RAF Losses 17-18 Jan 41

[Chris Goss]

A crew from 2./KG 28 claimed a "Blenheim" shot down this night; I can see none damaged or destroyed so does anyone have any suggestions?

[Alex Smart]

Possibly 17/1/41 Beaufort I 217 sqn UK L9862 ?

[Chris Goss]

Nope-accident on landing from ops

[Alex Smart]

AIR 81/4902

Flying Officer K A H Lawrence, Sergeant W A Tamlin, Sergeant A B Houston: missing now safe; crew initially reported missing believed prisoners of war now safe; Blenheim L8465, 8 Squadron, 17 January 1941.

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Alex but no again-this aircraft was shot down by Italian fighters in Egypt

[MW Giles]

Any details of where it happened?

Not may ops on this night

Two to consider:

53 Sqn sent 9 Blenheims to Brest with Morlaix as a secondary (17:20 to 22:05 hrs). Gunner of one saw what he thought was an e/a behind him, but nothing came of it.

23 Sqn sent two Blenheims intruding to Beauvais and Poix (19:05 to 22:30 hrs). F/L Willans claimed an He111 (Ju88?) crashing in flames at 20:00 hrs on Poix. Is each side claiming the other destroyed?

No Blenheim losses that I can find

If the claim is over UK, I cannot help as I only look at offensive ops.

Martin

[Chris Goss]

Main effort was Swansea but there were countless other minor attacks all over central south/south-west England. A Ju 88 of I./KG 54 reported being attacked by a night fighter during its attack on Aldershot but I do not know for certain what I./KG 28 was doing

[Laurent Rizzotti]

According to Foreman's book "The turning point, part 1", while the main German attack that night was against Swansea, St Eval was also raided and two Gladiators and a Hurricane were attacked in the circuit, one of the former belonging to 247 Sqn being slightly damaged (no serial given in book, pilot safe). The book say in the following sentence that a returning I./KG 28 crew submitted a claim for a nightfighter destroyed, but made no clear link between both events. It still seems to me to be probably the best option according to available data.

Regarding the claim by Flt Lr Willans of 23 Sqn written above by Martin, the same book identified it as the He 111H-5 nr 3613 of III./KG 26 that was attacked in the circuit of Poix-Bord, force-landed on the airfield airfield and was damaged beyond repair (at 60%) but without injury to the crew.

According to the book "The Battle of Britain then and now", the Luftwaffe dispatched that night 142 bombers, including 120 to Swansea. Of the latter, 88 reported having reached and bombed the target but none belonged to KG 28. Of the other 29 bombed alternative targets and 3 aborted without bombing. The source of this a Luftflotte 3 report.
The attack of St Eval is described with the same details than above, just adding that the 3 British fighters were attacked while landing.
Two more interesting details:
_ weather was bad and many German aircraft failed or had difficulties finding Swansea despite the use of X and Y-Verfahren.
_ the minor operations of the night include 3 Ju 87 bombing various targets in London area (British reported only one intruder over London).

[Chris Goss]

Thanks for this Laurent but I had this already. The German pilot was Hptm Paul Claas of 2./KG 28

[Alex Smart]

May not have any connection at all, but Oxford N4836 of 15 SFTS ?
Two Airmen were killed on the 17th January '41.
I thought that 15 SFTS was a training unit that started in Canada ?
So did it originally exist in the UK ?
See: AIR 81/4888
Description:
Leading Aircraftman D G Comyn, Leading Aircraftman M Brandreth: killed; aircraft accident, Oxford N4836, 15 Service Flying Training School, 17 January 1941.