RCAF claim Anzio 30/3/44 trying to find a match

[Alistair Taylor]

Hi,
I've posted over on RAFCommands and its been suggested I post on here too as the question relates more to a potential German loss.

I'm trying to find detail of a claim made by W/O Gerald Palmerson McCully R84885 RCAF serving with 145 squadron - his Sortie Report for 30/3/44 in the Anzio area (from Spitfireperformance.com) has the following

"I and my No.2 were flying below cloud at approx. 4,000' following reports of 4 E/A given by Grubstake and shortly saw 2 FW 190's (Long nose) come out of cloud and fly SE. I gave chase and got to within 500 yards of one when it suddenly broke up to starboard. The other carried on in a shallow dive to port and was followed by my No.2. I followed the E/A up to starboard to just below the cloud when he did a 360 ° turn and few S. After a couple of minutes I caught him up and fired from 300 yards astern without seeing strikes. I then closed to 200-250 yards and fired again seeing strikes on his port wing root and he began to stream glycol. When 150 yards away I fired again – a long burst – hitting the engine cowling and the cockpit. The E/A then blew up and spun down in flames at approx. M.1298. I fired 320 x .303, 200 x 20mm.

I claim 1 FW 190 (Long nose) Destroyed. (Confirmed by F/L. Blackburn)"

The write up does seem very clear and doesn't sound like one that limped back home - I noticed a recent auction for a logbook etc of another Squadron Member (R H Orlebar) which mentions "W/O Jerry McCully (Canada) destroyed a long nosed 190, and F/O ‘Brook’ Harrington got a probable and a damaged (long-nosed 190s) this morning before breakfast off Anzio these were both later confirmed as ‘destroyed’ by ships"

From speaking to a mate who is a lot more knowledgeable than me on the German side of things than me (wouldn't be hard) and has a good reference library it wouldn't have been a Long Nose FW190 as those didn't operate in the area and he can't find a matching loss - does anyone have any details of a loss that ties in with the claim? or any reports from a German pilot of a combat in the area around that time.

Thanks in advance

Alistair

[Nick Beale]

That stated position is equivalent to 41 6 8N, 12 56 56E which in turn corresponds to the loss of Fhj.Ofw. Günter Matthies of 2./NAGr. 11 in B 109 G-6, W.Nr. 161401, white 3. This pilot died in air combat 6 km west of Capo Circeo.

P.S. when you say "it wouldn't have been a Long Nose FW190 as those didn't operate in the area" the other consideration is that none was in service anywhere until the end of October 1944. That didn't stop Allied pilots "seeing" them though!

[Alistair Taylor]

Thanks for that, looking at the location it does seem a good match - I think I had seen mention of this one but didn't look further with it being a 109.

Cheers

[Franek Grabowski]

Long nosed 190 was most likely a match to 109. New types were reported as soon as they appeared in intelligence bulletins. Well, some pilots had seen German Ju 52s over the UK.

[keith A]

Neville Duke also claimed a long nose Fw190 during combat with SG4 on 21 May 1944. He is credited with two Fw190. I did wonder whether one of his claims was for a Bf109 of the fighter bombers escort. Possibly an aircraft of JG53 or an Italian Bf109G?

regards

Keith

[keith A]

I got my information from http://www.ghostbombers.com/sf/SG4/21may.html although no Bf109 is recorded as lost. MAW (Vol.4) states II/JG77 had two aircraft damaged. Duke claims one victim crashed and the pilot baled out of the second Fw190.