National Archives Kew

[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

[RodM]

Hi Mike,

thanks for the answer. The likes of the K Reports, Inteception Tactics Reports, Ingelliegence Narrative of Operations reports all seem to exist in dublicate, even triplicate at TNA.

The 'Monthly Supplementary Narrative of Operations' is a gem for which not even one complete set appears to be preserved (see AIR 14/3433 for a fragmented set from 8/43-5/45; another fragment exists in AIR 50). What is so unique about this report, especially considering that the AIR 50 series is incomplete and has even been irrepairably vandalised, it that it lists and summarises all Bomber Command air combat claims accepted by BC HQ (as opposed merely to claims submitted) and tallies with the figures presented to the Air Ministry after the end of the war and considered official.

Cheers

Rod

[David P. Williams]

Rod,

Apologies for the belated reply. Many thanks once again for your help and support, it's very much appreciated.

Hope you're well, look forward to seeing you again, sometime in the future.

All the very best,

David.

[phasselgren]

Originally Posted by RodM

Hi Mike,

thanks for the answer. The likes of the K Reports, Inteception Tactics Reports, Ingelliegence Narrative of Operations reports all seem to exist in dublicate, even triplicate at TNA.

The 'Monthly Supplementary Narrative of Operations' is a gem for which not even one complete set appears to be preserved (see AIR 14/3433 for a fragmented set from 8/43-5/45; another fragment exists in AIR 50). What is so unique about this report, especially considering that the AIR 50 series is incomplete and has even been irrepairably vandalised, it that it lists and summarises all Bomber Command air combat claims accepted by BC HQ (as opposed merely to claims submitted) and tallies with the figures presented to the Air Ministry after the end of the war and considered official.

Cheers

Rod

Hi Rod,

Do you have any idea about how many pages there are in AIR 14/3433?
I have a copy of 'Monthly Supplementary Narrative of Operations' from March 43 (AIR 50/294) - 3 pages, as you mentions it list claims with identification letter of A/C and squadron but no names of gunners or pilots.
In AIR 50 there are also some documents called "H.Q. No. X Group: summary of encounters with enemy aircraft". I have found these for 3, 4, 8PFF and 100 Groups but only in fragments.

Regards,
Peter Hasselgren

[RodM]

Hi Peter,

the file AIR 14/3433 has 99 pages, which encompasses the reports from August 1943 to May 1945.

As you know, AIR 50/294 is supposed to have the reports from 01/1943 to 04/1943.



Apart from the two TNA files, there is also a file at NARA in the US that has the reports from 10/44 to 01/45. A file at The Australian War Memorial in Canberra has one report, which is already found in the TNA files.

Thus, assuming that the report series commenced from January 1943 (and it may have actually started much earlier), it was issued monthly until the end of the war. There should be at least 29 monthly reports. From the known archived sources, however, eight of the 29 reports are not preserved, these being:

05/1943, 06/1943, 07/1943, 05/1944; 06/1944; 07/1944; 08/1944, and; 02/1945.

What I do know is that there were at least 25 distributed copies of this monthly report circulated to various commands/groups/units, plus copies to all Bomber Command Stations. I'm just surprised that at least one complete set doesn't appear to have survived.

Cheers

Rod

[phasselgren]

Hi Rod,

Thanks for the info about AIR 14/3433. I plan to order copies and now I know how much it will cost.

Maybe some of the missing documents can be found among the Appendices for some unit. I don´t think there has been so many searching for this information. After all very little has been written about claims by non-fighter units. I´m doing a research on claims by New Zealand air gunners and sometimes it´s very difficult to find correct information. Of course shoting down enemy enemy a/c never was the main business of the bomber units.

I assume that some of the information from the missing 'Monthly Supplementary Narrative of Operations' can be found in the 'Interception and Tactics'. At least these cover the complete period from June 41 to May 45. Have you done any research on these documents?

Cheers
Peter