F8+KR III/KG40

[Oxby R]

Gentlemen - would appreciate some assistance with KG40 query. I am trying to establish accuracy regarding origins of a Heinkel III H-6 F8+KR werke nr. 4430 (possibly of 7/KG40; or alternatively 3/KG40 ?? Luftflotte III - Fliegerfuhrer Atlantik) shot down over Anglesey Wales, at 20.30 on 1st November 1941. All four aircrew were presumed killed in this incident, as the Heinkel crashed with bombload aboard (interestingly - the pilot's body was never found). I believe the aircraft was part of IX Fliegerkorps possibly flying out of Brest ? An alternative base mentioned in literature elsewhere is 'Renne St Jaques, Brittany' - but I cannot confirm this detail. I do know the regional HQ was in Rennes at the time. Can anybody help solve the mystery ? Cheers.

[Günther Ott]

Hello Oxby R,

This 7./K.G. 40 plane, with Lt. Georg Leins as pilot, took-off for a night raid on Liverpool from Rennes were III./K.G. 40, commanded by Hptm. Robert Kowalewski, was based since October 4th, 1941. Staffelkapitän of 7./K.G. 40 at the time was Oblt. Rudolf Graeber. The full chain of command was: Ob.d.L.-L.Fl.3-F.F.A.-K.G.40-III./K.G.40-7./K.G. 40.

F8+KR fell victim to a Beaufighter of No. 68 Sqn. with P/O M.C. Shippard, pilot, and Sgt. D.A. Oxby (what a coincidence!), navigator. It broke up in the air and crashed near Gwalchmai, Ilse of Anglesey. It is right that only the bodies of Uffz. Alwin Tepe (Bo.), Uffz. Gerhard Fischer (Bf.) and Gefr. Rudolf Terstegen (Bs.) were found and now rest at Cannock Chase. Lt. Leins fell into the sea according to Volksbund records.

F8+KR and the crew were topic of the book "The Ghosts of KG 40" by Jack Oakey, published in 1998, partly a work of fiction but drawn on facts (or the other way round?). Only the ghosts from that book might be the cause of mysteries.

Regards,

Günther Ott

[Oxby R]

Dear Günther

Many thanks indeed for your prompt reply with information, it will be very useful. Perhaps I could beg your assistance on a number of supplementary questions - since you clearly have a better understanding of the Luftwaffe than I do ? Firstly, I regret my understanding of the Luftwaffe's command structure is not good, so could I please beg your assistance to decypher one line of your text ? 'Ob.d.L.-L.Fl.3-F.F.A.-K.G.40-III./K.G.40-7./K.G. 40.' As to Jack Oakey's book entitled 'Ghosts of KG40'. Well, yes - you guessed quite correctly in supposing there might just be a family link between the Sgt Oxby mentioned in Jack Oakey's 'Ghosts of KG40' and myself. I am indeed his progeny ! Excellent – good, solid detective work - well done, Sir. You are probably now wondering why on earth am I seeking assistance in relation to F8+KR ? Well, some time ago, Oxby senior, (now aged 85, and living in Canada) asked me to assist him in assembling material for a new book, called 'Nightfighter Navigator' (or maybe 'Back-Seat Driver' - we're still arguing the toss over that one). The book describes the old man's experiences, and in particular focusses on how (AI) radar operators located their 'prey' in the darkness. Well, suffice to say that we have assembled quite a volume of material (1941-45), and now we have come full circle - virtually to where the story starts in 1941 with the destruction of F8+KR. This was incidently, Shipard/Oxby's first confirmed kill. (They went on to serve together quite successfully in North Africa & Malta, and later on Doug served with Wing Commander Peter Green in Europe (I'll include a potted history below for interest)). Anyway - Doug tells me that Jack Oakey's account of this first interception and the subsequent destruction of F8+KR is pretty good, probably because much of the material came from interviews/correspondence with Merv Shipard. However, it remains difficult to establish precisely what material is fact in 'Ghosts of KG40', and where fiction takes over. For this reason, I am now in the process of independently verifying everything I possibly can about this particular incident. You might well ask, 'Well, why don't you approach Jack Oakey then ?' Dad knows Mr Oakey quite well, and he has generously given us permission to use whatever material we find useful from the book, which is nice of him - but at the risk of appearing pedantic - I really do need to independently verify all those little details.
Unfortunately, we still have lots of gaps in our information concerning what happened to certain Luftwaffe crews. We might know for example, that Shipard/Oxby shot down an E/A over Trapani, Sicily on the night of 14th October 1942; but without referring to the German records we don't know whether the crewmembers survived - or what became of them if they did ? This would need somebody with good German, and a genuine interest in locating the facts. These sorts of things add hugely to the human interest of a book - and is, I think, why 'Ghosts of KG40' works so well (ok, up to the point that the book departs into the realms of Jack Oakey's imagination. No criticism intended incidently - the book nevertheless stands up as a really good read.)
Which brings me to my last question. Günther, it is possible that you would be interested in assisting us in researching information on certain German and Italian crews for 'Nightfighter Navigator' ?? We can offer no financial incentive (unless of course it becomes a bestseller, which I doubt very much) - but naturally, credit would be given for any assistance provided - and it is a very nice way of getting your name into print ! Do, please get in touch if you are interested. My e-mail is richard.oxby@btinternet.com
Best regards,
Richard Oxby
Some more details about Sgt Oxby (post 1941) : Extract (Page 358-359 Night Fighter CF Rawnsley & Robert Wright. Collins Publishers 1957)

