Elba attack September 1943

[costiero]

Hi,
I'm looking about German unit, which bomb Portoferraio, on Elba Island (Tuscany) the 16th of Septmber 1943.
People remeber that the aircraft used for attack was Stukas, but I didn't find any Stukas group operating from airfield on Italy (the nearest was StG 101 St.Raphael South of France, Mediterranean Coast).
I suppose that probably they weren't Stukas, but simply people associate German bombers to Stukas.... so I search the KG in Italy in September 1943 and they were:
KG30, KG54, KG76 on Ju88..
Someone could help me about this action? Which unit was involved?
Thanks a lot
Costiero

[costiero]

Hi,
someone has the KG30, KG54, KG76 mission list for september 1943?
Did you heard something about this action?
Thanks

[RudiS]

As for KG54: only Stab & III./KG54 were in Italy in September 1943. The rest was in Germany or Austria. Stab & III./KG54 were located at Foggia. As far as I know they attacked targets in Sicily & Tunesia during that month. I have no info of III./KG54 being involved in attacks on Elba.


Regards,
Rudi.

[Larry deZeng]

There is no detailed unit history for KG 30 or KG 76. Since none of the bombers was lost on the mission, the only source that comes to mind would be the daily reports from the RAF "Y" Service wing operating in the Central Mediterranean. These would include all airborne radio chit-chat from the bombers flying the raid.

L.

[costiero]

Thanks everybody,
I suppose that probably was the KG 30 involved in the operation,because it is based in Viterbo airfield in sep.43, very close to Elba
Someone have the file of y Service?
Costiero

[costiero]

Any news about this mission? No one has a mission list of kg30? Someone have never heard something about that?

[costiero]

Well,

I look into:

-Gen.Qu.(6.Abt)/Gest.d.Lw.Verlustmeldungen der fliegende Verbande,

-HW 13/112 Weekly reports on GAF bomber and reconnaissance activity in the Mediterranean 28 august 1943- 24 September 1943

And..I didn't find anything!
In German missing report, and in British intercepted message thers isn't any info about that attack.
A friend told me that most of German aicraft was involved in operations against Salerno Allied Debarquement, and suggest me that probably few Ju87 was in Piacenza at Stuka Schule 2, but he dont know if the Schule was still active in september 1943. Someone have info about that?
Thanks

[Larry deZeng]

Stukaschule 2 at Piacenza? Stukaschule 2 departed Foggia on 21.02.43 and moved to Paris-Orly. On arrival at Paris-Orly, it was renamed Schlachtgeschwader 102.

[costiero]

Thanks a lot, do you know if exists a KTB of Luftflotte II with aircraft daily actions?
Thanks

[Larry deZeng]

No Luftflotte 2 KTBs or Anlagen for that time period (September 1943) survived that I have ever heard of. If they existed, we would have seen mention of them as sources by now.

I am really surprised you didn't find anything in the HW material. Luftwaffe activity in the Bastia - Elba - Grosseto area was intense during the second half of September and the Allies were very much focused on it. I know with certainty that there are ops orders, activity reports and after action reports for II. Fliegerkorps and Lufttransportführer Mittelmeer in the daily HW 5 folders for many of the days of September 1943. So I still think you should check those from 15 to 30 September. Many intercepts were not decrypted until a week or two later.

L.