had received the Knights Cross as commander of I/Schnell-KG 10 on June 27, 1944, and Oak leaves on January 24, 1945. The aircraft were based 300km from Winnekendonk at Germersheim, where they had been since January 1945, or they had just moved to Twente or Zwolle in the Netherlands at a distance of only 100 km.”
Tony