No. 219 Squadron, which had been transferred to 85 Group, and which had come over to France early in October (1944), was now commanded by Peter Green, promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. He had as his navigator, Grimmy having gone on a rest, Flight Lieutenant D.A. Oxby, one of the most successful navigators in the business. Only recently they had shot down during one patrol three Stukas which had been trying to dive-bomb the bridge over the Waal at Nijmegen.

Douggie Oxby was young, slightly built, with a twinkling, almost roguish eye, and a keen wit that seemed always just about to bubble over. I could well imagine that in the air his commentry would come rippling over in an exuberant but unflurried stream.

I asked Douggie if they had had much trouble with the Stukas over speed. He admitted that they had had to put their wheels and flaps down in order to stay behind the slow and old dive bombers, and that even then had nearly shot past them. And they would have shot down a fourth but for the fact that it fired off a cluster of white regcognition signals right in their faces, dazzling them, and forcing them to turn away.

In his time Douggie had flown with quite a variety of pilots. He had been with a night squadron in the Western Desert, and had seen a lot of activity over Tobruk. He had also served on Malta, again on night operations. "That was a game!" he commented when he told me about it. "We were equipped with Mark VIII A.I. (radar) while we were there, and we were so short of juice that every operator was considered to be operational after one twenty minute practice." I thought of the long weeks we had spent struggling with the stuff, and I remarked that they could not have been of much use after only that much practice. Douggie laughed. "We did four sorties from Luqa the same night," he said. More cautiously I asked what luck they had had. "One destroyed and one probable," he said. "Both Heinkels. The probable was one of those annoying blighters that won't burn. We chased it down from twelve to one thousand feet, and used all our ammo on it, too." It did not seem to strike him as anything of an achievement to get two visuals and combats straight off the reel with completely strange equipment. There was only a vague regret that they had not properly fixed the probable.

Douggie went on, flying now with Peter Green, to pile up what was I believe, the record score by any (Allied) night fighter navigator. He produced thirty-six visuals on enemy aircraft, which resulted in twenty-six combats. Of these, twenty-two were definitely destroyed, two were probably destroyed, and two were damaged. He was given a Permanent Commission in the RAF after the war, and his decorations included a DSO; a DFC and a DFM and Bar. One of the aircraft Peter Green and Douggie destroyed was shot down while they were on only one engine, the other having failed during the chase. And once, when they were close behind a Ju88 over Munchen Gladbach, there had been no response at all from the cannon when Peter tried to open fire. Having had the same thing happen during the time I was flying with John Cunningham, I could sympathise with him.

"It gives one rather a naked feeling, doesn't it ?" Douggie commented.

[edwest]

May I offer my vote for Nightfighter Navigator as the final title? The alternative does not come across as exciting. Of course, gentlemen, it is your book.



Best of luck,
Ed

[David Ransome]

Hi,

I agree with Ed for what it's worth! I'll shortly be moving house and will be a few miles from Gwalchmai where the He111 mentioned came down. Please advise when you eventually get the book in print as I would like to buy a copy!

Kind regards,

David

[Oxby R]

Thanks Gentlemen, for your interest and votes ! I shall pass your intelligent thinking onto the Wingco in Canada. He'll not best pleased.

Regards,

Richard Oxby

[Oxby R]

Dear David Ransome

You might like to buy a copy of the 'Ghosts of KG40' too (its still available on the 'net). The account of the interception and destruction of F8+KR is both accurate, and, I have to say - quite harrowing.

Regards,

Richard Oxby

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by edwest

May I offer my vote for Nightfighter Navigator as the final title?

I agree with Ed - it has the virtue of telling everyone exactly what the book's about - which publishers like to do. Even so you'll probably need a sub-title and I can't see a publisher overlooking that the author was the RAF's most successful Nav/Rad of the war.

[Frank Olynyk]

How about: Night Fighter Navigator: The RAF's Most Successful Back Seat Driver ?

Frank.