13/6/43 Raid on Plymouth

[ruxpin35]

During the Luftwaffe raid on Plymouth 125 Squadron, based at Exeter, destroyed and a probable. Can anyone let me know the names of the successful crews?

[Jon]

The Blitz Then and Now page 280 volume 3 has the confirmed kill credited against Pilt Officer McLachlin and Pilot Officer W E Pettifer in a Beaufighter Mk V1.

Another JU88 was also damaged by a Nightfighter and crash landed in England but it gives no details of the possible RAF crew involved.

Hope this helps a little?

Jon

[ruxpin35]

Sorry everyone, I obviously can't type. I meant to say the Squadron claimed 4 bombers and 1 probable

[brewerjerry]

Hi,
I have the following from my files :-

3E+FR , 88A-14, 144646, shot down by Sgt Miller + Sgt Bone, 00.42 to 00.47 hrs

3E+LK , 88A-14, 144685 combined claim A/A
and F/O D, Mclachlin P/O Pettifer. 01:00 - 01:07 hrs

W/C D Spurgeon claimed an e/a off start point, can find no loss details

DO-217 claimed by P/O G. Irving P/O G Millington Nr Dartmouth. can find no loss details

DO-217 claimed By S/L Caldwell , P/O Rawlins, lost sight of e/a , later saw a fire on the sea off plymouth.

3E+BT, 88A-14 144648 went down off wembury to A/A fire.

If anyone has any serials/codes for the Beaus, I would be most interested.
From a wet'n'windy Torquay
Cheers
Jerry

[ruxpin35]

Cheers everyone, I will post anything I can find on these.

[brewerjerry]

Hi,
If you need the german crew names for JU-88's , 3E+BT, 3E+LK, 3E+FR, let me know.
cheers
jerry

[Frank Olynyk]

Miller+Bone in V8705 (2 dest, 0042 and 0047)
Caldwell+Rawlins (dam) in V8734 (0049)
Irving+Millington (prob) in V8706 (0051)
McLachlin+Pettifer in V8750 (0100)
Clerke+Spurgeon in V8751 (0120)

All are Beaufighter VIf.

Frank.

[brewerjerry]

Hi Frank ,
Thanks for the serials,
Seems Miller & bone only actually shot down one JU-88,
The other was by McLachlin & Pettifer, it was then finished off by the plymouth A/A barrage, an eyewitness recalled seeing a nighfighter trying to follow it thro' the Plymouth A/A barrage, a keen crew !
V8750 was VA-Z, I have no codes for the others.
Cheers
Jerry