Which warship did Skuas sink on 9 May 1940 Norway?

[Brian]

Hi guys

806 Squadron Skuas attacked shipping including German warships in Bergen harbour on 9 May 1940; the crews were led to believe that they sank the German gunnery training/minelayer BREMSE but author Peter C. Smith implies they sank the similar vessel BRUMMER, even though it was recorded as having fallen foul of a RN submarine a few weeks earlier.

Does anyone have the facts?

Cheers
Brian

[Juha]

Hello Brian
it surely wasn't Bremse or Brummer but if You look Shores' et al. Fledgling Eagles on p. 313, You will find the answer. To more exact info on the victim, Rohwer and Hummelchen in their Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 - 1945 (1992 edition) on p. 19 "No 254 Sqn RAF sinks the German minesweeper M134 in Bergen Roads. The vessel is later salvaged and repaired as M534/Jungingen." Now as you well know 254 was CC Fighter Sqn (Blenheim IVfs), so I believe it was the Skuas and not the Blenheims with 20lb bombs which sunk the minesweeper.

HTH
Juha

[Nick Beale]

According to the online version of Rohwer & Hummelchen's Chronicle of the War at Sea:

9.5.1940
Norwegen
Angriff von 6 Blenheim IVF der 254 Sq. RAF (1 Flugzeug geht durch Flakfeuer verloren) und 8 Skuas der 806 Sq. FAA (1 Skua geht bei der Landung verloren) gegen Schiffsziele vor Bergen. Ein Flugzeug der 254. Sqn. RAF versenkt den dt. Minensucher M 134, das Schiff wird später geborgen und als Räumboots- Mutterschiff M 534 / Jungingen wieder in Dienst gestellt.

Attack by 6 Blenheim IVF of 254 Sqn. RAF (1 aircraft lost to Flak) and 8 Skuas of 806 Sqn. FAA (1 Skua lost during landing) against shipping targets off Bergen. An aircraft of 254 Sqn. sinks the German minehunter M 134, the ship will later be recovered and recommissioned as the minesweeper tender M 534/Jungingen.

[Brian]

Thanks Juha and Nick

I had seen the entry in Fledgling Eagles but was bewildered by Peter C Smith's note in his latest book Skua.

Cheers
Brian

[Brian]

PS

PO(A) Arthur Jopling annotated his logbook: “Direct hit on German light cruiser ‘Bremse’ (believed sunk). Attacked and machine-gunned destroyer and six MTBs (damage unknown). Received shrapnel in undercarriage. Night landing.”

Brian

[Horst Kube]

Originally Posted by Brian

PS

PO(A) Arthur Jopling annotated his logbook: “Direct hit on German light cruiser ‘Bremse’ (believed sunk). Attacked and machine-gunned destroyer and six MTBs (damage unknown). Received shrapnel in undercarriage. Night landing.”

Brian

Karl-Fritz Schlossstein, Staffelkapitän 13.(Z)JG 5 reports in his logbook, that after he shot down a Fairy Albacore was shot down himself: He and his crew were saved by Artillerieflakschiff "Bremse" on 30th of July 1941 after emergency landing on the sea near Kirkenes.

[Brian]

Many thanks Horst

That's fairly conclusive!

Cheers
Brian

[Juha]

Hello Brian
Bremse was used as escort along Northern Norway coast in 1941 and was sunk while escorting a small convoy transporting troops of 6th Mountain Division from Hammerfest to Kirkenes by RN light cruisers Nigeria and Aurora during a night engagement between 0130 and 0145 on Sept 7th 1941.

HTH
Juha

[Brian]

Thanks Juha - its clear now that it was a case of mistaken identity and that the vessel sunk was the 500-ton M.134 and not a 2,000-ton warship!

Horst - you state that Schlossstein of 13(Z)/JG5 was shot down and ditched - do we know who accounted for his misfortune? I thought only two Bf109s were claimed in the combat. Was his aircraft hit by Albacore return fire or possibly ships' flak?

Cheers
Brian

[Horst Kube]

Horst - you state that Schlossstein of 13(Z)/JG5 was shot down and ditched - do we know who accounted for his misfortune? I thought only two Bf109s were claimed in the combat. Was his aircraft hit by Albacore return fire or possibly ships' flak?

Cheers
Brian[/quote]

Schlossstein's misfortune on 30th of July 1941: After he had shot down one Albacore, he attacked a second and damaged her severe. The gunner of the 2nd Albacore returned the fire and forced Schlossstein to make an emegency landing on the water, approx. 14 miles north of Kirkenes habour exit. He and his crew was "fished out" from Artillerieschulschiff "Bremse", see also attached file. Best, Horst