LAGOON versus JIM CROW Operations

[Adriano Baumgartner]

TIM,
Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences! May I ask you, if it did not offend you, of course, what were the difficulties of the JIM CROW missions? You do mention that an armed trawler was sunk, and we do know now, that the Kriegsmarine often has civlian ships equipped with radios and guns patrolling the Ocean ( disguised ).
Just read the book "Decima Flottiglia Mas" from J Valerio Borghese, an Italian submarine commander who do mention this kind of disguise being used by the Italian Navy in the Mediterranean.
From my humble civilian ( pilot also ) point of view, the major difficulty would be flying over the "drink" ( particularly during the winter period ) with a liquid-cooled engine ( a single one! ).
I found that you had fought with 601 ( Hurricanes IIc ) by checking F/L George Frederick Gregory ( RAFO 72259 ) whom you do mention on your logbook. Sorry for his and a lot of other young boys losses...very sad indeed that so many did not came back.
Do you remember or flew with MacLachlan or Brooker? Could you post here, if this will not disturb you your successes ( claims )?
By the way, I found re-reading some material the difference between LAGOON and JIM CROW missions:
LAGOON : Ship strike ( by Fighter Command )
JIM CROW: Ship recon ( with apparently a possibility if tactics permit to attack )
Two examples:

7. January 1941 ( Apparently the very first JIM CROW mission by Fighter Command )

RAF 11 Group: (Jim Crow) Shipping-Recco.

RAF 11 Gp. 421 Flt. 2 Spitfire I 12.00-12.10 Ship-Recco. 0 - 0 - 1 Ju 88 No casualty Visual: S. Dover

Claim 07.01.41 F/Lt. B. Drake 11 Group 421 Flt. 0 - 0 - ½ Ju 88 12.05 ca: N. Hawkinge-S. Cap Gris Nez
Claim 07.01.41 P/O J.J. O'Meara 11 Group 421 Flt. 0 - 0 - ½ Ju 88 12.05 ca: N. Hawkinge-S. Cap Gris Nez

RAF 11 Gp. 421 Flt. 2 Spitfire I 14.40 hrs. Ship-Recco. 0 - 0 - 1 Ju 88 No casualty Visual: S. Hawkinge

Claim 07.01.41 F/Lt. B. Drake 11 Group 421 Flt. 0 - 0 - 1 Ju 88 14.40: S. Dover-Cap Gris Nez

5. May 1943
RAF 12 Group Anti-shipping Strike (Lagoon)
RAF 12 Gp. 167 Sqn. 2 Spitfire LR.Vb 09.55-11.55 Lagoon 0 - 0 - 0 n/a 1 Cat.Em Flak Ijmuiden
Cat.Em 05.05.43 P/O K. Papousek: KIA 12 Group 167 Sqn. Spitfire Vb: BM477 R Flak: off The Hook

I do thank you all who helped on this thread.
Yours
Adriano Baumgartner
PS: I do appologize for not reading my sources accordingly...I passed over the information without seeing it.