Losses of 18 Squadron in Malta in November-December 1941.

[sergey]

Colleagues. Since there is no War Diary for 18 Squadron for November-December, but there are obscure entries in other sources, we need your help in determining their authenticity. Question 1.
12/12/41 Blenheim Mk.IV Z7613 18Sqn. Lost through flak in a raid on Argostoli.
W/Cdr Eustace Sweeting Barnes DFC RAFVR KIA.
Sgt William B. Allan 755584 KIA.
3 rd crew member unknown
https://aviationarchaeology.gr/wp-co...-1940-1941.pdf
Did W/Cdr Eustace Sweeting Barnes's aircraft really perish over Argostoli on that day? I have not found any other sources confirming this.
The Admiralty War Diaries do not record a raid on Argostoli on December 12, and the Malta Diary records an unsuccessful search for the convoy at sea by three Blenheims of 18 Squadron and 3 107 Squadron – there is no record of the attack or losses.

[Chris Goss]

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/67497


https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/7173


He was alive in 1958


Also note the date:


https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/fi...m-brian-allan/

[sergey]

Thank you. I understand I'm using an unreliable source, but it's accessible.

[sergey]

Question 2. The source is the same
https://aviationarchaeology.gr/wp-co...-1940-1941.pdf
Attack by six aircraft from 18 Squadron and six from 107 Squadron on the Savona-Bosforo-Pegaso convoy on November 8. The aircraft of Sergeants Vickers and Morris of 18 Squadron and Sergeant Hopkinson of 107 Squadron were shot down.
But the Malta Diaries state that Vickers and Morris were killed in action on November 5, and that Sergeant Hopkinson of 18 Squadron and Flight Lieutenant Prior of 107 Squadron were shot down on November 8.
https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/cate...r-1941/page/3/
What losses did the Blenheim squadrons actually suffer on these days?

[sergey]

Six Blenheims from 18 Squadron based at Luqa have carried out a bold attack on an Italian convoy attempting to run supplies to Tripoli. This time Malta’s losses were heavy: Flight Sergeant Chester Newsome and Sergeant Harold Macaulay of the Royal Canadian Air Force and Sergeant Roland Walker, Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, all flying with 18 Squadron were shot down.
https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/cate...r-1941/page/2/
I only found a record of this attack on November 19 in the Gulf of Sirte in Malta's Diary.

[Stig Jarlevik]

The Blenheim situation in Malta is confusing to say the least.
It is not much helped with the fact that 107Sq had a detachment down there as well.
Both units accepted terrible losses in Dec 1941

As I see it the following were lost
Dec 8th (attack on Catania): V5465 and Z9719, both 18Sq in a collision
Dec 11th (attack on Argostoli): Z7613 and Z7802, both 18Sq shot down by AA-fire
Dec 12/13th (attack on Argostoli): Z7368 and Z7800 107Sq both MIA
Dec 13th (attack on Argostoli): Z7858 18Sq shot down by Bf 109

The crews are a bit worse to ID
What I have is
V5465: Barclay - Lee - Allan
Z9719: Cuming - Tollett - Pilley
Z7802: Edmunds - Hedin - Mills
Z7613: Nothing...
Z7368: Gracie - McLean - Calderwood
Z7858: Jury - Black - Mortimer
Z7800: Lee - Haggett - Comeau

None of my sources list a W/Cdr Barnes. Was he onboard Z7613?

Since I cannot open the Gazette file (by Chris) I don't know whom he refers to. Barnes perhaps?

B Rgds
Stig

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by sergey

Six Blenheims from 18 Squadron based at Luqa have carried out a bold attack on an Italian convoy attempting to run supplies to Tripoli. This time Malta’s losses were heavy: Flight Sergeant Chester Newsome and Sergeant Harold Macaulay of the Royal Canadian Air Force and Sergeant Roland Walker, Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, all flying with 18 Squadron were shot down.
https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/cate...r-1941/page/2/
I only found a record of this attack on November 19 in the Gulf of Sirte in Malta's Diary.

That was in three different aircraft
V6060: Buck - Newsome - Thompson
V6492: Woolman - Walker - Macaulay
Z7860: Hanson - Parsons - Poulton

B Rgds
Stig

[AndreasB]

I have 3+3 Blenheim's of No. 107 and N0 18 Sqn attacking Argostoli on 11 Dec, with107 constituting the first wave. No 107 ORB. No mention of losses. There is one 18 Sqn Flt. Lt. and two 18 Sqn Sergeants who died on 11 Dec 1941 and who are buried in Phaleron CWGC, FltLt. Edwards (RNZAF), Sgt. Mills, and Sgt. Hedin. No other 18 Sqn casualties for the day. So it appears one plane only lost with crew KIA.

On 12 Dec shipping search 3 Blenheim No. 107. No incidents.

Another raid by 6 Blenheim of No. 107 on 13 December, two a/c lost, Sgt. Lee and Sgt. Gracey.

All the best

Andreas

[Chris Goss]

Gazette file is DFC for Barnes on 16 Dec 41; no mention of him being shot down

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

Gazette file is DFC for Barnes on 16 Dec 41; no mention of him being shot down

I thought so Chris
Thanks for the confirmation! Wonder why his name crept in on that Greek site

Cheers
Stig