Who sunk Dutch trawler Protinus 19.03.1940

[Andrei Demjanko]

Hi all,

Although it is generally accepted that the above vessel was lost due to attack by Luftwaffe aircraft, I can not find the German unit responsible, and strong possibility exists it was sunk in error by British aircraft. Could anyone identify what unit the aircraft in question belonged to

[hucks216]

According to this link it was KG-26... http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.co...h-18-1940.html

[Andrei Demjanko]

Thanks for prompt reply, but it's not so simple.

It's generally accepted that Protinus was lost on 18 March, but as far as I know X. Fliegerkorps did not fly operations over the North Sea on that date due to weather. So sometimes date of loss given as 20 March, when they were flying. It was neither. Singapore newspapers of the period, which could be found online, published Reuter report about actions of HM submarines, which mentioned the rescue of survivors from Protinus by HMS Unity. From these date could be deduced as 19 March. One of these articles gives details of the attack on trawler, according to one of the survivors. He stated that the Dutch crew initially identified the aircraft as Allied and waved to its crew
The articles could be found here:
http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Se...ler%20PROTINUS

[hucks216]

The Naval History website also states KG-26 with the attack on 18th March... http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4003-12MAR02.htm

The Dutch crew could of easily misidentified the aircraft and believed it to be Allied until it attacked.

[Andrei Demjanko]

I'm aware of what Naval History site and other websites says. The problem with this is:

1) as far as I know KG 26 flew no operations on 18 March

2) When HMS Unity rescued the Dutch crew on 25 March, they stated they were in a boat for six days before being rescued (ie since 19 March) In the articles for which I provided link in my previous post the date of attack given as 'last Tuesday'. So one could open calendar for 1940 online and see that 19 March 1940 was Tuesday

I have no information about German anti-shipping operations over the North Sea (if there were any) on 19 March. [On the other hand RAF flew operations over Heligoland Bight on this date] That's why I'm asking. Nevertheless, thanks for the interest and ideas, any sugessions and information are welcome

[robert]

Hi,

no missions were flown by German units on 18.3. and 19.3.40 over the North Sea due to bad weather.

Regards

Robert

[Jaap Woortman]

Originally Posted by robert

Hi,

no missions were flown by German units on 18.3. and 19.3.40 over the North Sea due to bad weather.

Regards Robert

Bad weather?
See http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/i/q/Mar1940.pdf

Jaap

[Andrei Demjanko]

Originally Posted by robert

no missions were flown by German units on 18.3. and 19.3.40 over the North Sea due to bad weather.

Robert, thanks for the confirmation. So apparently it was indeed RAF aircraft

Originally Posted by Jaap Woortman

Bad weather?
Jaap

Jaap, yes, bad weather. From your link:
...mild weather with occasional rain prevailed on the 17th local and 18th and squally showers and thunderstorms on the 19th...
and
Thunderstorms occured locally on the 18th-19th

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

Not sure if this has any connection with the Protinus, but German Naval Staff war diary (English translation!) for March 20th, 1940 writes:
(North Sea)
"Air reconnaissance led to various brushes with British trawlers on the Dogger Bank. One trawler was obviously sunk by a hit in its vicinity."

See:
https://archive.org/stream/wardiaryg...e/126/mode/2up

The war diary is not clear when the incident happened. May have been late 19th March, too? Original German diary may be clearer.

The diary also describes the RAF attacks on 19th March.


Cheers,
Kari

[Andrei Demjanko]

Kari,

This incident may be in connection with Protinus. But there is some points, which led me to think it was not.

1) these were indeed brushes with British trawlers, and one He111J of 3./KuFlGr 806 was lost to AA fire as a result. The German crew was rescued by Dutch motor-cutter the same day, which means there were enough ships in the vicinity also to rescue the crew of the trawler the same day, if it was lost on this date

2) 3./KuFlGr 806 claimed only a near miss, as KTB SKL says, so trawler 'obviously sunk' is more a wishful thinking. And it contradicts survivor's account which stated that attacking aircraft achieved direct hit on the bridge.

3) from survivor's account, the date of loss was 19 March

So evidence on hand is not enough to state Protinus was sunk by 3./KuFlGr 806. Until aditional information surfaced, it looks far more probable to me that Protinus was sunk by British aircraft