213 Squadron in July and September 1944

[keith A]

I had hoped that HMAW Vol.5 would answer my questions about this combat but even with access to the ORB this is confusing.

According to the squadron ORB they claimed two He111 and two Go242 in aerial combat. Despite one Go242 landing relatively undamaged and then being straffed.

HMAW gives the credit as follows; a glider shot down by Rorvik and Moor and another by Smith. Which of these was straffed on the ground by Vorster et al according to the ORB is not specified. One He 111 destroyed by the flight (two He111 are given in the text without attribution.)

The ORB is not much help either. It does attribute a glider to Smith and the other to Rorvik and Moore. Vorster is awarded an He111.

TOE gives Smith a credit for a He111 but no Go242, perhaps his was the claim for the Go242 attacked as it glided in for a landing and then straffed on the ground by Vorster and a two other Mustangs? I should note that Vorster was probably flying as wingman to Smith and that his (Vorster's) attack was carried out with the sub-section, Rorvik and Moor. However the squadron ORB does allow him a "kill".

NB According to TOE Rorvik has just the one claim for this date, a Go242 shared with his wingman. Also Vorster is not mentioned in TOE probably because a second victory (the Go242 glinding into landing after Smith's attack is not considered despite his then straffing it on the ground).

A confusing combat indeed. If Smith is indeed the main victor with a He111 and a glider to his credit (even if shared, the latter is an air credit awarded by his squadron and presumably by the RAF?) then he is elevated to AH from TOE. He is also the only RAF Mustang "ace" with five kills (two or three shared) not flying in the ETO.

regards

Keith