Lt. Döring IV./NJG3 / Hptm. Brinkhaus Stab II./NJG2

[RodM]

Hello One & All,

a long shot possibly; has any cited the flugbücher of either or both Lt. Lt. Arnold Döring of IV./NJG3 and Hptm. Franz Brinkhaus of Stab II./NJG2?

Although I know the basic crew and aircraft details for Döring, I am trying to establish the flight details of both pilots during Unternehmen Gisela on the night of the 3rd/4th March 1945 - take-off time and airfield, landing time and airfield.

Cheers

RodM

[M sIMPSON]

Hi there,
There is a brief and general personnal account by Doring of his flight on this date in Parry's 'Intruders over Britain' in which he states that he took off from Jever.I am a new member of this forum and have only just found your question but I hope this is of some use to you,
Regards,Mark.

[WEISNER]

Döring put down on his last drops of fuel at Nordholz, He stated he was in the air over five hours. No precise times given in Dörings account as this info was taken from Theo Boiten's excellent book "Nachtjagd" ISBN1 86126 086 5.
Kevin

[RodM]

Hi Mark and Kevin,

thank you for the replies, I'd almost forgotten about this question!

I have been fortunate in being able to cite Arnold Döring's original letter to Simon Parry, but Döring never indicated a take-off or landing time.

I have, however, been able to get an estimated take-off time range based upon the take-off times of seven other crews from IV./NJG3 - 22.50 - 23.45 hrs.

In any event, even without a confirmed take-off time for Döring (which would've put the following point beyond doubt), other evidence proves that he almost certainly was not involved in the shooting down of the only RAF B-17 lost during Gisela.

As to Brinkhaus, I would presume that he was a part of the first of three waves.

Regards

Rod

[WEISNER]

Rod, In Döring's account of the night, he does claim to have shot down a B-17 using his upward fireing Guns. This happened at an Airdrome flashing identification DH in white capitol letters.
Hope this is Helpful, Again my info is from Boiten's Nachtjagd book.
Kevin

[RodM]

Hi Kevin,

Most of Döring's account makes perfect sense regarding the flight route and zone of operations for IV./NJG3. The airdrome he appears to have been over is Disforth (airfield code 'DH') and his account, with the exception of one or two details, ties in with the attack on two Halifaxes just after 1 am - thus the time and location of Döring's claims can be accounted for.

The loss of the B-17 of 214 Sqdn occurred some considerable distance to the S.E. and an hour before Döring's combats (another B-17 was 'attacked' at the same time but not hit). The B-17 was almost certainly the first loss over the UK during Gisela (Chorley's BCL V6 appears to have some details, particularly times, wrong. I have cited primary source docs on the RAF losses, but cannot account for where Chorley got some of his details from (details that are in conflict with the information cited in a number of documents)). The rationale given in BCL V6 to tie Döring's account to the B-17 loss is simply a 'magic bullet theory' - i.e. Döring claimed a B-17, therefore it "must" have been the 214 Sqdn aircraft, irregardless of the evidence against this being true.

It is highly likely that the B-17 was shot down by a crew from NJG2 or NJG4 - although no Abschussmeldung that I know of has surfaced that could relate to this incident...

Cheers

Rod

Cheers

Rod

[noggin]

The 2 Halifax losses I have in that time period are : Halifax L8-H NA680 of 347 Squ crashed near RAF Cranwell 01.05. Flown by a Free French crew P Laucou & P Le Masson KIA. ( NCO ) L Viel & ( Sgt's ) H Giroud , C Pochont , M Hemery , P Charriere bailed out unhurt. Le Masson had been wounded in the attack and couldn't bail out so Laucou stayed at the controls to try an unsuccessful forced landing.

Halifax MP-R MZ680 of 76 Squ crashed near Cadney 01.15. Aircraft attacked from beneath setting outer starboard engine and fuel tanks on fire. Crew bailed out at 600ft. P/O H Bertenshaw , F/S G Austin , G French , D Skilton & Sgt's H Wood , L Sporne all minor injuries on landing Sgt M Sherman badly injured on landing or exiting the aircraft.
These are 50/60 miles South though. Any idea on units in this area ? Although according to Wiki ( ok don't laugh ) it sites Döring over RAF Winthorpe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gisela

Shaun

[RodM]

Hi Shaun,

thanks for the reply. As mentioned, by Döring's own very detailed account he was near Dishforth, as he recalled that airfield's flashing Morse code identifying letters ("DH") - I have no idea where any Wiki gets Winthorpe from ..and besides Döring crossed the English coast as briefed (as I recall) in the vicinity of Flamborough Head (i.e. north of the Humber).

In terms of the locations where NA680 and MZ690 came down, Nachtjagd aircraft from I./NJG2, III./NJG2, and III./NJG5 were active in that general area. III./NJG3 was also possibly active over the Lincolnshire area.

I./NJG2 flew across Holland from Twente, while III./NJG2 and III./NJG5 took off from airfields in north-west Germany and flew along the North Sea, north of the Dutch coast, before making landfall on the English coast across Lincolnshire, most likely around the approach lanes between Maplethorpe and Skegness (The Wash) and also around Grimsby, south of Hull (i.e. south of the Humber).

Aircraft from other German Nachtjagd units were active over other areas of the UK.

Cheers

Rod

[noggin]

Thanks for the reply. Couldn't see how it could be but those 2 aircraft fitted the times. Still not sure why RAF Winthorpe would be mentioned though as it was never really used for raids due to its proximity to the Ransome and Marles bearing works. They didn't want an RAF plane doing what the Luftwaffe had failed to do completely and flatten the place. http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety...171/index.html