Eye witness account: 401 FS vs JG1, Domfront area, 31st July 1944

[KrisJG3]

Still no additional answer , remarks , ... etc ?
Looks very interesting this story with collision at tree.

"...On 30 July the American spearheads reached the vicinity of Avranches, while in the air the Allied fighter-bombers flew unceasingly against German defensive positions. JG 1 was again tasked to attack the Allied Jabos and help relieve the pressure against the German 7th Army. At 1441 hours, ten to twelve Focke-Wulfs of II. Gruppe took off from Semallé and were joined by an equal number of aircraft from I. Gruppe at Lonrai. The Verband flew at 1000 meters (3300 ft.) in the direction of the front under the leadership of Lt. Gerhard Hanf of I. Gruppe. On this occasion, the German formation wasn't intercepted before reaching their own lines. They quickly spotted and bounced fifteeen to twenty Thunderbolts which were strafing ground targets. The combat lasted only a few minutes leaving the surviving Thunderbolts scattered and the Germans flying singly back to their own base. Six P-47s were confirmed destroyed, with three going to the pilots of II. Gruppe. Gefr. May of 7./JG 51 was credited with one at 1512 hours for his first Abschuss, while Obfw. Flecks of 6. Staffel shot down two, one at 1513 and another a minute later for his 16th and 17th victories. However the Germans did suffer the loss of two pilots, one being from II. Gruppe. Uffz. Wolfgang Boyé of 7./JG 51 was killed when he was shot down near Avranches. On 31 July a joint mission was again flown with I. Gruppe over the breakout, 16 machines of I. Gruppe taking off at 1217 hours and joining several aircraft of II. Gruppe. The German unit was intercepted almost immediately by a superior force of Thunderbolts. Three pilots were lost, all from I. Gruppe. Two victories were confirmed, one by II. Gruppe when Obfw. Flecks shot down a P-47 at 1235 hours for his 18th Abschuss. After the combat, parts of the German formation continued their mission, flying in a northeasterly direction from Alençon. A group of Spitfires was spotted and successfully attacked. Obfw. Flecks was credited with another victory, a Spitfire going down at 1255 hours for his 19th Abschuss, while Uffz. Fritz Wurl, also from 6. Staffel, claimed a Spitfire for his fourth Abschuss. Also on this date II. Gruppe finally received a new Kommandeur, Hptm. Hermann Staiger (58 Abschüsse to date), who was transferred from I./JG 26. Acting Kommandeur Oblt. von Kirchmayr was transferred to I./JG 11. He had 20 Abschüsse to his credit, all gained in two years operational flying with II./JG 1. ..."

Source:
http://sturmvogel.orbat.com/FGnorm.html


Here is more story about interesting us pilot:
Flight Lieutenant Terrance Patrick Jarvis
Juillet 31, 1944
401 e Escadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
service de numéro J/11056
cimetière militaire de Bayeux, France. Age 29
See:
http://charmanetoverlord.skyrock.com...ON-PILOTE.html
http://charmanetoverlord.skyrock.com...media=30230979


"....Terrance Jarvis allé à l'école Saint-Augustin et de Vancouver College. Pendant son séjour à l'université, il était un joueur de football étoile. Avant de se joindre à l'ARC, il a travaillé pour B. & K. l'exploitation forestière et pour le Logging Company Vedder. Avant d'aller à l'étranger, en mai 1943, il a suivi une formation d'instructeur de pointe de. Terrance Jarvis servi avec 401 "Ram" Escadron, une unité de jour de chasse canadien. Au moment de sa mort, Juillet 31, 1944, il a été aux commandes d'un Spitfire sur une mission de reconnaissance armée sur la zone de la France Domfront. Avions Terrance a été, interceptés par un Allemand FW-190 de combat, mais il a pu échapper à l'avion ennemi. Il attaqua et détruisit la FW-190, mais ce faisant, a couru sa propre aile dans un arbre et s'est écrasé. L'avion a explosé dix miles au sud-est de Vire, France. Il était le mari de Phyllis Edna Jarvis, de Vancouver, et a eu deux enfants, Wayne et Wendy. ..."

Can somebody translate this text ?

Pilot died: 31.07.1944 - so this day was air battle (?)

[Leo Etgen]

Hello guys

Not really very much that I can add but these are the losses included in the Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11 volumes by Prien and Rodeike for 31 July 1944:

Feldwebel Rudolf Rauhaus of Stab I./JG 1, killed in Fw 190 A-8 "White 20" (W.Nr. 172 606) in aerial combat with US fighters, crashed near Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, 100%

Leutnant Heinz Kottucz of 3./JG 1, killed in Fw 190 A-8 "Yellow 8" (W.Nr. 173 024) in aerial combat with P-47 fighters northwest of Alençon, 100%

Unteroffizier Heinz Fleischauer of 3./JG 1, missing in Fw 190 A-8 "Yellow 7" (W.Nr. 171 004) in aerial combat with P-47 fighters northwest of Alençon, 100%

Unteroffizier Hans Freitag of 7./JG 1, injured in Bf 109 G-6 "White 10" (W.Nr. 413 581) in emergency landing in the Tergnier area due to engine damage, 100% (died 12 September 1944)

Thus, according to this source none of the JG 1 losses that day were due to RAF fighters. I hope this helps.

Horrido!

Leo