23 Sqn claims on the night 3/4 May 41

[phasselgren]

Hi,
On this night F/Lt Bertie Rex O´Bryen Hoare, RAF with air gunner Sgt Walter Thomas Fletcher, RNZAF and observer Sgt Roy Claude Sherrington, RAF attacked 2 German bombers but the result varies depending on which source you look at. I am pretty sure they claimed one destroyed and one probable but I want to remove all doubts.

23 Sqn ORB
FORM 540
Place: Manston, Date: 3/5/41
4 AC F/LT Hoare; Sgt Raffles, F/O Ensor, F/SGT Burton carried out offensive patrols in Lille area. F/LT Hoare attacked & damaged on J.U. 88 & one H.E. 111 over LILLE.
FORM 541
Havoc YPD F/LT Hoare, SGT Sherrington, SGT Fletcher Up 00.15 Down 04.25 (=4/5/41)
Havoc YPD Cuthbertson Up 00.30 Down 03.55 (=4/5/41)
Havoc YPD F/O Ensor, SGT Roberts, SGT Oliver Up 22.00 Down 00.20
Havoc YPD F/SGT Burton, SGT Shandley, SGT Angus Up 01.40 Down 04.50 (=4/5/41)

Although the ORB has two damaged bomber these are upgraded in the Combat report to 1 Ju 88 probable at 0135 hours and 1 He 111 destroyed at 0335 hours over Le Bourget. Started at 0017 hours

The fun starts when I compare this information with other sources.

Tony Wood’s Combat Claims & Casualties Lists RAFFC night 3-4 May 1941:
P/O P.S.B. Ensor 1 Ju 88 destroyed and 1 He 111 probable both at 0117 hours over Le Bourget. Sortie started 00.17 hrs
Sgt Raffles 1 Ju 88 destroyed and 1 Ju 88 probable at 02.00 hours over Evreux/Fauville A/F. Sortie 00.30-03.55
Nothing on Hoare

RAF Fighter Command Victory Claims of WW2, Part 2 by John Foreman
Sgt J.B. Raffles 1 Ju 88 and 1 E/A destroyed at about 03.20 hours over Evreux
P/O P.S.B. Ensor 1 Ju 88 destroyed and 1 He 111 probable both at 0017 hours over Le Bourget
F/L B.R.O’B. Hoare 1 Ju 88 and 1 He 111 damaged both at unknown near Lille (probably from Sqn ORB)

Aces High and Those Other Eagles by Christopher Shores
F/L B.R.O’B. Hoare 1 Ju 88 probable and 1 He 111 destroyed over Le Bourget night 3-4 May
P/O P.S.B. Ensor 1 Ju 88 destroyed and 1 He 111 probable over Le Bourget
Sgt J.B. Raffles 1 Ju 88 and 1 E/A probable over Evreux

At the National Archives there is also a Combat Report covering the sortie of the crew Raffles, Cuthbertson and Langley (I have not obtained this because I am focusing on RNZAF personnel) but nothing with Ensor on this night.

Comments on these conflicting facts are welcome especially anything that confirms the claims by Hoare/Fletcher/Sherrington.

Thanks in advance,
Peter