KG 100 losses on 21 July 1944

[Lagarto]

On 21 July 1944 there seemed to be a major clash between Mosquitos (of 235 and 248 Sqn Coastal Command, and 406 Sqn ADGB), which were providing an aerial umbrella for a naval patrol off Ushant, and Do 217s (armed with Henschel 297 glider bombs) of KG 100. Mosquito crews claimed eight against (apparently) three actual losses. Could anyone verify and provide any details? Thank you in advance.

[Nick Beale]

The report for that day in National Archives HW 13/20: "Summaries of GAF operational activities (2 Mar–22 Aug 1944)" says:

21/22 Biscay

A. Recce

(I) Early operation by 3.(F)/123 as a preliminary to shipping offensive by III./KG 100. A/c up 0535–0850, sighted naval units in 14 West 6941 at 0730.

(II) Routine night security recce by 3.(F)/123 with 1 a/c heard 0041–0046/22.

B. Offensive

As a result of the above sighting report at 0730, III./KG 100 was ordered to carry out an attack with all available forces. Accordingly Flak batteries in La Rochelle area were warned of fly-out of 7 Do 217 from 1145 onwards.

Results: 5 a/c identified in W/T, 1151–1437.

Escort Group 14 reported being bombed in 48 degrees 16 minutes N, 05 degrees 30 minuted W. British claims are 5 a/c destroyed, 1 a/c probably destroyed, no German claims available.

NOTE: Further reports of naval units sighted west of Brest 1345–1351 were promulgated by Fliegerkorps X at 0045/22. This suggests an intention to repeat the attack to-day 22/7.

Bundesarchiv RL 2-IV/40: "Invasions-Kalender Normandie 1. Juli 1944 bis 1. Aug. 1944 (Durchbruch bei Avranches)" says eight Do 217 operated, seven Hs 293 were dropped and they damaged a destroyer as well as shooting down a Westland Whirlwind.

[Chris Goss]

From my book


It would be different the following day when an attack planned for 21 July 1944 would be again thwarted by defending aircraft. That morning, a cruiser and at least two destroyers of the 14th Destroyer Escort Group was sighted off Brest so six aircraft each loaded with Hs 293s took off from Toulouse-Blagnac at 1045 hrs. They flew to the Bay of Biscay and then headed north following the coast flying in pairs and at 1320 hrs when south-west of Ushant, they spotted not only their targets but two Mosquitoes of 406 Sqn led by Sqn Ldr David Williams, two Mosquitoes of 235 led by Wg Cdr John Yonge and two Mosquitoes of 248 Sqns led by Flt Lt Fred Passey. The result was inevitable as David Williams remembers:
"The weather in England was solid fog and Group asked for volunteers to defend a group of Navy destroyers. We took off following the runway lights and proceeded to the rendezvous. On approaching the ships, I spotted two Do 217s making a run from south-west. I closed on the nearest one and opened fire. I observed hits and the aircraft either ditched or crashed into the sea. I had been caught in a crossfire and my starboard engine was shot out. I feathered it and started to attack the remaining Dornier. In spite of two cannons jammed I opened fire and observed hits. Before I could finish the kill the crew members started baling out. As the aircraft was not heading in the direction of the destroyers I pulled back and informed the Navy there were aircrew in the ocean. Before I could close to finish the kill, a Coastal Command Mosquito closed in and shot it down. I believe they credited me with a shared kill."
Wg Cdr John Yonge reported that at 1320 hrs, they spotted two Do 217s in echelon to port which they immediately attacked, one exploding in the air, one crashing into the sea. Fred Passey then recorded the following:
"Sighted unidentified aircraft crash in the sea and explode and the survivors picked up by a surface vessel. At 1337 hrs, a Do 217 was sighted and both aircraft attacked and claim to have destroyed the enemy aircraft. At 1348 hrs a second Do 217 was sighted and engaged, scoring numerous strikes. The enemy aircraft dived into cloud and is probably destroyed."
The first two aircraft lost, both Do 217M-11s, were led by Oblt Karl Lamp the Staffelführer of 9./KG 100, who was leading the Staffel while Oblt Helmut Dietrich was recovering from wounds received in an air attack on 23 June 1944, while the second aircraft was made up from a scratch crew for 7, 8 and 9./KG 100 and flown by Uffz Gustav Schmidt. Only one was killed from Lamp's crew and all from Schmidt's crew were captured; Uffz Georg Dabitz remembers what happened:
"After our night mission on 20 July 1944 from Blagnac airfield near Toulouse, Uffz Peters was unable to attend the flight briefing on 21 July at 0800 hrs due to having sinusitis. Despite our protest, Uffz Hopfgartner and I were assigned to Uffz Gustav Schmidt, 7 Staffel, who was completely unknown to me, as was Beobachter Uffz August Reidenbach from 8 Staffel.
"Six Do 217s, equipped with Hs 293 guided missiles, were to take off at 1000 hrs. Departure time was delayed by hours because the promised fighter escort from JG 51 in Lyon failed to materialize. There was a nervousness at the air base, a shambles, triggered by the assassination attempt on Hitler on 20 July 1944. Around noon, after a long back and forth, take-off was ordered.
"We flew next to Oblt Lamp. There was no trace of a fighter escort. To the left of us, approx. 60 km away were two more aircraft heading north, and also 60 km to the right of us near the coast. I do not know the names of these crews. Suddenly the radio operator, who was sitting behind us in the swivel chair at the machine gun, reported: "Enemy fighters in sight!" and very soon our plane was hit. We were lucky that, at this point, we were flying at zero altitude above the water. The emergency ditching took place with the two Hs 293 guided missiles still under the wings. The ‘colossus’ glided on the water for a few seconds. Now everything had to happen quickly to climb out of the sinking coffin. My life was literally hanging by the thread. The emergency exit hatch jammed due to the impact. I pulled the hatch lever with desperation. The water was almost up to my neck. Somehow I managed to open the exit. How I was able free myself from this situation is a mystery to me. I probably owe that to the Kapok life jacket. It gave me buoyancy to get through an opening above my head. So I got outside.
"There was not much left to see of the plane. Getting away from the sinking Do 217 was urgent, so as not to be pulled down but a new fight soon began. Somewhere the handle of my back-pack parachute got stuck and opened the parachute packaging bag. Catch lines and parachute loosened and wrapped around the body and legs. Now I was fighting the waves and the ballast, which I could not get rid of.
"My comrades were already in their rubber dinghies. They were about 200m from me. When they recognized my difficult situation, they came to my aid. Now I was able to inflate my one-man inflatable boat. Thank God - the boat was still intact and I soon sat in it. While the Mosquitoes kept flying over us, we bound our boats together and waited for our fate. After two hours we recognized the outline of an English destroyer in the distance. It came closer and soon we were prisoners of war.”
The final aircraft, also a Do 217M-11 flown by Lt Wolfgang Schirmer of 8./KG 100 was reported missing. In addition to the damage to David Williams' plane, the other 406 Sqn Mosquito flown by Fg Off Bill Meakin was damaged by debris from a stricken Do 217 while Flt Sgt Walter Scott of 248 Sqn failed to return. It is possible Scott's Mosquito was the B-26 claimed by Fw Steele of 9./KG 100 west of Brest at 1506 hrs.

[Lagarto]

Thank you, gentlemen! I really appreciate it. Such wealth of info, you're amazing.