Ghostbombers updates

[Nick Beale]

Thanks Marc,

Here are the original ULTRA documents that I used (I haven't re-checked to see if I transcribed everything correctly).

I don't know where Jochen got his data from — NVMs possibly?

[Marc-André Haldimann]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

Thanks Marc,


Here are the original ULTRA documents that I used (I haven't re-checked to see if I transcribed everything correctly).

I don't know where Jochen got his data from — NVMs possibly?

Thanks for providing the originals, Nick, highly appreciated. A quick question: the Nancy raid mentioned in the originals is dated 24 June 1944, not 24 May 1944 ?

Correction: if not mistaken, the three pages originals you kindly provide are ULTRA CX/MSS/T226/66 devoted to the attack of A/F Soucelles, 24 June 1944 - then base for 6./JG 53 ?

Thanks again
Marc

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Marc-André Haldimann

Thanks for providing the originals, Nick, highly appreciated. A quick question: the Nancy raid mentioned in the originals is dated 24 June 1944, not 24 May 1944 ?

Correction: if not mistaken, the three pages originals you kindly provide are ULTRA CX/MSS/T226/66 devoted to the attack of A/F Soucelles, 24 June 1944 - then base for 6./JG 53 ?

Thanks again
Marc

JG 26 at Nancy is taken from CX/MSS/T198/41, "Unsigned and incomplete series of accident reports dated 26/5" and other messages. So it definitely happened in May.

III./JG 27 at Soucelles:

CX/MSS/T226/21
Dated 24/6 to IC:
Low-level attack by 8 Mustangs on a/f 7 (C% 0) C ((satellite of Angers)) from 08.05 to 08.25 hrs.
2 Bf 109 of (Roman) of III./JG 27 burned out. (B% 6) Bf 109 of (Roman) III./JG 27 shot up.

CX/MSS/T226/66
KV 9571
((A)) From IC to IC (situation) and QM on 25/6:
i) Subsidiary A/F Soucelles near Angers.
ii) 24/6/1635 hrs.
iii) 25 Mustangs. A/C armament.

… NOTES:
1) Low level attacks on 70 C at 08.15 and 16.30–17.05/24/6 in T226/17, 21, 33, 53. Losses were: At 08.15 hrs. 2 burnt out, 3 to 6 shot up. At 17.00 10 a/c destroyed.
2) In item 2, para. VIII A and B possibly killed and wounded. Para. IX possibly a/c damaged. Cf. T209/187.
3) Comparison of the above references with the present documents suggests that 70 C may equal Soucelles.

As for 6./JG 53, II./JG 53 was operating under the control of JG 27's Kommodore at the time. Pierre Babin told me that the 6. Staffel was at Soucelles but the ULTRAs son't make that clear.

REF. CX/MSS/T224/9 KV 9269
ZZZ
Following Me 109 reported very early on 23rd serviceable at Angers.
Stab JG 27: 1
(Strong indications I. Gruppe) JG 27: 6
III./JG 27: 12
IV./JG 27: 6
II./JG 53: 9
(Comment: KV 9176 refers occupation Angers satellite airfields by these units)
231111Z/6/44

It was ordered to transfer to a new base on the 25th and operated on 26 June with 4 aircraft from Champfleury.

[Nick Beale]

I've posted some updates this afternoon:

• Unternehmen »Paula«: additional decrypt from 24 May 1940.
• Armistice to Eagle Day: additions about technical adjustments to six Ju 87 R-2 (27 July 1940)
• KGr. 100: a request for reports on operational experiences with Knickebein.
• 1940 losses: addition about the crash of a Do 17 on 14 September.
• KGr. 100, ULTRA and the Coventry Blitz: Seekriegsleitung diary entry about Operation Medium.
• Kommando Rastedter: a report on the use of the »Aphrodite« radar decoy
• I./JG 2 in Italy: more about the the death of Uffz. Walter Heiden on 14 March 1944, the combats on 19 March; revisions to the conclusions, the list of pilots and the map; various amendments throughout (with particular thanks to Neil Page, Erik Mombeeck and the work of Jochen Prien for helping to make sense of an ULTRA decrypt).
• Invasion Watch: a Seekriegsleitung assessment of 5 June and two additions to the Postscript.
• SG 4 Normandy: more about operations on 9 June 1944.
• Geschwader Bongart: the reported crash of a bomber near Limoges and more about the abduction of two naval officers.
• Staffel Kaatsch: report of a reconnaissance of Briançon on 21 September 1944.
• Jagdgeschwader recognition markings: advice of 22 December 1944 to 9. SS-Panzer Division about new fuselage bands.

[Nick Beale]

My latest updates are now posted:

• 1940 losses: additions for 19 and 24 April.
  
• Markings and camouflage: additions for 20 April 1940 and 10 June 1944.
  
• Unternehmen Paula: loss of Fw. Werner Patrzich (III./KG 77); a request for photographs by I./ZG 2; and the Paris fire service casualty figures.
  
