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  #1  
Old 26th September 2008, 15:31
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Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

Hello all. I am researching the war time career of a night-fighter radar operator called Sqn Ldr Geoff Bennett DFC, who flew from Febuary 1941 with 68sqn in Beaufighters, then from late 1943, with 96sqn in various marks of NF Mosquito's. Whilst with 96sqn, he flew mainly with the CO of 'B' flight, Sqn Ldr Parker Rees, and all the following 96sqn claims are for that crew pairing. I would be interested in any information on Luftwaffe unit/aircraft/crew or any general info on the following.

15/1/44 Mosquito MkXIII HK421 'W' scrambled from West Malling @ 19.25 hrs, claim a Fw190 shot down 5 miles from French Coast. I believe this was a Skg10 machine.

28/1/44 Mosquito as above, scrambled 22.10, claim Me410 as damaged (I would guess that any info would be limited to what units were operating that night)

24/2/44 Mosquito MkXIII 'N' scrambled 21.35, claim 1 He177 destroyed.
(this is a contentious one- the aircraft was identified as a twin engined German aircraft, initially as either a Ju88 or 188, by the wingspan as to the gunsight ring. However, when the radar op gave the range as 1000yds, the maths meant it had a wing span of almost twice that of a Ju88. Also, the operator (Bennett) got a good view of the aircraft going down, and described seeing the glazed cockpit area distinctive of the He177, and claims it as such in his log book.)

12/4/44 Mosquito MkXIII 'T' on patrol from West Malling over channel from 22.45-23.45 claim 1 Ju88 or 188 Destroyed 5 miles from French coast. This may have been a miss-identified Me410 from I/KG51(?)

13-14/4/44 Mosquito MkXIII 'T' on patrol from W Malling over channel from 22.55-02.05 1 Me410 Destroyed. Described in Bennetts log book as "The longest combat ever experienced- enemy a/c eventually caught fire & hit sea."

I have all the combat reports for the 96sqn claims, so if anyone needs more info, just ask. The pair also claimed 8 V1's between June & August '44


Now for his 68sqn claims. The place of combat is quite vague as the info is taken from his log-book. However, due to their patrol radius, I am assuming most occurred over the channel.

25/10/41 In Beaufighter 'X' R2185 from High Ercall, pilot W/O Welch, 1 Ju88 Damaged.

26/3/42 In Beaufighter 'Z' 7555 from Coltishall, pilot W/O Welch, 1 He111 Damaged.

4/6/42 In Beaufighter 'F' V8255 from Coltishall, pilot P/O Welch, 1 Ju88 Destroyed.

27/7/42 In Beaufighter 'F' V8255 from Coltishall, pilot P/O Welch, 1 Do217 Destroyed, 1 Do217 probable.

18/3/43 In Beaufighter 'D' V8619 from Coltishall, pilot F/O Allen, 2 Do217's Destroyed.
Note: One of these 217's claims are mentioned in "The Men Who Flew the Mosquito"- a Do217E of 6/KG2 flown by Hptm Hans Hansen. No mention of the other.

Any information at all about the above would be helpful, no matter how small, to help 'fill out' the picture. Also, I would be interested generally in which Luftwaffe units were operating over the UK on these dates.

Thanks for your time.
Danny Hill
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Old 27th September 2008, 01:06
mhuxt mhuxt is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

Hi Danny:

Can you clarify who Bennet's pilots were on 12 and 13 April '44? Was it Parker-Rees on both occasions, or P-R on one and Allen on the other?

Any dates for the V-1 claims? I've only 17/18 July? Any indication of which fighter attacked them?

Sorry only questions and no answers....
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  #3  
Old 27th September 2008, 10:45
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Chris Goss Chris Goss is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

There were 2 FW 190s lost on 15 Jan 44 with only one night fighter kill-Ofw Rudolf Berghäuser or Fw Georg Sprint of 2/SKG 10 missing.
28-29 Jan 44, a Me 410 of V/KG 2 was damaged in combat with a night fighter-no other details
24-25 Feb 44, I/KG 100's He 177s were operating over UK that night-one crashed at Yoxford and one returned with wounded crew
12 Apr 44, Lt Helmut Siol & Fw Bernhard Liehr of 1/KG 51 were reported missing from a sortie over London
14 Apr 44, Uffz Heinz Zehmisch & Uffz Heinz Kirstein of 3/KG 51 were reported missing from a sortie over London
A quick look at 68 Sqn confirms kills on 4 Jun 42 and 2 on 18 Mar 43 (not 27 Jul 42-just a damaged). No chance to look at the Jun 42 kill but on 18-19 Mar 43, it is probable that they got Hptm Hans Hansen's Do 217 of 6/KG 2 off Winterton-there was another lost to another night fighter crew that night
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  #4  
Old 27th September 2008, 11:17
Hans Nauta Hans Nauta is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

Hello Danny,

It is very well possible that the claim on 12th April 1944 matches with the loss of the Me 410. Fw Bernhard Lier washed ashore near Quend Plage which indicates that this Me 410 was lost near the French coast.

