LG2's Role in Attack on Biggin Hill on 30 August 1940

[Peter Cook]

I am trying to establish the role played by Bf 109s of LG2 in the second attack on Biggin Hill at approximately 18.00 on 30 August 1940. In To Defeat the Few: The Luftwaffe’s campaign to destroy RAF Fighter Command, August–September 1940, authors Douglas Dildy and Paul Crickmore state that Biggin Hill was bombed by:

... ten Bf 110Ds [of ErprGr 210] leading a half-dozen Bf 109E-7 Jabos from II.(Schl)/LG 2 on their very first operational mission.

However, this is the only source that I can locate that includes the II.(S)/LG 2 Jabos in this raid. Malcolm Lowe's Bf 109 Jabo Units in the West states that II.(S)/LG 2 became operational at the beginning of September.

I wondered if Dildy and Crickmore could have been confused by the presence of Bf 109s of I.(J)/LG 2, which made claims for two Spitfires (misidentifications of 79 Squadron Hurricanes) over Biggin Hill – Ofw Schumann at 18.10, and Hptm Ihlefeld 18.25.

Any thoughts?

Peter

[John Vasco]

Post #5 in this thread gives you the answer. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=37486


The unit didn't move to France until 4th September 1940, so could not have taken part in the Biggin Hill raid of 30th August.
Douglas Dildy also says II./LG 2 took part in that raid in his book 'Battle of Britain 1940, The Luftwaffe's 'Eagle Attack'. I will not make comment on the contents of that book.

[Chris Goss]

Beat me to it John! Doug and Paul are nice guys but relied too much on published rather than primary sources

[Peter Cook]

Thanks for confirming Chris and John.

A quick follow-up question for John, do you know how many Bf 110s took part in the raid? As you state in your book, Uffz Aretz took part in this, but was it just a 2 Staffel operation?

Peter

[Chris Goss]

24 SC500 and 6 SC250 were dropped in the second attack so maybe work it out from that?

[Peter Cook]

30 bombs implies at least 15 Bf 110s, so I assume 2 Staffels.

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Peter Cook

30 bombs implies at least 15 Bf 110s, so I assume 2 Staffels.

Erpr. Gr. 210 = 12 Bf 110s (two bombs each) and 6 Bf 109s (one bomb each). Otto Hintze's Flugbuch (Staka of 3./210) records a mission at the exact time of day on 30 August.

[Peter Cook]

Thanks for confirming John!

Peter