Attacks On Shipping December 1940

[Doug Stankey]

Checking into the loss lists in “The Allied Convoy System” by Hague, I find no reference to any of those ships which can only mean that they were not part of any convoy.

Checking with “Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe” find the following statuses of all bomber units potentially available for attacks on shipping on or about 18, 19 December 40:

I./K.G. 1 – removed from ops in early December 1940
II./K.G. 1 – in Germany converting to Ju 88
III./K.G. 1 – night attacks on UK

I./K.G. 2 – night attacks on UK.
II./K.G. 2 – night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 2 – night attacks on UK

I./K.G. 3 – night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 3 – night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 3 – night attacks on UK

I./K.G. 4 – mine laying at Malta and Suez
II./K.G. 4 – night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 4 – not existing at this time

I./K.G. 26 – night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 26 – night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 26 – night attacks on UK

I./K.G. 27 – night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 27 – night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 27 – night attacks on UK

I./K.G. 28 – not yet existing
II./K.G. 28 – no longer existing
III./K.G. 28 – no longer existing

I./K.G. 30 - virtually inactive
II./K.G. 30 - night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 30 – in training

I./K.G. 40 – some recce off Ireland – few a/c available.
II./K.G. 40 – not formed yet
III./K.G. 40 - not formed yet

I./K.G. 51 – night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 51 – night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 51 – night attacks on UK

I./K.G. 53 - night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 53 - night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 53 – night attacks on UK; Gruppe largely out of ops

I./K.G. 54 - night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 54 - night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 54 – not existing at this time

I./K.G. 55 – night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 55 - night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 55 – night attacks on UK

I./K.G. 76 – in Germany converting to Ju 88
II./K.G. 76 – night attacks on UK with part of Gruppe in Germany
III./K.G. 76 – night attacks on UK and preparing to stand down.

I./K.G. 77 - night attacks on UK
II./K.G. 77 - night attacks on UK
III./K.G. 77 - night attacks on UK

KGr. 100 - night attacks on UK
KGr. 126 - night attacks on UK, while being redesignated I./K.G. 28
KGr 606 – night attacks on UK
KGr 806 – no info!

I./LG 1 - night attacks on UK
II./LG 1 – night attacks on UK
III./LG 1 – transferring to the Mediterranean

Thus it appears that there are few realistic possibilities as the units were generally doing night attacks on cities. Attacking ships is a more difficult and specialized day mission compared to trucking bombs to cities at night.
I therefore conclude that it could only be I./K.G. 40 that did the deed, although we have no specific record of such an attack.

I hope this helps!