Blenheims (30°Sqdr) in Greece

[focusfocus]

Hello

06/11/40 or 07/11/40,I have the different dates.

3 badly damaged Blenheims L6672,K7103,?, (and out of actions) by 364°Squadriglia....in which category of damages-cat.1(A) or 2(B)?

Michel

[Stig Jarlevik]

As per Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete 1940-41 the action took place on the 6th.

No serial numbers mentioned, but the only unit available was No 30 Sq

What is (are) your source(s) Michel?

As far as I can judge L6672 was with 267Sq in Egypt and K7103 was permanently put out of
action 1 Dec 1940 when it force landed at Khalkis in Greece due to engine failure.

Graham Warner in his Blenheim book only lists L8462 as being damaged that day, and reason no doubt is
that their Gunner Sgt Merifield was killed. Warner also mentions K7103 as the normal aircraft for Merifield so
by proxy K7103 may also have been one of the aircraft in the raid.

B Rgds
Stig

[focusfocus]

My sources is the French Magazine "batailles aeriennes" n°72 (les bristol blenheim mk.1 et mk.IV en Grèce et en Malaisie)

Michel

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Michel

I now see why the source information begins to drift.

Ledet has opted for "the newest info" which in this case is a book by Brian Cull.
Cull lists in his Blenheims over Greece and Crete the date 7 Nov, which means he has changed his
mind as co-author of the book I gave in post 2 from the 6th to the 7th (page 24).
Even more strange is that Cull on page 25 refers to a Press communiqué which states the said attack was on the 6th....

It also seems Ledet based his aircraft data on what Cull said on page 24, ie L6672 and K7103 which means
we have Cull vs Warner and their differing data.

With none of the aircraft much damaged it is hard to say what is correct or not. I can only assume Cull has
extracted this data from the ORB (he lists the ORB of 30 Sq as one of his sources)

It also seems that none of the AM 78 cards lists either L6672 or L8462 as being used by that unit.....

Sorry I get no further than this.

Cheers
Stig

[afcbsimon]

Hi All,

I have extensive records regarding 30 Squadron's Blenheim years and I was also involved in the book Blenheims Over Greece & Crete.

Unfortunately it seems that the date of the raid in this book has been mistaken as the raid definitely took place on 6th November 1940.

Aircraft involved were......

L6672 - Pilot: S/L Shannon - Observer: Sgt Gair - Wop/Ag: Sgt Fox
K7098 - Pilot: F/O Walker - Observer: Sgt Branch - Wop/Ag: Sgt Horner
L8462 - Pilot: Sgt Ratlidge - Observer: Sgt Walker - Wop/Ag: Sgt Merifield

L8462 was the only aircraft to sustain damage with 2 bullet holes in the fuselage. The aircraft was repaired in the unit and was back flying again on the 10th November.

Sgt John Merifield was the only casualty from this raid and he was buried on 7th November.

Hope this info helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Regards,
Simon

[Stig Jarlevik]

Top notch data Simon

Thanks for setting the records straight!!
Yes I suspected the 6th was the correct date.

So K7103 did not take part after all. Why am I not surprised?
Not much aircraft data seems to have filtered back to England with regard to local transfers.
Only K7103 and K7098 seems to have been correctly recorded as going to 30 Sq, perhaps allocated
already from Britain.

Thanks again Simon
Stig

[afcbsimon]

Hi Stig,

The initial Blenheim's allocated to 30 Sqn were shipped to Alexandria in crates and erected at Aboukir.

K7103 was collected from Aboukir by 30 Sqn CO S/L Stainforth on 24th January 1938 and flown at various stages around bases in Egypt over the next few days. Eventually it was flown, also by S/L Stainforth, to Dhibban (Habbaniya) and to 30 Sqn on 28th January.

K7098 was collected from Aboukir by 30 Sqn CO S/L Stainforth on 8th February 1938 and flown to Dhibban.

Regards,
Simon

[focusfocus]

Very,very good!! Simon,Stig
I appreciate the correction.

Best Regards
Michel

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks again Simon

You DO know 30 Sq inside and out....much appreciated!

Michel

All merits to Simon!

Cheers
Stig

[afcbsimon]

Benefit of having a Grandfather who was a Wop/Ag with the Sqn throughout their Blenheim years and therefore my main area of research :-)

Regards
Simon