P-38 'friendly fire' incident, Normandy 1944

[stelmogcx]

I'm looking for any information people may have on an incident witnessed by a relative in 1944. (we were recently helped out with a query on the Luftwaffe forum, so he's come back with another question...)

The incident happened 3-5 weeks after D-Day (sorry can't be more specific), over the beach at la Brèche, Hermanville, Normandy.

He witnessed 6 or 7 Lightnings coming in low over the sea towards the beach.

The British bofors guns opened up on the fighters. He thinks 3 were hit - one came down about a mile away, one had an engine hit, which was smoking, and a third also appeared to be damaged.

Apparently the gunners were always given one of two orders: "Shoot at everything" or "Shoot at nothing", so presumably these aircraft weren't expected to be in the area at that time.

He was wondering if this was a documented incident, and if there is any information out there as to how it happened, (and no, he wasn't manning the guns.....)

I searched through the "Friendly fire WWII" thread without success!

Thanks

Phil