Spitfire loss on the 16th October 1943 - near vier Arno

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Good morning to all.

A Spitfire was claimed at 09:30hs near the river Volturno, on the 16th October 1943 by a I/JG 77 pilot (actually its Gruppenkommandeur).

Is there any match for that claim on the Allied side?

A friend of mine will look onto his Air War Mediterranean Series, but the book is stored on his second house, so only available in a couple of days.

Any info most welcomed.

Adriano

[Adriano Baumgartner]

My friend answered me....seems to have been the 72 Squadron machine (Spitfire IX), serial number EN258 flown by F/Sgt Larlee.

[Buckeye30]

Hi Adrian. F/Sgt. Larlee crashed on landing after a Recce mission on 16 Oct. when they met some 109s and 190s. This was in EN258 RN-T, damaged by cannon fire. ORB says "Cat. II" (?) so presumably repaired on base.

EN258 was missing on 18 Dec. (72 Sqn. ORB and Spitfire records) this was a bomber escort to Capua ; pilot was F/Lt. T. B. Hughes who turned back and wasn't seen again (he was POW), presumed shot down.
Maybe your friend could confirm this later?

Regards
Nick

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hello Nick.

I have checked File AIR 27/625/17 and File AIR 27/625/18. Indeed, F/Sgt Thomas Wilmot Larlee "crash landed" (Cat.II) at 09:50hs, whilst flying EN258. From what is written, it looks like he was hit by cannon fire and "belly landed" at his own base (Naples). It seems that this machine was later repaired and, according to your findings, lost in December.

72 Squadron claimed 4x Bf 109 destroyed; 2x Fw 190 destroyed and 2 Bf 109 damaged.
Strangely, P/O King appear on AIR 27/625/17 to have been credited with one Me 109 destroyed....however his is NOT listed on the roll of pilots who flew the 16th October early sortie on the 16th, on File AIR 27/625/18.

Also strange is the fact that not only Burckhardt claimed a Bf 109, but also a certain Uffz Busch, from 2./JG 77....and there was only one "loss" (one machine damaged) that day, which is EN258.

So...quite an interesting day to dig further. Sadly my PRIEN's JG 53 thrilogy are stored some 300 km away from my actual home...so, I can not check the entry for that day on this magnificent work. I know, so far, of two JG 53 losses...

I will dig out onto the RLM losses at BAMA Files to see what else is related to that particular sortie/mission and day.

Thanks for helping and for the information about EN258.

Adriano

[Stig Jarlevik]

Sorry Adriano

Who is this Uffz Busch? Nobody has any claim by him on 16 Oct 1943.
What is your source for that?

Cheers
Stig

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Stig,
You are right...the Busch claim was on the 15th....I misread it, late in the night...or my glasses are playing me tricks.
15. October 1943

Jagdfliegerführer Oberitalien
Supplemental Claims from Other Sources:
15.10.43 Uffz. Busch: 1 * 2./JG 77 Spitfire

Thanks for waking me up. So...the sole claim on the 16th (listed below) was indeed that of Hptm Burckhardt.

Adriano.