Einzelmeldung Nr 3 vom 14.8.1940 (Luftflotte 3)

[Chris Going]

Re the Parachute leaflet drop thing. I think, coincidentally, that we we have some strong ground evidence that on this night leaflets were dropped by parachute.

I have a reference to an Icelandic News leaflet The Daily Post, (Tölublað) dated August 15th 1940 (cost: 10 aurar) It’s a two column affair, 4 pages long.

Anyway, on the front page is the following:

Extensive manhunt in Britain.
London. Today. Troops in armoured cars, home guards and planes were engaged yesterday in an extensive search for German parachutists yesterday (sic), in the Midlands and the south west of Scotland, after about 30 parachutes had been found, most of them in the Midlands. No reports of captured parachutists have come in and in some quarters it is believed, that the parachutes were dropped empty, for the purpose of disturbing the people of Britain.

No mention of leaflets, but the fact that the reference is to about 30 parachutes chimes well with the Taschen numbers (29, 30).

So, I think we have here a link with the Einzelmeldung, and also, the kernel of the rumours of groups of German Parachutists dressed as Nuns or Vicars, or what knot, at large in the UK in the summer of 1940.

Lock-down fun, eh?

best

ChrisG