12/05/1940: 815 Sqdn Swordfish loss over Waalhaven

[robert]

Hi,

I have in my notes (unfortunately I noted no source) that eight Swordfishes attacked late in the evening of the 12th May Waalhaven airfield (mission number 13). One of them was downed by German Flak unit.

Regards

Robert

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Robert,

Thanks - maybe someone with access to the ORB's of 22 and 815 Squadrons can resolve this matter.

[robert]

Hi,

the 22 hit the airfield slightly earlier.

Regards

Robert

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Robert,

Thanks - do you have the exact (well, the approx.) times of the two squadrons over the target?

[robert]

No. I have only: evening and night so it could be 22.10 as mentioned in Peter`s book.

Robert

[B.F.M. Droog]

To complicate it further: According to War over Holland: 'The planes took off from Bircham at 1950 hours [Dutch time] and (...) returned at 2250 hours.'

Dutch time in 1940 was somewhere in between German and English time and different from the Belgian and French time. Since according to War over Holland the planes were for two hours in the air, the bombardment must have taken place at approx. 21.50 hrs (Dutch time). Which doesn't quite fit with the 22.10 hrs (English time?) of Peter. Or does he use Dutch time as well?

For the crash location: Herkingen polder and beach Overflakkee could be the same. Hope this direct link to Herkingen (on Goeree-Overflakkee isle) works: Herkingen

Regards,

Bart

[Chris Goss]

Puzzled by what you mean Dutch time was between British & German time? At this stage, British time was GMT+1; German time was GMT+2 so Dutch time doesn't leave many options!

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Chris,

As I said, Dutch time was something 'in between' - much to the annoyance of Dutch internationally operating companies. It differed 1 hour and 40 minutes from the German time.

On 15/05/1940 the German High Command of the Occupation Forces ordered the introduction of the German time in the Netherlands. This took place in the night of 15-16/05/1940. On this page the official press release of that order can be found.

Regards,

Bart

[Peter Cornwell]

All my information indicates that the attack took place on May 12, 1940.

[B.F.M. Droog]

Thank you, Peter - everything points to the twelfth of May for this attack.

About the times-question I've been asking around and this is what I learned:

10/05/1940 until 00.00 hrs 16/05/1940

D: GMT + 2 hrs (summertime)
UK: GMT + 1 hr (summertime)
NL: GMT + 20 minutes
B: GMT
F: GMT

So Dutch (Amsterdam) Time, 10/05/1940, 12.00 hrs
was: 13.40 hrs German Time
and: 12.40 hrs UK Time

Starting 00.00 hrs 16/05/1940

D and NL: GMT + 2 hrs
UK: GMT + 1 hrs

Summertime started in Germany on ? (early spring?) 1940
Summertime started in the UK in February 1940

I assume in Belgium and the occupied part of France the German (Middle European Time) was introduced shortly after the capitulations of both countries. Am I correct in thinking so?