missions of II/KG100 against Escort Groups july and august 1944

[mjbollinger]

I've tried to document all of the glide-bomb missions flown by KG 10 and KG 40. Here is what I have relative to your inquiry:

One mission the night of 28/29 July against targets in Brest by 4 Do 217M-11 of III./KG 100. No hits. No record of an attack by surface forces.

One mission the night of 31 July/1 August against the same targets by 8 Do 217M-11 of III./KG 100. No hits. No record of the attack by surface forces.

The mission on 7/8 August was against targets in the near Avranches by 8 Do 217M-11 of III./KG 100. No record of an attack by surface forces.

The mission of 12 August involved an attack on HMS Diadem without any damage. Here is an account from signalman John Williams of HMS Diadem:

"August 12 1944: Quiet during morning but in the afternoon we sighted some French fishing smacks. Sent Onslow to investigate them, she caught up with 2 of them close inshore and got a lot of useful information from them. We cruised about for approx. 2 hours waiting for Onslow's return. As she was about to return a signal station ashore started flashing at us. I was told to answer with 20 inch but could not make head nor tail of her, I was told to ask her if she had anything for us which I tried to do but could not get her to understand. At last we realised that she was manned by Jerries so we got ready to leave. Suddenly we heard shore batteries open up and shells began to drop all around us. Onslow had a very narrow squeak. Away we steamed under a smoke screen out to sea. We were back again at night and were met by Jerry plane which flew high overhead and guided a radio controlled glider bomb straight at us, we all thought it was the end when suddenly when she was about 50 feet away from us she swerved and hit the water about 50 yards on our starboard beam, thanks to type 68 (b8?). The ship rattled from stern to stern and gave us a shaking."

Primary sources on these attacks is Nietzel and Balke -- probably the same sources you are using.

Hope this helps. As Claude says, I don't have further details on these attacks -- if in fact any Hs 293 were used in attacks those nights.

Marty