KG(J) 51 Me 262 bomber action over Grave airfield, 1st October 1944

[Gizmo]

Hi,
In Foreman/Harvey 'Me 262 Combat Diary' book I found interesting relation of Wing Commander J.B. Wray. He claimed that on 1st October 1944 Me 262 from KG 51 (used SD 2 fragmentation bomb, I think) destroyed five Spitfires on Grave airfield. Unfortunelly I haven't found any trace of Spitfires ground losses in Shores/Thomas superb '2nd TAF' book.

Any ideas for confirm Wray relation?
Thanks

[Nick Beale]

Grave was certainly bombed on 4 October by one Me 262. I./KG 51 frequently attacked Allied airfields at the time so an attack on 1 October is quite possible.

Please note also that despite what Foreman and Harvey say, it was not called "KG(J) 51". KG 51 was not included in the order converting bomber units to KG(J)s.

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Thank you Nick for reconfirming to the board that KG 51 was never a KG(J) 51. It is cumbersome that it is still referenced as such.

Thanks,

Norbert

[Jaap Woortman]

Here the results of my research for operations of KG 51 for October 1st, 1944 in the ORBs of the mentioned 2nd TAF units. More units have be checked in 2008. NA is the former PRO.

Jaap

1-10-44 NA Air 25/698. HQ No.83 Group, Exel.
Move Main Headquarters to Eindhoven.

1-10-1944 NA Air 27/1934 No.486 (NZ) Sqn.
3 Me 262’s seen dive-bombing Nijmegen. 8-12.000 ft. Chased but impossible to close range. Up 635 Down 0800.
5 Me 262’s seen in pairs and singly. One attempted to attack squadron but was out-turned and lost in the resultant dive. Up 1055 Down 1215.

1-10-1944 NA Air 27/938 No.130 Sqn. Grave.
On arrival there, Grave, the airfield was bombed by Me 262’s dropping canister bombs. There were no casualties in the Squadron, but 125 Wing Adjutant was killed and several Wing personnel injured.

[George Hopp]

Thank you, Jaap. Excellent material!

From "Fighter squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft" by John Rawlings comes the following comment on 421 Squadron RCAF: "A succession of moves in the autumn brought the squadron to Grave on 1st October, only 3 miles from the front line which was too close, the squadron being bombed the following day; before the end of the month it had moved back to Brussels (Melsbroek [B.58])."

Apparently, by the end of October, the RAF Wing that had occupied Grave had retreated as mentioned above. The reasons given were bad airfield conditions and bombings by Me 262s. I can't remember the exact reference for that, but found it interesting that, contrary to popular thought, the Me 262 bombing did have some effect.

[Allan125]

Hello Gizmo

If you got to http://www.bommeltje.nl/grave/ and follow the links for B82 Grave/Keent you will find the complete 125 Wing ORB for their Grave period - something I typed up for Peter van Bommel, the webmaster.

His, now sadly late, father was involved in building the german auxiliary strip and my father was in the Advance Party of 125 Wing - and he slept in a pigsty, then a cow-pen, complete with the original residents, because of the atrocious conditions there.

Hope it helps

cheers

Allan

[Juha]

Allan
thanks alot for the very interesting link!

And Merry Christmas!
Juha