Dobromil SPINKA, Sgt. CZ/RAF 311 SQN.

[Jeffrey WEYERS]

Friends, I wish to find out any further info than i have at present.

I understand that his No. was 787889
My Father in Law said that he was his best Friend around 1942 ! while at Cardington, Bedford.
My Father in Law said he was from BRNO,
He was on Wellington's ( 311 sqn )
The plane was shot down on 3.3.1942 , maybe around PARIS area.
He lays at rest at Runnymede Cemetary, UK.

Jeff WEYERS

[Chris Goss]

Jeffrey: This is in the wrong Forum. By the way, Runnymead is not a cemetery but lists all of those missing

[Jeffrey WEYERS]

Hi Chris YES I KNOW, but looking at the situation from this side, not the RAFs. It is posted in the ''RIGHT '' one also . 2 sides to every coin, if you get my meaning. It only takes 1 lead that may answer ALL ones questions. THAT may/maynot be here.

THANKS Jeff

[Atcham Tower]

Jeffrey, Dobrumil Spinka is listed in the book Mnozi Nedoleteli but the author Frantisek Loucky was not able to find a photo of him. He was from Zachrastany (born 05/02/1920) and was shot down in Wellington Z1167. (Sorry I can't do the hacek and other Czech accents!)

[Chris Goss]

Jeff: This question is about Allied matters not Luftwaffe hence the right Forum would help your query. He was a WOp/AG lost attacking Emden on 3 Mar 42 (Sgt K Danihelka was the pilot). All are still reported missing so it is possible the aircraft came down in the sea. If you wnat to ask about Luftwaffe claims that night, I suggest you ask in the other Forum.

[obdl3945]

Hello, Jeff...

You seem to have been moved around quite a bit today... never mind, from all the info you've so far received, you may well have put together some more parts of the jigsaw... here's my contribution.

I, too, was thinking about this from the Luftwaffe side. I appreciate others stating that your posting was in the wrong forum, but there is actually some information on the Luftwaffe side of things, such as who claimed Dobromil's aircraft, and from what unit, and where. The link is undernoted...

http://books.google.com/books?id=_AP...-1&output=html

NB: This publication lists Paul Gildner's unit at 5.Staffel/NJG2, and not as undernoted, IV.Gruppe/NJG1... perhaps you could come back to us on the Luftwaffe side of the forum and someone will doubtless assist you with reconciling the apparent anomaly...

... and, in part at least, seemingly confirmed here...

http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/BCWW2Losses/1942.htm

under ref: 1942/041 311/Z1167 Cr. 2120 Oblt Paul Gildner IV./NJG1 20 km NW Terschelling, not too far down from the top of the page. If you use CTRL+F and copy and paste in the above ref, you'll see it. Terschelling is an island off the north Dutch coast.

On this site...

http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/t/77

...the crew members' names, and aircraft code KX-A:

Sgt K. Danihelka - KIA
Sgt V. Hanzl - KIA
F/O L. Říha - KIA
Sgt F. Janča - KIA
Sgt D. Špinka - KIA
Sgt A. Podivínský - KIA

Here is a link for some background info for the date in question:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/mar42.

and displayed here...

3/4 March 1942
The Bellincourt Renault Factory
The Renault factory, in the town of Boulogne-Billancourt just west of the centre of Paris, was making an estimated 18,000 lorries a year for the German forces. 235 aircraft - 89 Wellingtons, 48 Hampdens, 29 Stirlings, 26 Manchesters, 23 Whitleys, 20 Halifaxes - were dispatched in 3 waves, the crews of the leading wave being selected for their experience. The plan called for the massed use of flares and a very low bombing level so that crews could hit the factory without too many bombs falling in the surrounding town. There were no Flak defences. 223 aircraft bombed the target, reporting excellent results. Only 1 Wellington was lost. The main raid lasted 1 hour and 50 minutes. Many records were broken that night. The number of aircraft sent to this one target - 235 - was the greatest by the R.A.F. to a single target so far in the war; the previous record was 229 to Kiel on 7/8 April 1941. The concentration of bombers over the target - averaging 121 per hour - exceeded Bomber Command's previous best rate of 80 per hour; there were no collisions. A record tonnage of bombs was dropped, although the exact tonnage is in doubt, official records giving 412 and 470 tons. A significant tactical point was the mass use of flares and the selection of some experienced crews to open the raid, thus foreshadowing some of the 'pathfinding' methods to be used later in the war. Gee was not used, being not yet ready for operations. The raid was considered a great success and the destruction caused in the factory received much publicity. Unfortunately, French civilian casualties were heavy. There were many blocks of workers' apartments very close to the factory.
Minor Operations: 4 Wellingtons to Emden, 4 Blenheim Intruders to Dutch airfields but these were recalled. 4 Lancasters minelaying off the north-west German coast, 2 Whitleys on leaflet flights to France. 1 Wellington lost on the Emden raid.
Total effort for the night: 249 sorties, 2 aircraft (0.8 per cent) lost. The Lancaster mining sorties, flown by 44 Squadron, saw the introduction into operational service this new type of aircraft.

Dobromil's name appears on Panel 94 at the Runnymede Memorial. Follow this link...

http://www.cwgc.org/debt_of_honour.asp?menuid=14

... and enter Dobromil's details, although you will have to list his nationality as 'unknown', and this will confirm.

I do hope some of this has been helpful to you, and I would hope you won't be deterred from rejoining us 'on the other side'... soon, perhaps.

Kindest regards...

Paul

[Jeffrey WEYERS]

PHEEEEEEEWWWWW !! MOST GREATFUL See your private message.
sometimes we have to look at things from a different angle. Well it worked !!

THANKS... Jeff WEYERS Back to Luftwaffe.....

[obdl3945]

As promised... Herr Gildner...

from...

http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...num=1&ct=title

Moderator:

Please don't shift this posting. It is relevant to Jeff's enquiry, it is a one-off and this is the only place I can get it loaded on at.

Thank you.