11 August 1940 Blenheims vs Bf109E

[andy bird]

3 Blenheim fighters on escort patrol with a recon Blenheim (59 Sqn) attacked near Fécamp. In Pilot Officer Hugh 'Ollie' Wakefields 235 Sqn notes he states: 'Two 109's attack from astern 6 o'clock high, gunners Wilson, Newport, and Copeland put up concentrated fire for twenty seconds' one enemy a/c shot down, one damaged.

Searched through BofB Then&Now v5 and Battle over Britain there are two probables - II./JG 2 Oblt Rempel St Kap. KIA and an unkown II./JG 2 pilot.

Or it could be none of the above! Could some one help with this minefield.

Yours faithfully,

Andy Bird

[Peter Cornwell]

I fear that your chances of resolving this question are somewhat slim. Due to lack of more precise information on each of these losses they could all be viewed as potential candidates. Other Bf109E losses recorded on the day can be discounted for one reason or another. The fighter combats over the Channel between Portland and Swanage throughout the morning will account for most of these losses but it is just feasible that your Blenheims may have met some returning elements of either JG2 or JG27 while JG53 (who were also operating) were based further west and suffered no recorded losses.

I./JG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4. Shot down in combat with RAF fighters and abandoned north of Cherbourg. Pilot baled out wounded and rescued by Seenotdienst. Aircraft 100% write-off.

2./JG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4. Failed to return from combat sortie over Portland. FF Uffz Ernst-August Sass missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.

4./JG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4. Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4. Shot down in combat with RAF fighters and crashed in sea 5 km south-east of Portland. FF Uffz Otto Lange missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.

6./JG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4. Ditched in the Channel 6 km north-west of Cherbourg following combat with RAF fighters. FF Oberlt Edgar Rempel (Staffelkapitän) killed. Aircraft 100% write-off.

III./JG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-3. Shot down in combat with fighters south-west of the Isle of Wight. Pilot rescued unhurt. Aircraft 100% write-off.

9./JG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4. Shot down in combat with fighters over the Channel 15 km south-west of the Isle of Wight. FF Oberlt Heinz Fricke missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.

I./JG27 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1. Shot down in combat with RAF fighters over the Channel and abandoned south-east of Portland. Pilot baled out unhurt and rescued by Seenotdienst. Aircraft 100% write-off.

5./JG27 Messerschmitt Bf109E-1. Shot down in combat south of Portland. FF Uffz Siegfried Lackner missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.

8./JG27 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4. Shot down in combat over the Channel north of Cherbourg. FF Uffz Rüdiger Menz missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.

[andy bird]

Peter,
Thank you for the reply, and the informative information.
Still none the wiser though.

Andrew

[Peter Cornwell]

Nor will we ever be I fear.