Den Helder, Netherlands, 14 October 1940

[Nick Beale]

Does anyone know which Blenheim unit was active over Den Helder on the morning of 14 October 1940?

[MW Giles]

139 Squadron sent out 12 Blenheims on cloud cover raids to

Antwerp, Dollbergen, Dunkirk, Grevenbroich, Hamburg, Kiel, Monheim, North Germany, Ostend, Salzbergen, Wilhelmshaven, Zeebrugge

Only three aircraft bombed, none on their assigned targets, one crew was lost R3671 Sgt Ogilvie and crew

Regards

Martin

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Nick,

It was not until 13.27 hrs when a Blenheim bombed De Kooy A/D (South of Den Helder).

I do have more detailed info about this incident, what is your specific interest in this?

Regards.
Hans

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Hans Nauta

Hi Nick,

It was not until 13.27 hrs when a Blenheim bombed De Kooy A/D (South of Den Helder).

I do have more detailed info about this incident, what is your specific interest in this?

Regards.
Hans

The time may not be a problem: I have 1130 GMT which would fit with 1327 German Summer Time (which I think was in use on that date).

My interest is in bombs falling near X-Gerät station DONAU, which the Germans thought was a deliberate attack.

[MW Giles]

S/L Mertens of 139 Sqn (T1871) notes that he dropped bombs on a railway line near De Kooy as a shell had damaged his stern frame T/O 09:58, Landing 13:41

Germany and UK both on GMT + 1 hr at this time

Martin

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Nick,

The bombs were reported by the local Air Raid Precautions Department at 13.27 hrs, the KTB of the Luftwaffe Führungsstab Ic mentions 4 bombs near the Luftnachrichtenaussentelle between 13.20 and 13.25 hrs.

I presume the latter is your source?

The way I read this entry is that the Germans didn't really assume that the Y-Gerät was the actual target, merely reporting that bombs came down in the vicinity of it.

The Y-Gerät at Julianadorp has never been a target, it's successor the Knickebein installations, actually was, in March 1944.

Regards,
Hans

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Hans Nauta

Hi Nick,

The bombs were reported by the local Air Raid Precautions Department at 13.27 hrs, the KTB of the Luftwaffe Führungsstab Ic mentions 4 bombs near the Luftnachrichtenaussentelle between 13.20 and 13.25 hrs.

I presume the latter is your source?

The way I read this entry is that the Germans didn't really assume that the Y-Gerät was the actual target, merely reporting that bombs came down in the vicinity of it.

The Y-Gerät at Julianadorp has never been a target, it's successor the Knickebein installations, actually was, in March 1944.

Regards,
Hans

In fact my source is a sequence of deciphered messages from Stabsing. Fischer at Den Helder to Dr. Kühnhold, on file in National Archives HW5/719:

"BROWN" reports — translations for Dr R V Jones (ADI Science) of traffic of LN Versuchsregiment, Koethen, relating to the setting up and operation of navigational beams (Knickebein) to guide Luftwaffe bombing raids (1940 Sept 5–1941 Mar 25)

I'll be adding the story to my website, probably on the next update. Meanwhile, thanks everyone for your input on the Blenheim.

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Nick,

Ah great, HW5 is already on my wish list for my next visit to TNA!

A document class with little treasures in it...

Regards,
Hans