Wellingtons over the Bay of Biscay 5 November 1943

[Chris Goss]

I have a photo of a Wellington about to be attacked on this date by 2./ZG 1 and have confirmation that this would have been between 0900 and 1300hrs. No claim was made as it disappeared into cloud. No mention in Coastal Command Int Sum so does anyone have any ideas from which unit this Wellington could have come? Not 179, 304 or 612 Sqns

[Nick Beale]

The best I can do from Air Operations Watch report ZIP/No. 982 (TNA HW 13/37) is:

Anti-Coastal Command patrols and/or escort to U-boat in the Bay by V./KG 40:

Intention: 6 Ju 88 to take off at 0900 [BST] in 14 West 4833, returning 1400 …

An aircraft in transit to N. AFRICA reported a U-boat with 6 Ju 88 escort at 1045 in 44º 40 N, 10º 30 W.

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Nick-it would appear to be the last sentence that confirms it; the crew were lucky and they disappeared into cloud PDQ. Oblt Albrecht Bellstedt said they attacked 5 times with no result while Lt Willi Gutermann (up from Lorient 0901 down 1350hrs) said it was a Freie Jagd but reported nothing. Luftflotte 3 just says 4 Ju 88s took off late morning to escort a Condor. Not 420 Sqn but a week or so later 15 OTU lost 2 Wellingtons to I./ZG 1 so I wonder if this is a possibility?