Night fighter operations with Defiant 1941

[Hans Nauta]

Hello Peter,

The wireless operator/air gunner of Sgt Hall was Sgt Fitzsimmons. Their victim was probably He.111H-5 Wnr 3791 5J+CB of Stab/KG4 which managed to cross the North Sea and to make a bellylanding on the beach between the coastal villages of Egmond aan Zee and Bergen aan Zee, Holland.

Best regards,
Hans Nauta

[fsbofk]

From The Blitz Then and Now - Volumes 2 & 3 (After the Battle), for 1941:

Feb 4/5: Do 17Z-3 (wn 2907) of 7/KG2 (U5+AR) shot down by Defiant of No. 151 Squadron; Sgt H. E. Bodien, pilot; Sgt D. E. C. Jonas, gunner.
Feb 10/11: 2 enemy aircraft claimed probably destroyed by Defiants of No. 255 Squadron (no other details).
May 7/8: He 111H-3 (wn 3210) of Stab/KG53 (A1+BA) shot down by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron; Sgt Johnson, pilot; Sgt Aitchison, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111P-4 (wn 2871) of 1/KG55 (G1+LH) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; FL E. C. Deansley, pilot; Sgt W. J. Scott, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111P-4 (wn 2874) of 3/KG55 (G1+LL) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; PO D. Toone, pilot; FO R. L. Lamb, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111P-4 (wn 2908 ) of 6/KG55 (G1+HP) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; FL D. R. West, pilot; Sgt Adams, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111H-2 (wn 2432) of 3/KGr100 (6N+FL) shot down by Defiant (no other details).
May 8/9: He 111H-5 (wn 4006) of 4/KG53 (A1+FM) shot down by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron (no other details).
May 8/9: He 111H-5 (wn 4042) of 6/KG53 (A1+CW) shot down by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron (no other details).
May 8/9: He 111P-4 (wn 3000) of 6/KG55 (G1+FP) damaged by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron, force landed at Long Riston, Yorkshire (no other details).
May 10/11: He 111H-5 (wn 4002) of 3/KG53 (A1+CL) shot down by Defiant (no other details).
June 24/25: no Defiant claims listed

[phasselgren]

Thanks for the help all of you,

Regarding the claim by Sgt Bodien there were two different names mentioned on the gunner (James and D.E.C. Jonas). The official history of New Zealanders in the RAF supports that the correct name should be D.E.C. Jonas. ‘On the 4th a Dornier 215 was shot down in flames by Sergeant Jonas of No. 151 Squadron (Flying Officer D. E. C. Jonas; Auckland; born Auckland, 21 Feb 1921; salesman; joined RNZAF Jul 1940).’ http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1RAF.html I guess that Jonas can be confused with James on a hand-written document like the ORB.

According to the site of 151 Sqn Sgt James with Sgt Bodien as pilot made another claim on 9 April. Can anyone confirm if it´s the same here that the correct name of the gunner is Jonas instead of James.

Cheers
Peter

[Frank Olynyk]

Peter,
The second claim by Bodien and Jonas (not James) was at 0135 hours on April 10, 1941. Bodien ended up with five victories, and a DSO and DFC. I do not show any awards for Jonas (but not something for which I have attempted an exhaustive search).

Are there any sources which would give Jonas full name?

Frank.

[mhuxt]

Check PMs Frank.

[fsbofk]

Referring back to Volume 2 of The Blitz Then and Now (After the Battle):

April 9/10: He 111P (wn 1555) of 4/KG27 (1G+KM) shot down by Defiant, then hit balloon cables and fell on houses in Staffordshire around 0145 (no other details - perhaps Bodien & Jonas' second claim?).
April 9/10: He 111P-2 (wn 1423) of 5/KG55 (G1+DN) shot down by Defiant of No. 264 Squadron; FS E. R. Thorn, pilot; Sgt F. J. Barker, gunner.
April 9/10: Ju 88A-5 (wn 2170) of 3/KG77 (3Z+AL) shot down by Defiant of No. 151 Squadron; FL D. A. P. McMullen, pilot; Sgt S. J. Fairweather, gunner.
April 10/11: He 111H-5 (wn 3592) of StabIII/KG26 (1H+JD) shot down by Defiant of No. 264 Squadron; FO E. G. Barwell, pilot; Sgt A. Martin, gunner.
April 10/11: He 111H-5 (wn 3623) of 8/KG26 (1H+FS) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; FL E. C. Deansley, pilot; Sgt W. J. Scott, gunner.

[phasselgren]

Originally Posted by Frank Olynyk

Peter,
I do not show any awards for Jonas (but not something for which I have attempted an exhaustive search).

Frank,
Jonas is not mentioned in the book 'By Such Deeds-Honours and Awards in the RNZAF 1923-1999' by C.M. Hanson and I think this excludes any possibility that he received an award.

Peter

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

Just to add a little nugget from The Defiant File.

PO Stevensin his Hurricane again shot down two in one night on the 7th, this time over Hull, but these successes were balanced by two of their Defiants being destroyed when a Ju88 dropped a stick of bombs across A Flight dispersal on the night of the 9th.
During this attack the oldest Defiant gunner, PO Sydney Carlin, aged 52, ran towards his aircraft intending to operate his turret as an Anti-aircraft battery, but was killed in the attack.
He has served with 264 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and was universally known as "Timbertoes" as he had lost a leg in the trenches during the First World War.
He later became a S.E.5A pilot with 74 Squadron and shot down eleven German aircraft.
He was the ONLY Defiant Gunner entitled to wear the RFC pilots wings.

Alex