JG51 Escort 24th August 1940 08:30 to 10:00

[Peter Cornwell]

Ross,

In this context, you can ignore the III./KG51 reference quoted in BoBT&N. With the benefit of further research over the intervening 30-odd years since its original publication that particular loss is now more accurately documented as follows:

7./KG51 Junkers Ju88A-1 (7072). Badly damaged by fighters during sortie to Portsmouth and crashed in the Channel 10 km north of Le Havre. BS Gefr Robert Pfaff killed, BO Uffz Johannes Schulze and FF Uffz Karl Maurer both missing, Bordfunker believed rescued unhurt. Aircraft 9K+BR 100% write-off.
The body of Robert Pfaff was later recovered by the Seenotdienst off Le Havre.

The claims filed by ‘DOGROSE Yellow 2’ Sgt HAMLYN of No.610 Squadron (DW*Q R6891) following that sortie are as you describe, also that by ‘HYDRO Yellow 1’ Sgt ALLARD of No.85 Squadron (VY*K). Allocating specific losses to these claims is the usual fraught business but it begins to look to me as if the Ju88 encountered by HAMLYN may well have been a singleton and as mentioned in my earlier thread, thus:

5.(F)/122 Junkers Ju88. Believed shot down by fighters during reconnaissance sortie to Canterbury and crashed in the Channel off Boulogne. FF Lt Meinulf Hellermann killed, BO Lt Karl Hurck, BF Uffz Franz Schmidtler, and BM Uffz Erich Kromer all missing. Aircraft 100% write-off.

Furthermore, 9./JG51 did lose one 109 that day which may or may not be relevant:

9./JG51 Messerschmitt Bf109E-1. Shot down in combat with fighters over the Channel. FF Uffz Theodor Kröll killed. Aircraft 100% write-off.