Channel Dash

[Adam]

Can anyone definitively confirm any naval air units involved in the Channel Dash? Various KTBs I have access to are rather vague and unhelpful.

Thanks in advance

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Adam,

I am far from an expert on the subject Channel Dash, but I remember to have read about it in Adolf Gallands wellknown 'The first and the last'. I know also from my Nachtjagd research, that nighfighters (mainly II./NJG 1 and I./NJG 1) were involved for 'Begleitschutz' along the Belgian, Dutch, northwest German and Danish coastline during the dark hours between day and night.

However, I have hardly any recollections about naval air units, but that might origin from my obsession with nightfighting. Which units were you thinking of and were this fit for such protective operations?

All the best, Marcel / Venlo

[Adam]

Hi Marcel,
I was thinking perhaps of elements of KFlGr 406 or 906 - certainly any He 115 equipped Staffeln, but those two specifically.
cheers
Adam

[Nick Beale]

Don Caldwell's "The JG 26 War Diary, Volume 1" details the involvement of JG 26 and JG 2.

[Mikael Olrog]

There is a photo album at BA-MA Freiburg RL10/706 which contains some NJG 1 photos captioned to be from "sondereinsatz Februari" as well as a map showing the units movement.

In Classic Colours Luftwaffe Colours Jagdwaffe Volume four section 1 there is a two-page short story covering the channel dash. Only focusing on the fighters. Units JG 1, JG 2 and JG 26 are mentioned as involved.

[Melvin Brownless]

Hi Adam, Not Naval i'm afraid, but 1./(F)123 were also involved in "The Dash" as can be seen from the image attached. Sorry about poor quality of this copy but I hope it helps your research a little.

Kind regards,

Melvin

www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com

[Adam]

Thanks to all for the input. I know of the land-based support but am yet to conclusively tie any maritime units to the operation.

[ju55dk]

I have never come across anything that point to participation of Seeflieger-units in this operation.

Junker

[NoNo01]

Hello all,

by coincidence therte´s an article ´bout "Unternehmen Donnerkeil/Cerberus" in Flugzeug Classic Jahrbuch 2013.
There´s mentioned that in the phase before the chanel dash took place, there was a short periode of training (between around 22nd and 29th Jan.) with Marine and Luftwaffe units. Just to make sure cooperation is running well.
In this time there was a Rotte of Ar 196s from Küflgr. 406 flying the morning and evening patrol to protect the ships.
It is not mentioned wether this unit was involved in the actual chanel dash.

Schoene Gruesze

Norbert

[Larry deZeng]

In this time there was a Rotte of Ar 196s from Küflgr. 406 flying the morning and evening patrol to protect the ships.
It is not mentioned wether this unit was involved in the actual chanel dash.

Interesting. I wonder where Kü.Fl.Gr. 406 got the Ar 196s from? It did not have a single one according the monthly strength returns on the Michael Holm site nor is there mention of any in my fairly extensive notes.

L.