Blenheim Massacre over France

[VtwinVince]

Gentlemen,

I'm looking for details on an action which occurred at the end of July, 1940. My uncle, Hauptmann Dr. Albrecht Ochs, was leading 9. JG 3 when they intercepted a squadron of Blenheims near Amiens. According to the caption on a photo I have, 7 Blenheims were destroyed. Back at the airfield at Desvres the squadron, including my uncle and his wingman, Leutnant Franz Achleitner, were interviewed for the Rundfunk by Kriegsberichter Waldemar Kuckuck. Then Feldmarschall Kesselring presented decorations to several members of the staffel. If anyone can provide details on this action, such as date, RAF unit involved and casualties, I would appreciate it.

[fsbofk]

According to Middlebrook's The Bomber Command War Diaries, on 10 July 1940, 40 Blenheims were sent to bomb airfields at Amiens and St. Omer. Of the 6 Blenheims lost, 107 Squadron lost 5 (of the 6 dispatched) at Amiens. There are no other missions listed that month with anything near 7 Blenheim losses.

[Nokose]

09Jul40 there seems to have been a raid on Stavanger, Norway (long way from France) with 21 Sqd lossing 5 and 57 Sqd lossing 2.

[Pilot]

I will try to find article when one researcher visit site in France and find on one farm still is preserver original seat from fallen Blenheim.

[robert]

Hi,

this combat took place on the 10.07.40 5 Blenheims from the 107 Sqn were shot down by Flak and 9./JG3.

Regards

Robert

[rob van den nieuwendijk]

Hello Vince,

In Tony Woods listing I found:

10.07.40 Hptm.Dr. Albrecht Ochs: 3 9./JG 3 Blenheim £ 20 km. westlich Arras 14.25
10.07.40 Ltn. Franz Achleitner: 3 9./JG 3 Blenheim £ 20 km. westlich Arras 14.25
10.07.40 Ofw. Hans Heitmann: 2 9./JG 3 Blenheim £ 20 km. westlich Arras 14.30
10.07.40 Uffz. Otto Weßling: 2 9./JG 3 Blenheim £ 20 km. westlich Arras 14.33
10.07.40 Ltn. Franz Achleitner: 4 9./JG 3 Blenheim £ 20 km. westlich Arras 14.33
10.07.40 Uffz. Helmut Struve: 1 9./JG 3 Blenheim £ Le Touquet 14.35
10.07.40 Fw. Hans Stechmann: 1 9./JG 3 Blenheim £ 5 km. N.E. Le Touquet 14.40


And according to W R Chorley, Bomber Command Losses 1939-1940 (page 90) the losses were:

82 Sqdn
Blenheim IV L9468 take off from Wattisham and borrowed by 107 squadron. Crashed at Aigneville (Somme), 18 km SW of Abbeville, France. Entire crew KIA;
107 Sqdn
Blenheim IV P6894 take off from Wattisham - target Amiens; crashed at Cavillon (Somme), 16 km WNW of Amiens, France. Entire crew KIA;
Blenheim IV R3606 take off from Wattisham - target Amiens; entire crew POW. Sgt Hawkins was killed on 19 Apr 45, when the POW's column in which he was marching was attacked by allied fighter bombers. He is buried in Berlin;
Blenheim IV R3815 OM-T; Take off from Wattisham - target Amiens. Lost without trace. Entire crew MIA;
Blenheim IV R3916 - take off from Wattisham - target Amiens. Believed the entire crew POW, although Sgt Lonsdale was later reported to be interned.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Rob

[VtwinVince]

Thank you, gentlemen, this is a great help. According to a letter I got from Achleitner (written only days before he died, unfortunately), he described this action as occurring later in July. I think he was just mistaken. Srecko, I would love to see the article about the Blenheim seat, sounds very interesting.