National Archives Kew

[Alan Clark]

I have not seen any full debriefing reports at Kew but combat reports are in AIR 50.

[phasselgren]

David,
There is a series of documents called Interception and tactics. I have a sample from the night 7/8 September 1941 and includes:

• Main targets
• Other targets
• Bombing particulars
• Weather
• Routes
• Combats
• Encounters & other A/C seen
• ???/searchlights/other aids to defence
• Wireless intelligence
• Observations
• Summary of observations
• Enemy claims/our losses

Information is divided per Group in most of the sections. Squadrons are not mentioned.
You can find these documents on
AIR14/2681 Vol. l, 1941 June- Sept.
AIR14/2682 Vol. ll, 1941 Oct.- Dec.
AIR14/2683 Vol. lll, 1942 Jan.- Apr.
AIR14/3741 Vol. lV,1942 May- Oct.
AIR14/3742 Vol. V, 1942 Nov.- 1943 Apr.
AIR14/3743 Vol. Vl, 1943 May-1944 Feb.
AIR14/3744 Vol. Vll, 1944 Mar.- Dec.
AIR14/3745 Vol. Vlll, 1945 Jan.- May
Regarding the combat reports you propably know already that you search the digital archive on http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d...2aircombat.asp . I believe you can download these combat reports without cost when you visit Kew.

Regards,
Peter Hasselgren

[David P. Williams]

Thank you gentlemen very much for the information.

Very much appreciated,

David.

[RodM]

Hi David,

the reports you refer to were called Forms Y and Z. The Forms Y were individual crew reports (practically none of which survive at Kew) sent from Squadrons to the Group HQ, while the Forms Z were collated reports by the Group HQs sent to BC HQ and the BC ORS.

The only Forms Z I have found at Kew (and I've searched extensively) are held in the Raid Plot: Night files in AIR 14. They are the copies telexed to the BC ORS. Sadly, the only files preserved are for selected months only between 1942-45, and even those don't include all raids during a month:

AIR 14/3213 Raid plots : night 1942 Apr.
AIR 14/3214 Raid plots : night 1942 July
AIR 14/3215 Raid plots : night 1942 Oct.
AIR 14/3216 Raid plots : night 1943 Mar.
AIR 14/3217 Raid plots : night 1943 Apr.
AIR 14/3218 Raid plots : night 1943 July
AIR 14/3219 Raid plots : night 1943 Aug.
AIR 14/3220 Raid plots : night 1943 Oct.
AIR 14/3221 Raid plots : night 1944 Mar.
AIR 14/3222 Raid plots : night 1944 Apr.
AIR 14/3223 Raid plots : night 1944 June
AIR 14/3224 Raid plots : night 1944 July
AIR 14/3225 Raid plots : night 1944 Sept.
AIR 14/3226 Raid plots : night 1944 Nov.
AIR 14/3227 Raid plots : night 1945 Jan.


Some Forms Z (only maybe one or two per file) are occasionally misfiled with another type of Group summary in the files:


AIR 14/3063 Group summaries of operations during day 1944 June
AIR 14/3064 Group summaries of operations during night 1944 June
AIR 14/3065 Group summaries of operations during day 1944 July
AIR 14/3066 Group summaries of operations during night 1944 July
AIR 14/3067 Group summaries of operations during day 1944 Aug.
AIR 14/3068 Group summaries of operations during night 1944 Aug.
AIR 14/3069 Group summaries of operations during day 1944 Sept.
AIR 14/3070 Group summaries of operations during night 1944 Sept.
AIR 14/3071 Group summaries of operations during day 1944 Oct.
AIR 14/3072 Group summaries of operations during night 1944 Oct.
AIR 14/3073 Group summaries of operations during day 1944 Nov.
AIR 14/3074 Group summaries of operations during night 1944 Nov.
AIR 14/3075 Group summaries of operations during day 1944 Dec.
AIR 14/3076 Group summaries of operations during night 1944 Dec.
AIR 14/3077 Group summaries of operations during day 1945 Jan.
AIR 14/3078 Group summaries of operations during night 1945 Jan.
AIR 14/3079 Group summaries of operations during day 1945 Feb.
AIR 14/3080 Group summaries of operations during night 1945 Feb.
AIR 14/3081 Group summaries of operations during day 1945 Mar.
AIR 14/3082 Group summaries of operations during night 1945 Mar.
AIR 14/3083 Group summaries of operations during day 1945 Apr.
AIR 14/3084 Group summaries of operations during night 1945 Apr.
AIR 14/3085 Group summaries of operations during day 1945 May
AIR 14/3137 Group summaries of operations: night 1944 Apr.- May

Searching for them in these files would be labourous for little reward.

Anyway, I've attached a PDF with data extracted from Group Form Zs - I presume this is the type of information you are seeking.

Cheers

Rod

[mikew156]

Thanks Rod for posting that useful information.

Even though I have explored several different series of BC records at Kew, those that you have highlighted are still new to me. I'll take a look next time I am there.

I have found several interesting documents in the series AIR24.
They include raid reports, interception summaries, copies of K reports, reports on armaments, tactics, supply, and copies of letters sent between (for example) Harris and Portal.

I thoroughly recommend the use of a digital camera. It increases the amount of data you can during a visit massively.

Regards

Mike

[RodM]

Hi Mike,

thanks for the interesting reply. In looking through AIR 24, have you ever seen a specific monthly report entitled: 'Supplementary Narrative of Operations"? The surviving groups of these reports, scattered in various AIR files, are woefully incomplete...

Cheers

Rod

[mikew156]

Rod

To give you one example;
From Air24/272

"Night Raid Report No.588
Copy Number 22
Bomber Command Report on Night Operations
26/27th April 1944
Essen: Schweinfurt: Villenueve St George: Hamburg: Chambly, etc."

Main body of report is 5 pages then 2 tables of sorties, losses, combats etc, 1 route map and at least one bomb plot (Schweinfurt).

The other operations reports that I have seen may well have been titled 'Summary Narrative' but I was mostly on the look out for other types of reports so didn't pay close attention.

I would say that there is good coverage of operations within this series.
I have concentrated on 1944 where each month is generally covered in three volumes, the last of which seems to contain the miscellaneous collection of documents e.g. reports on training, Ministry/Command correspondence, K reports etc.

Most likely the operations reports can also be found in AIR14 and I think virtually all of the K reports (loss of bomber aircraft) are copies of those in AIR14 also. Last time I was looking in AIR24 I made a note of all the K report aircraft serial numbers I came across, all but one I found in a list of AIR14 reports.

Regards

Mike