Friendly fire WWII

[Rifleman62]

Just joined this forum. The following is a FF, air to ground. Does anyone have knowledge of this incident?

Assist in my research for the following seven Riflemen, who were killed/died of wounds, as the result of an accidental strafing by a Mustang in the town of Saint George-de-Groselliers, Normandy, France:


To provide some background information:
The seven with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles were taken prisoners by the Germans, possibly on D-Day or anytime between D-Day and June 11, 1944. Although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists dates of four deaths as June 8, 1944, they were definitely killed or wounded on June 11, 1944. I have an article that was written by a French priest, who attended the dead and dying. This article was written in 1964 and verifies the actual dates of the deaths.

POW's from the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, as well POW's from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa were marching in a column, four abreast, and behind the Germans, when the four Mustangs appeared. The first Mustang strafed the column. One of the POW's, reportedly, Sgt. Bob Higgins, North Novas, waved his jacket and the other Mustangs left without further shooting.

Thirty POW's were injured; of these, ten were killed and were buried in the civil cemetery in Saint Georges-de-Groselliers; and four others died as results of their wounds; three of the four were buried in the civil cemetery in La Chapelle au Moine, Normandy. A fourth who died of wounds was buried in a location yet unknown. The 14 POW's were eventually buried at the Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, in Calvados, France.

The townspeople took great care to remove ID's and anything the men had in their pockets, and the mayor and his staff recorded each item, referencing this information to specific graves which had been dug in the civil cemetery. The records and items were kept until the war ended and the graves concentration units arrived in the area and then everything was handed over to the graves units.

[meonthebay]

This is an update to my first posting:

It has been recently reported that there were 39 POW's injured; 10 of whom died immediately, and 5 of the injured later dies of their wounds.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Found this one today, and not able to check it with another source:

On the 24th March 1943, a BF 109E (Werkn 1987) of the Frontreparatur Werk 7 Erla stationed at Deurne crashed at Boechout, Belgium. The pilot was Ofw Reinhardt Jochmann who was able to bale out, but he reached the ground wounded. This aircraft was shot down in error at 1215 hours by Ofw Detlev Lüth of JG 1.

Source:
http://www.lwag.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-1249.html
http://maps.google.fr/maps?hl=fr&source=hp&q=Boechout

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Another interesting case: a Wellington downed by an Allied balloon barrage... after flying purposely into it !

By the way, I found two dates for Wellington P9210 destruction, 23 and 24 March 1942, and would like which one is the correct one.

Source:
http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives...ead_screen.pdf
(context of the loss, search P9210 and read the sentences before this word)
http://www.bbrclub.org/Tiger%20Hawkins%20AFC.htm (details of the pilot, of the crash and picture of the pilot besides the wreck)

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Some days are like that... every foray in Google today brings me another "friendly fire" case. I swear I'm not searching these !

26 October 1942: Ju 87 D-1 WNr 2629 of III./StG 1 shot down by German artillery shell near Strelitsy, USSR. Both crew (Hptm Heinz Fischer (pilot and Staka 7./StG 1) and Uffz Fritz Zethmeier (radio)) were killed

More details (in French):
http://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de/...anzoesisch.pdf

[Observer1940]

Hello All

Were you aware that the ratio of aircraft and crews lost to balloons in early WW2, British to German was 4:1?

Four British aircraft, for every (One) German aircraft and even some of those German aircraft were shared with AA.

In March 1941, Arthur T. Harris was absolutely livid and furious with the Chief of the Air Staff when he realised how many crews and aircraft had already been lost since the beginning of the war.

Mark

[NUPPOL]

What was name of POW died-burial unknown?

[Brian]

Thanks for all the latest gen.

Volume I of Blue-on-Blue (1939/1940) is currently being 'processed' so hopefully something will appear before long!!

Cheers
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Another case?

29 December 1944: Four Typhoons attacked power station at Nijmegen, four rounds were fired by 365 Bty, 115 HAA Rgt. Typhoons dived to 800 ft and were escorted away by Spitfires.

Source:
http://www.royalartilleryunitsnether...D_6269690.html

[Laurent Rizzotti]

German friendly case on 6 November 1939:

"eine in Zwischenahn zur Zieldarstellung gestartete W34 mit 3 Mann Besatzungn ist von der Flak, sdl. von Hamburg, um 2147 Uhr abgeschossen worden.
Die Besatzung hatte offensichtlich die Orientierung verloren und sich am südlichen Stadtrand von Hamburg aufgehalten.
Um 2120 Uhr und 2124 Uhr erhält die Maschine deutsches Flakfeuer und schießt deutsche Erkennungssignale. Um 2125 wird die W34 von einem Scheinwerferkegel erfaßt und um 2131 einwandfrei als deutsch gemeldet. Um 2133 Uhr wird sogar das Balkenkreuz erkannt. Trotzdem erhält die Maschine um 2142 Uhr nochmals Flakfeuer. Um 2147 Uhr gehen drei Besatzungsmitglieder mit dem Fallschirm zur Erde nieder und wurden in ein Krankenhaus eingeliefert.
"

Google traduction (too lazy (and sick...) today to do better):
"one is in Zwischenahn for target simulation started with three men W34 Besatzungn by flak, sdl from Hamburg, was shot at 2147 Clock.
The crew had apparently lost their way and stayed on the southern outskirts of Hamburg.
To 2120 and 2124 Clock Clock, the machine is replaced by German antiaircraft fire and shoots German recognition signals. To 2125, the W34 is caught by a spotlight at 2131 and fully reported as German. 2133 Clock To even the cross bar is detected. Nevertheless, the machine is replaced by 2142 Clock flak again. 2147 Clock To go with three crew members parachuted to the ground and were taken to hospital."

Source:
http://www.luftfahrtspuren.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61

No other data, to check with people having German 1939 loss lists

Best regards

Laurent