Trans-Jordan 1941

[Nonkers]

David Raziel was a Jewish fighter commissioned by the British to assassinate the pro-Nazi Mufti of Jerusalem in Iraq. According to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Raziel he was killed by a German plane on the way to the mission in May 1941. Any details of this event ie where and what type of plane? Was the Luftwaffe operational at all over Palestine and Trans-Jordan in 1941?

[Stig Jarlevik]

Nonkers

First, the site you quote says he was killed in Iraq
The short answer is yes, the Luftwaffe was operational in Iraq on May 20th, especially in the Fallujah area but also at Habbaniya. According to Chris Shores in Dustclouds in the Middle East it was Me 110's who were active in strafing attacks, but they could of course have carried small bombs as well.
Nothing however on personal losses

B Rgds
Stig

[Seaplanes]

Please remember that Kommando Junck (named after Oberst Werner Junck) also operated a number of He 111 aircraft.

[Nonkers]

What was the base from which these Me110s operated and until when did they hold it?

[Seaplanes]

I just found in the German magazine Flugzeug Nr. 3/1991 an article about the Sonderkdo. Junck. Here is published a page from a war diary made by Fw. Maier of 4./K.G.4 (this unit made up the He 111 part of Sonderkdo. Junck). He list for May 20, 1941: Feindflug nach Habbaniyya. Start Mosul (The base for both Bf 110 and He 111) 07.57. Landung Mosul 10.18. Unfortunately, nothing is said about dropping bombs or not.

[Günther Ott]

For 20th May 1941 the following activities of Sonderkommando Junck, based at Mossul, are recorded in the KTB:
1 He 111 armed reconnaissance in the area of Falluja-Habbaniyya.
3 He 111 successfully bombed aircraft and hangars at RAF Habbaniyya.
4 Bf 110 supporting embattled Iraqi troops near Falluja and claimed a Blenheim and a Gladitor destroyed.
4 other Bf 110 strafed Habbaniyya airfield and claimed 2 more Blenheims destroyed on the ground.
He 111s were from K.St./S.Kdo.Junck formed by crews and aircraft of 4./KG.4 while Bf 110s were from Zerst.St./S.Kdo.Junck formed by crews and aircraft of 3./Z.G.26.
Possibly the death place given for David Raziel might indicate whom he fell victim to.

[Günther Ott]

In addition to my previous mail I have noticed that there is obviously some confusion regarding David Raziel's correct date of death since 20, 18 and 17 June 1941 are all given for that. By the way, more reliable sources than Wikipedia name a different target of his mission on behalf and by support of British Army. Attempting to assassinate or kidnap the Mufti of Jerusalem in Baghdad was not first priority. However, he had been released from a British prison in Palestine and brought to Habbaniyya in a RAF plane after having been approached by British intelligence. It was agreed that he and his fellow Irgun fighters were to destroy oil refineries and depots in the outskirts of Baghdad, in order to prevent that ressources from being used for refuelling Luftwaffe planes supporting the Iraqi uprising.

This plan was reportedly abandond while the sabotage team’s plane was still enroute to Habbaniyya. Upon arrival orders had been waived for undertaking an intelligence mission preparatory to a British sweep into Falluja as part of the final drive to retake Baghdad and thus to end the Iraqi uprising without destroying the oil ressources.

Recently released MI5 documents at NA Kew include a SIME report about David Raziel’s wartime service and death in Iraq at serial 327a in KV5/40.

There is reason to accept that the four Irgun fighters, along with a British officer, had set out by car from Habbaniyya towards Falluja on 17th May 1941 already. A plane attacked while their convoy was stopped at a river crossing, with Raziel and the British officer being killed in their car. This would match with the KTB entry of Sonderkommando Junck for 17th May that the He 111 of Oblt. Schmidt was on an armed reconnaisssance mission from Mosssul and had bombed a vehicle column parked West of Ramadi.

[Nonkers]

Until what date was the Luftwaffe flying out of Mosul, and how did the Allies deal with them?

[Günther Ott]

Luftwaffe elements at Mossul departed on 29th May 1941 for Aleppo due to lack or too late arrival of supplies and a high risk of advancing British ground forces after the Iraqis had given up.

[Nonkers]

With Greece 1200 miles, and Libya 1500 miles, from Mosul, to where and how would the 680 mile-range Me110s get there? Would they be allowed to refuel in Vichy Syria?