26.07.1944: Air attack against german convoy off Kristiansand

[Darius]

Hallo friends,

on Chronik des Seekriegs there´s the following entry:

26.7.1944
Norwegen
Bei einem Luftangriff von Beaufighters und Mosquitos auf ein dt. Geleit bei Kristiansand werden 2 Dampfer beschädigt, auf den Geleitfahrzeugen (welchen ?) entstehen durch Bordwaffenbeschuss hohe Personalausfälle (Quelle?).

Do you have any data on this attack from the allied side?
In my german naval sources I didn´t find this attack.

Only for 25.07. (as stated in Chronik des Seekriegs) at 13.30 an attack of 2 Mosquitos against U 244 & UJ 1713 in AN 3617 (10 sm SSW Kr.sand-Süd) with 5 badly and 7 slightly wounded (1 seaman died later) on U 244 and 2 dead, 3 badly and 15 slightly wounded on UJ 1713 in "KTB des Kommandierenden Admirals Norwegen / MOK Norwegen".

Thanks

Darius

[Juha]

Hello Darius
according to Björn Hafsten et al ‘Flyalarm’ (1991) p. 187 the attackers on 25.7.44 were E/333 Sqn (fenrikene Sigmund Breck and Per Hjorten) and British manned F/333.. A quick look reveals nothing on next day but because different units are treated separately I may have missed something.


Juha

[Darius]

Thank you Juha.

Regards

Darius

[andy bird]

Under the command Ruprecht Fischer U244 sailed at 20:00 from a base in Horten. The next day at 07:30 moored in Kristiansand, after replenishment of goods set sail at 11:55

Twenty minutes later, at 12:15 U 244 ordered to act as an escort to UJ 1713 original assigned escort defective.

About 13:35 on the surface six lookouts in conning tower watching for any sign of enemy two sight a pair of twin-engine aircraft coming in low at less than 50ft.

Fischer has been detected by two Norwegian Mosquito aircraft and E-Egg and F-Freddie belonging to 333 Sqn RAF.

Attack Alarm sounded by the commander AA gun crews race to positions and the order to open fire unfortunately they've a defective 3.7 cm, after firing fourth round, gun breach became jammed.

Using the occasion to their advantage both Mosquitoes attacked using Depth charges and 500lb bombs which resulted in U-244 suffering considerable damage.

Six crew members were seriously injured (MaschObGfr Schliching, BtsMt Neuber, MaschObGfr Erwin Bürkle, MtrObGfr Neuber, and Schulz, Mtr I Flender) and four slightly injured (ObStrm Karl Danne, BtsMt Gärting, MaschObGfr Gerhard Klages, MaschGfr Karl-Heinz Bruckmann).

Due to the damage and severe losses Ruprecht Fischer after the departure of 333 Sqn aircraft broke the cruise as did UJ 1713 because of crew losses both set a course for the base in Kristiansand, arriving at 15:00. All the wounded transported to a local hospital (one of the seriously injured MaschObGfr Schliching died in the hospital operating theatre).

Between 26 and 30 July stayed in Kristiansand own crew and port workers temporarily repaired damage caused by the attack.

30 July attacked on surface by enemy aircraft, at 20.30 defective AA Gun brought into action after repair to breach. Stayed over in Stavanger before finally reaching Bergen the next day.

Between 1 and 8 August repair work carried out and intensive training of new crew members, who came to the place injured.

Hope this helps - have a dozen photos of said attack.

Andy Bird
http://www.andrewdbird.com

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

25 July, 1944.
No.333 (Norwegian) Sqn.

Mosquito FB.VI HP904 "E"
2/Lt (Pilot) S Breck
2/Lt (Nav.) P Hjorten

Mosquito FB.VI HR116 "F"
P/O (Pilot) J A Stiff
F/Sgt (Nav.) H E Bussey

See:
Search,Find and Kill:The RAF's U-Boat Successes in World War Two.
Franks,Norman.
London:Grub Street,1995.
pp.69-70

Col.

[Juha]

Thanks Col!
I have a copy of Franks’ book but didn’t realize that also this case is reported in it because the sub was only damaged and was wondering from where I can find the names of the British crew.

Juha

[Darius]

Hello friends,

so for 26.7. there seems to be no track of an attack.

Thanks for the details of 25.7.-attack.

Regards

Darius