[Rune Rautio]

Hello Nick,

I do have some knowlede about ythe German anti-convoy operations in the Barents Sea, and I notice that the sinking of Cape Corso in this forum has been dated to 3 May 1942, which matches with the loss of the He 111 of Staffelkapitän Oblt Sauer of 2./KG 26.

But the sources I have examined put the date to 2 May 1942, during an air raid where there were no German losses. A friend of mine, prof. Michael Suprun of the University of Archangel, Russia, has made comprehensive archive studies of the Lend-Lease programme and the Arctic convoys, and he writes that the attack on 2 May 1942 resulted in sinking of the "Botavon" and "Cape Corso", and crippeled "Jutland" so badly that she afterwards was finished by the German U-boat "U-251".

The air attack was, according to him, conducted by 12 He 111H-6 of 3./KG 26, commanded by Hptm Bert Eicke.

Best regards Rune

PS! Send me your e-mail, allowing me to send you the pics.