James E Linehan MIA 1942 Wellington x3757

[Nicola_G]

Hi I've just joined this forum as I'm hoping you might be able to help me find my uncle's plane. He was 2nd pilot on Wellington X3757 which was shot down on a raid over Hamburg on 8/4/1942 and all the crew are KIA lost without trace.

I do have a thread running on another forum: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air...ia-1942-a.html where I've posted all the information that I've found so far.

I'm hoping people here might be able to add some more details in terms of unregistered site in the Hamburg area.

Thanks
Nicola

[GKPadu]

Hallo Nicola,
normally the germans noticed the crashplace and the fate of the aircrew. I assume the Wellington X3757 crashed in the north sea. (Lost without trace).

Greetings from near Hamburg
Padu

[Nicola_G]

They may well have done but there are still unregistered crash sites being found all the time. There must be groups in Germany that deal with them. Can anyone supply me with their names and contact details please? I am not going down the 'crashed in the North Sea' route at this time. Any help finding the crash site would be gratefully received.

[brewerjerry]

Hi
In the excellent tony wood files there are no luftwafe claims for aircraft shot down on this date.

http://don-caldwell.we.bs/claims/tonywood.htm



So the crash might be as suggested by padu.

cheers
Jerry

[Theo Boiten]

Hello Nicola,

A little extract from my book the Nachtjagd War Diaries:

8-9 April 1942
Four Wellingtons and an 83 Squadron Manchester were lost during a 272-aircraft raid against Hamburg. Nachtjäger were credited with two kills.

Fw. Gerhard Goerke: 1 I./NJG3 Manchester W. Lastrup, S.E. Cloppenburg 00.49 83 Sqn Manchester L7427
Ofw. Paul Gildner: 31 5./NJG2 Wellington North Sea 20 km N. Vlieland 02.07 57 Sqn Wellington X3757

Regrettably, no elaborate Combat Report of Gildner's claim has been found to date.

Cheers, Theo

P.S.: could you email me a photo you may have of the crew & possibly of the Wellington they flew, for use in a 2nd edition of my book?
theoboitenATversatel.nl (AT of course is @)

[Nicola_G]

Thanks very much for all the input. I had some good news this morning. The researcher from the Bundesarchive who is helping me, sent me this, this morning!

The researcher seems to have been able to pin point all 5 planes that went missing that night!! Hurrah!

Here's what i received this morning:

I've read the whole correspondence in the forum and have now a few remarks:
1) I've checked the records of the Luftgaukommando XI. That means that I've checked every shoot down in the following aerea XI: Lexikon der Wehrmacht - Luftgaue The Manchester shot down was also mentioned, but I first thought this information isn't important for you. So I think we have all 5 planes, 5 were shoot down by anti aircraft guns and not by aircrafts in the night of the 8th-9th April 1942. So it's likely that the two unidentified aircrafts were also Wellingtons. I will check now what the anti aircraft units reported about this shoot downs.
2) Here are the detailled informations from the antiaircraft units:

Title: Ic-Angelegenheiten.- Abschüsse von Feindmaschinen durch Flakbatterien, Bereich LGK XI 1939-1945

9. April 1942 bei Ramelsloh-Ohlendorf (Winsener Forst)
Uhrzeit: 1.10 Uhr
Flugzeugtyp: Vickers-Wellington
Eingereicht am: 26.4.1942
Eingereicht für: 2./225, 1./603, 2./ und 3./schw. 336 (Großbattr.) und 1./601 unter Mitwirkung folgender Scheinw. Einheiten: 3./119, 1.u.2./150, 4./368, 2./608 und 1.2.u.3./609.
3. Flakdivision
Anerkannt durch: R.d.L.u.Ob.d.L. (Lw.Pers.Amt) Az. Nr.105091/43
Anerkannt am: 13.11.1943
Anerkannt für: 1./Schw.Flak-Abt.603(0)
1./Schw.Flak-Abt.601(0)
1./Schw.Flak-Abt 225(0)

9. April 1942 bei Hamburg
Uhrzeit: 00.23-00.27 Uhr
Flugzeugtyp: unbekannt
Eingereicht am: 26.4.1942
Eingereicht für: 1./ und 3./Flak-Abt. 267 (Großbatterie) (3. Flakdivision)
Anerkennung abgelehnt

