Friendly fire WWII

[Steve49]

Operation Jubilee 'friendly fire'

The following Allied losses suffered during the Dieppe raid 19th August.

Blenhiem IV's from 13 and 613 Squadron carrying out early morning low level smoke laying mission were engaged by German flak and Allied naval vessels (the Polish destroyer SLAZAK claimed to have shotdown one 'twin engined bomber' long before any Luftwaffe bombers had arrived). The combination of 'Friendly' and 'unfriendly' fire shotdown one Blenhiem IV (13 Sqn-V5380 OO-D PO C.L. Woodland, Sgt H.G Neville and Sgt A.S. Boyd all killed) and damaged five more aircraft, one of which forcelanded and was burnt out (613 Sqn-V5626 SY-J F/Lt J.E. Scott-injured, Sgt W. Johnson DOI 22/8/42 and F/Sgt G.R. Gifkins-killed). Have details of the other damaged aircraft if you're interested.

64 Sqn Spitfire IX BR977 (PO J.K. Stewart-killed) appears to have been a victim during the squadrons third mission. Whilst engaging Do217's he was heard to call 'be careful you're firing at me' and wasn't seen again. The identity of his attacker is not known (at the time the squadron was in company with 131 Sqn but he may have been hit by a 64 Sqn aircraft).

266 Sqn Typhoon 1b R7815 (F/Lt R.H.L. Dawson-killed) shotdown by 332 Sqn Spitfire whilst returning from the Typhoon Wing's second mission.

Also other pre-raid Typhoon losses;

1st June 1942: 56 Sqn R7678 (PO R.H.Deugo-safe) and R8199 (Sgt K.M. Stewart-Turner-killed) shotdown by 401 Sqn Spitfires.

30th July 1942: 56 Sqn R7853 (Lt E. Haabojoern-safe) shotdown by Spitfire.

Regards

Steve Pegge