Luftwaffe raids on South Coast March - May 1944

[Larry]

Which units were available to the Luftwaffe to carry out nuisance raids on the South Coast of England in March to May 1944, especially around the Solent area?

[Peter D Evans]

I think you'll find that this was I./SKG10... according to the excellent "Luftwaffe Hit & Run Raiders" by Chris Goss [Classic, 2009], both Portsmouth & Plymouth were targeted between April & May 1944, with mention made of a unit loss during a raid on Portsmouth on the 22nd May... his is an active member here so I imagine he'll be able to elaborate further...

Cheers
Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[Nick Beale]

These Fw 190s and the Me 410s of II./KG 51 (ex V./KG 2) were being used as part of the Steinbock night offensive. Typically they would be sent on diversionary or harassment attacks on coastal targets while the larger bombers headed elsewhere.

To quote from my Kampfflieger Vol. 4 (Classic Colours series):

"On the night of 14/15 May 1944, Luftflotte 3 put up 91 aircraft to raid Bristol … the force’s strength was reduced by 15 early on, when RAF intruders attacked the bases of KG 2, KG 54 and KG 51. The resulting delay prompted Luftflotte 3 to order a 15-strong harassing operation against coastal towns between Portland and Bournemouth.

The first wave—eight Fw 190s of I./SKG 210, each with a 500 kg bomb—took off at 20.30. Shortly after 21.00, three aircraft hit Bournemouth, one Weymouth, one Poole, another an airfield between Portland and Poole and one broke off. Three Fw 190s of the second wave struck Bournemouth at 22.00 …"

[Larry]

Peter & Nick,

Thanks for the info especially the details of the raid on 14/15th May 1944 as this ties in nicely with the very date that this 500 Kg bomb was probably dropped. It fell just yards from the HQ of the 405th FG in Mudeford, Christchurch only to be discovered in May 2006, when a home owner was digging up his patio!

Presumably this bomb could have been dropped by any of the aircraft types involved, whether single or multi engined.

[SMF144]

Or, it could be a Roman vessel that held olive oil, no? Was the bomb saved or did it have to be taken care of?

Stephen

[Larry]

The bomb had to be taken care of - I believe it was taken away by the Army and blown up on the Army ranges. I would have loved it as a souvenir as its discovery caused the cancellation of my Dad's 80th birthday!

[Brian Bines]

Hi Larry,

Home Office Key Points report for 14/15-May-1944 has '' Portsmouth Aviation Company., Super Robin Hanger, Mudeford Lane, Christchurch. Hampshire - The roof was slightly damaged by blast. Production was not affected ''. Looks like a bomb going off and probaly your UXB,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Larry]

Thanks Brian.

THere were a few UXBs in Christchurch area on 15th May 1944 which suggests the Luftwaffe dropped the bombs too low to explode or never set them correctly for such a low level hit and run.

BTW - I know that Portsmouth Aviation was busy in the area working on the repair of Airspeed Oxfords and converting Ansons for the FAA but I have never heard of the 'Super Robin Hanger' - which sounds like a hangar for a type of aircraft?

[Brian Bines]

The Super Robin Hanger is a mystery to me to, type of civilian hanger ? Another unit that was engaged on what might be called nuisance raids was Verb.FuhrerSchule KG101, they lost a few Ju88's as part of the main force in Steinbock attacks plus:-

6/7-4-44 6 Ju88's due to attack a Military Camp to the west of the IOW, 4 turned back due to the weather and the two crews who reported bombing were lost. KG101 reported two losses shown on mission to S/W England with one crashing on Jersey, hit by its own light flak on return and the other missing. Note RAF recorded this as Recon. over the Channel.
6/7-5-44 Five E/A reported off the Dorset coast, brief landfall made near Kimmeridge with two minor incidents.
7/8-5-1944 Bombs fell at two places in Dorset with anti-personnel bombs landing near a camp at Wareham.
KG101 reported a Ju88 lost on 7-5-44 on mission to S/W England

[Larry]

Brian,

I have cracked it - a Super Robin is a type of Hangar typically used by the aircraft industry in WW2- see Page 108-109 of British Military Airfield Achitecture by Paul Francis by PSL Publications 1996!