Anti Shipping Attacks Off Wexford Coast

[Mark McShane]

Hi All,

Does anyone have any details of the aircraft involved in the attacks listed below. Hill claimed one aircraft shot down and a lifeboat from Kilmore Quay was launched to look for survivors but found none.

Regards,

Mark


20/10/41 1830-1930
Hill (Nor)
Independent Coastal
Aircraft attack (3 A/C)
Near Conningbeg light ship
6-7 bombs and MG fire, slight damage
No casualties
20/10/41 1830hrs
Kyle Queen
Independent Coastal
Aircraft attack (2 A/C)
Near Conningbeg light ship
Engine and boiler trouble due to concussion. Superstructure damaged by machine gun fire
1 man slightly damaged due to splinter

[Tony Kearns]

Hi Mark,
Most likely by Heinkel III from III./KG40 operating out of Rennes.
A possible aircraft involved ....He III H-5 W.nr.3528 F8+GT.
Regards
Tony K

[Mark McShane]

Tony,

Thanks for the the response, as always its very much appreciated.

Propbably one of the most successful days in the Irish Sea was 01 April 1941 when HX-114 nwas attacked south o fThe Smalls on the Welsh coast. Two tankers were sunk and three seriously damaged. Rohwer (Chronology OTWAS) states it was KG 27 (Maj Ulbricht). Any further confirmation that tyhis was KG 27, aircraft involved? Does aybody have any info on Maj Ulbricht?

Regards,

Mark

[Tony Kearns]

Mark,
I./KG27 was involved all day against the shipping in that area on 1 April 1941.
Regards
Tony K

[Chris Goss]

On 20 Oct 41, F8+GT & F8+DS were both lost on an armed recce of the 'English West Coast'. Sgt A H Thom of 87 Sqn got a He 111 probable west of the Scillies at 1740 hrs

[Tony Kearns]

Would suggest that the F8+GT was the victim of the vessel Hill, Uffz. Hans Meier was the Bm and his body washed ashore on the County Cork Coast on 22-11-41. Perhaps Mark, as a nautical person would have ideas about drift and currents in that area.
Happy Easter all
Tony K

[Mark McShane]

Hi Tony,

Tidal streams for the south coast are generally east flowing with flood tides and reversed to west flowing for ebb tides. Sea currents are generally weak around the coast but do flow in a general north east direction towards Georges Channel. Surface currents can also be effected by strong persistent winds, but mainly in the North/Georges Channels & Irish Sea. Having been involved in a couple of search and rescues for bodies along the Cork coast I know that the tidal streams can very very strong, so a body from an airman lost south of Wexford could easily come ashore in Cork. Many mines from the George's Channel minefield were washed ashore in Cork.

A good case highlighting the strength of the tides around the irish Sea / George's Channel is the survivors from the Dutch ship Beemsterdijk, who struck a mine south of the Smalls on the 26th January 1941. Three survivors on a raft landed at Dunmore East, Co. Waterford on the 31st, thats 60 nm in four days.

Good to get the confirmation that Hill was credited with shooting down an aircraft.

Regards,

Mark

[Tony Kearns]

Thanks Mark, that explains a lot for me as I always imagined that everything would be carried by the SW Atlantic drift toward the UK.
Best regards
Tony K

[Doug Stankey]

Regarding Ulbricht, here is what we have about his careeer:

ULBRICHT, Gerhard.
(DOB: 02.03.01).
01.10.25 pilot training at D.V.S. Berlin-Staaken (to 14.09.26).
15.09.26 pilot with or at Wivupal (to 31.10.26).
01.11.26 co-pilot with D.L.H. (to 31.03.27).
01.04.27 fighter instructor at Wivupal (to 30.09.30).
01.10.30 Staffelführer Reklame-Staffel Fürth (to 30.11.33).
01.12.33 Flugleiter (flying control officer) with D.V.S. Schleissheim (to 31.01.34).
01.01.35 trf to the Luftwaffe from the Kriegsmarine and Heer and assigned to Kampffliegerschule Lechfeld as an instructor.
12.08.36 received the Lw. advanced flying certificate.
01.03.37 trf to I./KG 253 as a Kp.-Chef and then as a Staka.
01.11.37 attended the Höh.Lw.-Schule Berlin-Gatow (5. Lehrgang) (to 08.02.38).
16.02.38 Generalstab training at the Luftkriegsakademie Berlin-Gatow (to 30.06.38).
01.07.38 appt Ic in Stab/Flieger-Div. 3.
01.02.39 promo to Maj.
11.10.39 trf to Abt. Qu. in Stab/Luftflotte 3.
07.02.40 appt Ia in Stab/Flieger-Div. 9.
03.06.40 Maj., appt Kdr. I./KG 27 (to 21.10.40).
22.10.40 Obstlt., appt Kommodore KG 27 (to 28.02.42).
24.11.41 Obstlt., awarded DKG, Kdore. KG 27.
01.04.43 in Stab/General der Kampfflieger, promo to Oberst.
29.11.43 appt Kdt. Koflug 11/IV, Salonika.
29.11.44 Oberst, appt Kdt. Fl.H.Kdtr. A(o) 106/XI (to 08.05.45).
c. 12.44 Oberst, appt Kdt. Koflug 23/XI (Seeland) (to 08.05.45).
19.01.45 appt Kdt. Koflug 19/XI (Düsseldorf)?


This what Kracker has on this fellow:

Ulbricht, Gerhard. - Obstlt. 3/2/1901 - Kdr. I./KG-27 (6/40-10/40), Kdr KG-27 (10/40-2/42)He 111P & H Bomber Operational Clasp - Attacked British tankers along the St. George Channel on 2 April, 1941.


We hope that this helps.

HLdZ
DGS

[Mark McShane]

Thanks Doug