First Luftwaffe victory over RAF

[tcolvin]

Hi Franek. There is nothing to be sorry about. And, by the way, as you will know Wilhelmshaven was eventually liberated by the Polish armoured brigade.

I am asking a contact in Wilhelmshaven to send a copy of Scheer's KTB to Jochen so he can have documentary proof of the friendly fire event.

To answer your question, I made a mistake about the second Ju52. I did not read the entry in Greve properly. What he wrote (my translation) was:
"Two days later the regulation (made September 5 that Wilhelmshaven and the Jade were prohibited to aircraft) was tested. At 0755hrs the Fliegeralarm sounded on the Scheer. The ship opened fire on an approaching aircraft at a distance of 4,000 metres. The plane drew off at the first salvo and fired the recognition signal. It turned out to be a Ju52. After cease-fire and an exchange of messages it was reported that the aircraft suffered no damage". I apologise for my earlier mistake.

Greve's source is the KTBs of the Scheer and Marinestation der Nordsee. In case you and others might be interested and can understand German, this is what Greve wrote about what we must assume to have been Lt Falcke's death.
"Im Laufe des anschliessenden Gefechtes wurden die drei angreiffenden Maschinen (obviously the Blenheims) von der Bordflak der Schiffe abgeschossen. Hierbei geriet ein deutsches Jagdflugzeug vom Typ Me 109 in das Abwehrfeuer der Schiffe und ging durch Abschuss verloren. Der Pilot konnte nur noch tot geborgen werden".

Tony