Friendly fire WWII

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Three cases of Finnish aircraft hitting their own troops:
https://forum.axishistory.com//viewtopic.php?t=170269

As usual, I was searching something else...

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Don't remember if this was already said here:
“ On 20 August 1944 in Normandy First Canadian Army produced a report listing 52 separate instances of attacks by fighter bombers — Spitfires, Typhoons, Mustangs, and USAAF Lightnings — against its forward troops that occurred between 16 and 18 August and which had killed 72 and wounded 191 officers and men and destroyed or damaged twelve vehicles. Some of these attacks had been made despite yellow smoke being released, and in one case despite an Air Observation Post (AOP) artillery spotter plane attempting to ward off the offending Typhoons. Not surpringly, First Canadian Army called for all possible steps to be taken to reduce such occurences, warning that otherwise the provision of air support would soon become a deterrent to ground operations rather than the stimulant of which it was potentially capable of being.”
First Canadian Army Report, Attacks by Allied A/C on Own Tps -18 and 19 Aug. 1944 (20 August 1944) PRO WO 205/232.

72 killed in three days to friendly air attack seems huge to me (even if that is less than 2 per attack). I have a French book about Operation Paddle (the offensive of 1st Canadian Army from 16 August 1944) and I remember RAF attacks on the troops were evocated, but certainly not so high casualties.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Three attacks by German aircraft on Vichy merchant ships on 25 and 28 February and 1 March 1941:
http://warsailors.com/forum/read.php...2588#msg-62588

According to one of the entries, the German armistice commission admitted responsability of the first attack (that sank a cargo ship). The French then asked for two ships to be given to them in compensation, but the Germans answered they will have none while French ships won't scuttle when intercepted by British ships.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Don't remember if this one is already listed.

On 7 June 1944:
"The 440th TCG, with 62 aircraft, had four men killed and two wounded when they lost two planes to flak and from bomb loss when a P-47 flying escort over the Channel inadvertently dropped its bomb cluster on a C-47 flying below it."
https://amcmuseum.org/history/troop-...d-day-flights/

[Laurent Rizzotti]

From Martin Middlebrook book "The Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission", page 130, on 17 August 1943 the ball gunner of the B-17 of 385th BG of the Regensburg force flown by John Pettinger was killed in his turret by a 50-in bullet fired by another bomber of the group. No name is given, but from the casualty list in the end of the book he was probably S/Sgt Gleen C. Knecht.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The death of Lt Col Stopka had been reported in this thread, but maybe this gives extra details, including the date, 14 January 1945
https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.c...n-p-lux-e-9-38

[Laurent Rizzotti]

From the War Diary of German Naval Staff Operations Division, December 1941:
(extract from the entries on the 15th):
"The German consulate at Santander reports that on 12 Dec. British planes unsuccessfully attacked the Spanish coastal steamer Trevilla and one French coast steamer about 1/2 mile off the coast of Cape Mayor."

[Brian]

Hi Laurent

I can't keep up with all your 'finds'. But keep 'em coming!

Many thanks
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

As I said before, I am not even searching them, but each time I saw a friendly fire event I copy it there.

Find of the day, the Spitfire IX PL137 of 341 (French) Sqn RAF shot down on 9 July 1944 by a P-47 "of 353rd FG coming to his help in an air battle" according to link below:
http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=5829

[Brian]

Hi Laurent

Thanks all the same.

Brian