Luftwaffe units involved in Rennes Railway yards raid, 17th June 1940?

[Larry Hickey]

Peter,

According to the EOE translation of the "Original" Heinrich Weiss manuscript (copyright IHRA, 2010), under Air Corps I it states:

"b) KG76:
Shortly after 11.00 hrs the railway station in Rennes became the target of a low-level attack carried out by one squadron from KG76. Fifteen goods and transport trains were at the railway station and some 120 SC50 bombs exploded on the target with devastating effects. An ammo train loaded with 12 tons of explosives had been mistakenly placed between trains loaded with refugees, wounded soldiers and French soldiers returning from England (they were shipped to England in course of evacuation of Dunkirk). The ammo train was hit by a stick of bombs and exploded. The huge explosion caused a large column of fire and smoke. According to French sources some 2000 people (soldiers and civilians) were killed by this explosion and further 900 were injured.
At 18.03 hrs I./KG76 took off from Cambrai and attacked, mostly from low level, enemy troops on roads and in the woods near Vannes-sur-Cosson, Craon, Clemont, Aubigny-sur-Nere and Salbris. The railway station in Salbris as well as road bridge over the Cher and the canal near Vierzon were also successfully attacked."

Since the account mentions the activities of I./KG76, which does not involve an attack on Rennes, it seems compatible with the previous posts by Arnaud and Robert that the planes which hit Rennes were Do17Zs from III./KG76. I find no further reference to the attack on Rennes in either the "Original" or "Coastal War" Weiss manuscripts, both of which have been translated for June 17th.

I hope that this helps.

Regards.