Nightfighters St Nazaire March 1943-Schnaufer and Herget

[roberthagger]

According to a timeline on WW2Aircraft.net both Lt Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of Stab ll/NJG1 and Hptm. Wilhelm Herget of Stab l/NJG4 claimed to have downed a Lancaster partaking in a raid on St Nazaire on 22nd March 1943.

I understand that 101 Sqn lost a Lancaster in the target area (ED375 SR-V) (W.R. Chorley's Bomber Command Losses)
Lancaster W4879 UV-D of 460 Sqn exchanged fire with 2 nightfighters on that raid recorded as being Ju-88s, and claimed one of them damaged. W4879 crash landed in South Cerney England, the crew escaped, the plane burned.

I am interested in knowing if either of these Lancasters were the subject of the claim. W4879 had to take evasive action by corkscrewing when damaged so may have been interpreted as being destroyed

Is it possible that Lt Schnaufer or Hptm Herget flew a Ju88 that night?

I am wondering if W4879 was attacked by one of these Pilots.

I expect that an Me110 could be confused for a Ju88 , especially at night when a bomber crew is under duress.

Thank you for any replies regarding this matter.

Robert

[Maximowitz]

I don't think Schnaufer ever flew the Ju 88..

[hucks216]

Vol 1 of Nachtjagd War Diaries has no entries for any aircraft shot down by nightfighters on the St Nazaire raid of 22/23 March 1943. The book entries for that period show an aircraft shot down on 19/20 March 1943 and the next aircraft shot down by the nightfighter force are shown for raids on 24/25 March 1943.
The Bomber Command War Diaries (by Martin Middlebrook & Chris Everitt) have just one Lancaster lost for that raid but doesn't mention the cause or aircraft specifics.

[roberthagger]

Thanks for the replies.
Robert