• Kommando Koch: signal to the cruiser Prinz Eugen on 25 May 1941 about future jamming of Royal Navy radars.
  
• I./JG 2 in Italy: addition regarding a B-26 missing in action on 14 March 1944.
  
• III./SG 4 in Normandy: more about the bombing of the Bénouville bridge, 8 June 1944.
  
• Jagdgruppe 200: minor corrections.
  
• Geschwader Bongart: addtions for 18 and 19 July (rescue of german naval personnel); and 13, 14, 17, 18 and 25 August 1944.
  
• Kommando Rastedter: a radar reconnaissance flight on 30 July 1944 and information about a captured German jamming transmitter.
  
• Kommando Götz: the docket for Götz's transfer flight from Oranienburg to Juvincourt on 2 August 1944 (courtesy of Dave Wadman).
  
• 6.(F)/123: addition of the unit's code and a flight 4/5 August 1944.

I had planned to add a new article but it's kept getting bigger — so maybe next time for that one.

[Nick Beale]

I've added quite a lot to the site this morning:

• ULTRA in 1940: New article of 10,000 words-plus on Eagle Day to Battle of Britain Day.
• Armistice to Eagle Day: addition to the introduction; new sections on victory claims and night fighters.
• KGr. 100 and the Coventry Blitz: a brief postscript with a war correspondent's report from 1944.
• Kommando Koch: reference to the cruiser Prinz Eugen moved to the section on Unternehmen »Cerberus«. expanded chapters for July and August 1942 (thanks to infromation provided by Peter Taghon) and a graphic showing the RAF systems affected by German jamming transmitters..
• Heinz Hauck and 6.(F)/123: rewritten to incorporate new information, with thanks to Hans-Heinrich Weber and Marcel van Heijkop.
• Kampfflieger Vol. 4: date for arrival of an advance party and several revisions to text of Einsatzkommando KG 51 in France; minor corrections to Operation Spielzeug.
• Geschwader Bongart: more KG 100 operations against the Maquis including some with guided weapons; additional detail of Bongart's activities in July additions 1944; more about I./ZG 1's missions against the Resistance from 12 June 1944; damage at Valence on 26 July; a warning on 7 August about renewed guerrilla activity; additions to the pages on Kdo. Schäfer. (All the foregoing thanks to infromation from Peter Taghon and Chris Goss).
• Operation Dragoon: date of order to convert II./KG 26 to conventional bombing; KG 26 activity on 19 ans 20 August 1944.
• Invasion Watch: 18 April 1944 report from the Japanese Naval Attaché in Berlin.
• JGr. 200: damage from bombing at Miramas on 12 July and Valence on 24 July 1944.
• Kommando Olga (4./KG 200): additions about casualties in December 1944.
• Nachtjagdstaffel Norwegen: added a loss on 19 June 1944.
• 1.(F)/100: addition for 17 April 1945.
• Camouflage and Markings: naval signal of 8 February 1942.
• NSG 9: addition about the Nachtschwarm Oblt. Haimböck
• Many minor corrections to typing and layouts.

[Nick Beale]

Many additions to the site today, quite a lot of them made possible by the material now available online from the Bundesarchiv:

• Kommando. Koch: additions to Unternehmen »Cerberus«; 24 August 1942.
• Listening and Jamming: additions to January 1944 and to 4/FAGr. 5's formation & disbandment.
• Kommando. Kunkel: additions to May and June 1944 and sources.
• Kommando Schenck: additions to June 1944.
• KG 200 organisation: amended source note.
• Kommando Götz: corrected date on page 14.
• 1.(F)/100: corrected date on page 4.
• 10./ZG 1: addition about the Staffel's disbandment.
• Nachtjagstaffel Norwegen: dates of formal establishment and renaming.
• 1./NAG 1 and the Me 262: disbandment of 1./NAGr. 13 before completing its conversion..
• NAG 6 and the Me 262: additions about Kommando Braunegg and the allocation of aircraft for conversion.
• Heinz Hauck and 6.(F)/123: additions about 3./KG 66's origins and 6.(F)/123's formation. and disbandment.
• Kampfflieger Vol. 4: Order of 22 January 1945 about LG 1 operations against supply traffic to Antwerp.
• Jagdgruppe 200: additions to 6 and 23 July and to the After Provence section.
• III./SG 4 in Normandy: additions to 12 June and 17 June 1944.
• Geschwader Bongart: additions to Beginnings; 20, 22, 28, 29 and 30 June; 14–15 July; St. Pierre 17 July (thanks again to Philippe Cannone); Kommando Schäfer 11 July and a graphic for 22 July 1944.
• Invasion watch: more details of German reconnaissance flights on 6 June 1944.
• Markings and camouflage: additions about 25 June 1941 Mediterranean theatre markings; proposed deceptive markings for the V1; the Me 262 ’S’ marking.
• 1940 losses: identification of a 25 April loss as a Ju 52.
• Convoy UGS-40: identification of a missing shadowing aircraft.
• The Bf 109 H and 5.(F)/123: cancellation of the programme.
• Various minor corrections and changes to pagination.