3(F)121 Operation 7 August 1940

[Andy Saunders]

According to Ultra transcripts an aircraft of "3(F)121" flew an operation on 7 August 1940 from 0630 to 1100. The aircraft was 7A+GL.

Can anyone confirm:

From where the operation was flown.
The objective.
The aircraft type.

[robert]

Hi,

Ju 88 recon mission over south-western English coast.

Regards

Robert

[Larry deZeng]

From where the operation was flown.

3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121 was based at Dinard on that date.

[Andy Saunders]

Thank you both!

My next (related!) question is:

On the 7 August 1940 the Luftwaffe flew either bombing, recce or mining operations in the Thames Estuary area.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the type and number of missions flown, the timings thereof and the units/aircraft involved?

[Larry Hickey]

Andy,

This will be in our Heinrich Weiss "Coastal War" manuscript for that date, which Robert S. is translating for the EOE WG. We aren't finished with that date yet, but I'm sure that he'll chime in here with the info that you need from the original German text. Weiss is very complete about this sort of thing for that period.

Regards,

[Andy Saunders]

Larry

Thanks greatly!

At present I am trying to make some sense of fragmented details from some ULTRA transcripts. Lots of interesting stuff there.

I am especially interested in Convoy CW9 on 8 Aug 1940 and the associated air actions running from 7 August when the convoy formed-up off Southend.

Previous sources have claimed that the convoy was detected (at night) by Freya radar at Cap Gris Nez as it passed through the Dover Straits. I am by no means certain this was the case, and not certain that Freya was yet operational there. To me it seems more likely the convoy was picked up pre and post assembly by aerial recconaissance - but I am yet to be persuaded either way!

I will, of course, keep you in mind for any snippets or nuggets for EOE.

[Peter Cornwell]

Andy,

According to Heinrich Weiss' narrative for August 7, 1940, 'At 19.30 hours the observer station at Wissant reported a large convoy about 5 sea miles south of Dungeness heading west. This was the English Channel convoy CW9 the first of its kind since the unfortunate CW8 of previous days. It had sailed that afternoon from the Thames with 25 ships mostly colliers. Off Sheerness it collected 9 RN trawlers some of which carried captive barrage balloons for the first time'.

I'm sure that Robert will add to this if my German has let me down. There seems to have been nothing specific picked up by 7 aerial reconnaissance sorties made by Luftflotte 2 that morning but I will send you the details as I suspect that they may refer to ships gathering to form CW9.

An 06.10 start by 3.(F)/121 was a Ju88 tasked with reconnaissance over south-west England and the Bristol Channel especially Falmouth, Milford Haven, and Swansea. Mission was aborted early due to 10/10 cloud cover of the area.

[Chris Goss]

A 3/31 ac operating in the same area reported quite a lot of shipping 0715-0740 hrs

[Peter Cornwell]

Chris,

Just so, Luftflotte 3 tasked 2 Do17Ps of 3.(F)/31 that started at 6.10 hours to recce Falmouth and shipping in LQ 15W/50,60,70.

[robert]

Hi,

Peter your translation is OK.
I think you can send Andy also details of Luftwaffe activity (K.Fl.Gr.106) over Thames Estuary (page 1442) because he was also interested in this subject.

Regards

Robert