JG 27 - Africa, july 1941

[Daniele Gatti]

Dear Andrei,

thanks for reply.

According to some sources P/O Leach (code Z4694) and Sgt Jupp (code W9197) was shot down by Flak and POW on 7th July.
They died on 8th July due to their wounds in an Axis hospital.

DG

[Andrei Demjanko]

Daniele,

I have the same info as you have, but since I obtained it from secondary source, I made my presumption they were actually lost on 8 July. Of course, this is just suggestion. P/O Whalley could be another possibility. Possibly there were other British fighters damaged or simply engaged with German fighters on 8 July (I have no such information). So the question who was the opponent of the pilots of JG 27 still stands.

Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure that two claims on 8 July were not made in combat with 73 Sqn on 7 July. One can made error in recording the correct date, but time of Hptm. Neumann's claim (early morning) not corresponds with the time when Hurricanes of 73 Sqn were lost on 7 July (late afternoon).