Oblt Kayser, 1./406 and an incident on 26.7.40

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Adam.

Not sure if I can help, but by chance yesterday I was looking at the 10 Sqn. RAAF online ORB on the National Archives of Australia website. There is a very similar engagement in July 1940, but on the 29th.
SunderlandP9602 was enroute to Gibraltar from Mount Batten when it engaged a Do 18. The Sunderland suffered two hits from cannon shells which badly wounded the front gunner. The crew returned at once to their English base.

As far as I know only the 2 Staffel of the Gruppe was using the Do 18 at that time. What type of aircraft was K6+CH ?

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

[robert]

Hi Adam,

Uffz. Karl Hey
Sunderland 204 Sqn KG-N was slightly damaged.

Regards

Robert

[Chris Goss]

I have it as being G/204 Sqn at 0645 hrs in ZQWT 1057. Ac slightly damaged and 1st Rigger wounded. Possibly Horst Kayser?

[robert]

German time: 07.35 hrs grid MQ2342AN.

Robert

[Adam]

Thanks for the quick response:

@ Martin: The report I have is from the KTB of KFlGr Stavanger and is written by a "Kayser" (I assume to be the StaKa given it is more in depth and is the first report attached to the KTB). He notes the aircraft code specifically as "CH" (K6 is my assumption) and in the report notes the disadvantageous position of the German crew in relation to the Sunderland during the combat precisely because of the Do 18s inferiority in the climbing turn. In fact Kayser infers the only way they escaped was due to the fact the Sunderland disengaged after receiving gun fire to the nose. He also notes that the cannon had jammed (faulty ammunition) and this was the second time such an incident had occured (the first during an operation on 21 June 1940). The damage was inflicted from a range of 50m and whilst the Sunderland was turning to make a beam attack on the a/c.


@ Chris: As Robert states, it was early morning. The report states time as being 07:40 in "grid 2343" in an area of closed cloud between 800 - 1000 metres. Combat took place at an altitude of c.2-300 metres.

Any ideas on 'Horst' Kayser's tenure with the unit? Perhaps Doug can help with this one.


@ Robert: Thanks for the info on the wounded crew member.

Adam

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Adam,

Very interesting. Clearly if Stavanger was involved it must have been 204 Squadron which was then based at Sullom Voe in the Shetlands. There are striking similarities between the two incidents; the 10 Sqn. RAAF Sunderland disengaged after it received damage to its front turret and had a crew member wounded, the time (British) of the engagement was 0710 hours and the height varied from 1,000 feet down to 50 feet during the action.

I wonder if N9021 was the identity of 'G'/204 ? It is the only match I can find in 'THE SHORT SUNDERLAND' by Chaz Bowyer for that period of the war, and there seems to be no 'KC-N' as far as I can see.

From Michael Holm's Luftwaffe website I see 1./406 was only operating the Do 18 on that day from Rantum in NW Germany, but was transferred to Stavanger in Norway the following day.

Regards,

Martin.

[Larry deZeng]

Of 6 KAYSERs in our data base, this is the only one who seems to meet or come close to the specifications:

KAYSER, Horst. (DOB: 01.05.14). 16.10.39 Oblt., trf from 2./Kü.Fl.Gr. 406 to Führerreserve RLM/Ob.d.L. c. 02.40 Oblt., Staka 1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 406 (to 00.40). 04.40 Hptm., Staka 1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906. 01.07.42 promo to Maj. 11.42 Maj., appt Kdr. III./KG 26 (to 19.12.42). 19.12.42 MIA – failed to return from operations in the Mediterranean theater.

HTH,

HLdeZ/DGS