8. April. 1942 ostwärts Wilhelmshaven
Uhrzeit: 23.58 Uhr
Flugzeugtyp: unbekannt
Eingereicht am: 21.5.1942
Eingereicht für: Luftsperrabt. 206
Anerkannt: R.d.L.u.Ob.d.L. (Lw.PErs.Amt) Az.29 Nr.105082/43
Anerkannt am: 9.11.1943
Anerkannt für: Luftsperrabteilung 206 unter Mitbeteiligung einer Einheit der Kriegsmarine

9. April 1942 bei Barssel/Ostfrsld.
Uhrzeit: 01.32 Uhr
Flugzeugtyp: Vickers-Wellington
Eingereicht am: 20.5.1942
Eingereicht für: 1./u. 3./Res.Flak.Abt. 306, 2./u.3./Res.Flak-Abt. 117, 1./Res.Flak-Abt. 531 und 1./Res.Flak-Abt. 334
Anerkannt: R.d.L.u.Ob.d.L. (Lw.Pers.Amt) Az. 29 Nr. 105091/43 (5,V)
Anerkannt: am 13.11.1943
Anerkannt für: Schw.Flak-Abt. 117 (0) 2.u.3.Battr.
Schw.Flak-Abt. 306 (0) 1.u.3.Battr.
Schw.Flak-Abt. 531 (0) 1.Battr.
Schw.Flak-Abt. 334 (v) 1.Battr.


English translation but still having probs working it out - help appreciated:

Headlines: IC affairs. - Firings of enemy machines by Flakbatterien, range LGK XI 1939-1945 9. April 1942 with Ramelsloh Ohlendorf (Winsener forest) Time: 1,10 o'clock Type of aircraft: Vickers Wellington Submitted to: 26.4.1942 Submitted for: 2./225, 1./603, 2. and 3./schw. 336 (Großbattr.) and 1./601 under co-operation of the following headlights. Units: 3./119, 1.u.2. /150, 4./368, 2./608 and 1.2.u.3. /609. 3. Flakdivision Recognized through: R.d.L.u.Ob.d.L. (Lw.Pers.Amt) Az. Nr.105091/43 Recognized to: 13.11.1943 Recognized for: 1./Schw.Flak-Abt.603 (0) 1./Schw.Flak-Abt.601 (0) 1./Schw.Flak-Abt 225 (0) 9. April 1942 with Hamburg Time: 00.23-00.27 o'clock Type of aircraft: unknown Submitted to: 26.4.1942 Submitted for: 1. and 3./Flak-Abt. 267 (large battery) (3rd Flakdivision) Acknowledgment rejected 8. April 1942 eastward Wilhelmshaven Time: 23,58 o'clock Type of aircraft: unknown Submitted to: 21.5.1942 Submitted for: Air check abbott. 206 Recognized: R.d.L.u.Ob.d.L. (Lw.PErs.Amt) Az.29 Nr.105082/43 Recognized to: 9.11.1943 Recognized for: Air check department 206 under participation of a unit of the war navy 9. April 1942 with Barssel/Ostfrsld. Time: 01,32 o'clock Type of aircraft: Vickers Wellington Submitted to: 20.5.1942 Submitted for: 1./u. 3./Res.Flak.Abt. 306, 2./u.3. /Res.Flak abbott. 117, 1./Res.Flak-Abt. 531 and 1./Res.Flak-Abt. 334 Recognized: R.d.L.u.Ob.d.L. (Lw.Pers.Amt) Az. 29 No. 105091/43 (5, V) Recognized: to 13.11.1943 Recognized for: Schw.Flak abbott. 117 (0) 2.u.3.Battr. Schw.Flak abbott. 306 (0) 1.u.3.Battr. Schw.Flak abbott. 531 (0) 1.Battr. Schw.Flak abbott. 334 (v) 1.Battr.

[RSwank]

NIcola,

I don't read German either, but are these actual claims of shoot downs or claims that they fired at and maybe hit a plane? I only see 4 shootings listed, not five. Is there another one not listed here?

Has Theo Boiten's post about a night fighter shootdown over the North Sea (see a previous post above) been investigated? That would certainly explain why a wreck was not found on the land.

Maybe I need to read your main postings on the website you listed on your first post to follow the whole story so if I am missing something, I apologize.

[Nicola_G]

Yes there was but it only related to the Manchester that was lost that night so he didn't include it either. I don't know yet if these are 'shoot downs' or just fired at records. I had presumed they were shoot downs. He is going into further detail for me so I will post when i have more info.

As to Theo's post I have emailed him asking for his source for the co-ordinates.

Nicola