I've a special interest in this loss and I can provide more detailed info if you wish.

I've sent you too a PM. Please contact me at hnautaATquicknetDOTnl. Replace AT and DOT with the obvious symbols.

Best regards,
Hans Nauta
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  #5  
Old 29th September 2008, 04:07
Tom Semenza Tom Semenza is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

Danny,

This is great stuff, presumably from Bennett's log book. It adds some to the info published in "Aces High." There is also some variance with the information on Parker-Rees in "Those Other Eagles."

A few questions and observations; In "Those Other Eagles" Shores has the following claims for Parker-Rees and Bennett:

15/16 Jan FW 190 HK412
28/29 Jan Me 410 Probable HK428
24/25 Feb He 177 Probable HK412
13/14 Apr Me 410 MM497
16/17 Jun V-1 MM497
5/6 Jul 2 V-1s MM497
6/7 Jul V-1 MM497
9/10 Jul* V-1 MM562
17/18 Jul 2 V-1s MM511
14/15 Aug V-1 MM525

* Cull in "Diver! Diver! Diver" gives the date as 10/11 July

I believe that serials HK412 and HK428 are incorrect as these two do not appear to have served with 96 Sqn. So HK421 is ZJ-W and MM497 is ZJ-T. Any idea as to the serial number for ZJ-N?

As you will note, the dates you list for the April claims are one day earlier than those listed by Shores. Can you confirm that your dates are correct?

Also do you have any information on the code letters for MM511, MM525 and MM562?

Finally, the claims you show for Bennett with F/O Welch in 68 Sqn. are 2 destroyed, 1 probable and 2 damaged, however Welch's name is not included in "Those Other Eagles." In Foreman's "RAF Fighter Command Victory Claims of WW Two" he is listed as W. E. Welch. Can you provide his full name and/or other information on him? Also the claims for 26/3/42 and 4/6/42 are not listed by Foreman.

Many thanks for any further details you can share.

Regards,

Tom

Last edited by Tom Semenza; 29th September 2008 at 04:28. Reason: Add another question
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  #6  
Old 29th September 2008, 15:20
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Danny Hill Danny Hill is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

Hi Tom,
according to Bennetts log book, the 15/16th Jan '44 claim of Fw190 destroyed, they were flying 'W' HK421.

The same aircraft on 28/29th Jan when they damaged an Me410 (ran out of ammo)

However, on 24/2/44, they were scrambled in Mosquito 'N' (doesnt record the serial number) and destroyed a He177- comments "5 cont'ts 1.vis on lane"

It seems HK421 ZJ-W is their (Parker-Rees & Bennetts) usual aircraft until 16th March '44, when they switch to ZJ-T MM497. In this aircraft they claim 1 Ju88 destroyed on 12/4/44 and 1 Me410 destroyed the following night, 13/4/44

This aircraft is also used to claim V1's on 16/17 June, 5/6 july and 6/7 July.
On 9/10 July, the aircraft code is given as 'G' but no serial- this must be MM562.
On 17/18 July, the aircraft code is given as 'V', which was destroyed after engaging a 3rd V1 (having already destroyed 2)- Bennett records "hit by flak or pieces. Both engines failed and R.T. Bailed out into drink 30M S.W. Dungeness. 6 hrs in dinghy. Picked up by HMS Obedient"

So 'V' must be MM511.

Finally, 14/15 August, Bennett records 'T' as the code of the Mosquito but no serial. They flew this aircraft on and off until December when 96Sqn were disbanded, so all I can assume is MM497 was either lost or put to another squadron, and the code letter 'T' was moved to MM525.

In the research material I have been given, their is a close up of a late war Mosquito night-fighter (thimble nose), dated 8/1/45 with the serial MM682, but you can only see the code ZQ on the side- any ideas about that?

Hope the above is useful,

Danny
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  #7  
Old 29th September 2008, 23:40
Tom Semenza Tom Semenza is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

Danny,

Many, many thanks. This is exactly the kind of information that interests me. As for MM682, according to the records I have this was an NF XIX iniaitally issued to R.A.E. and then used by the Fighter Interception Development Squadron (code ZQ). It was subsequently sold to Sweden post-war.

By the way, I highly recommend this website if you don't already know of it: www.mossie.org. Lots of info on the Mosquito including a complete list of serial numbers showing unit allocations and loss details.

Best wishes,
Tom
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Old 30th September 2008, 15:01
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Danny Hill Danny Hill is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

Ah- that makes sense, as Bennett was posted to F.I.U. at RAF ford for some time- he helped to train many operators on various marks of AI sets. I imagine its from his time there.

So, thanks for all the help so far- any ideas about the 68sqn claims, anyone?

Even if its just info as to which units their claims may have belonged to, it would help me greatly.

Thanks,

Danny
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Old 30th September 2008, 16:18
Brian Bines Brian Bines is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

27/28 -7-42 attack on Birmingham;-

1. Do217 3/KG2 crew of Ltn Mohring missing -151Sqd ?

2. Do217 1/KG2 emergency landing Holland following N/F attack two crew injured a/c 60% - 151 Sqd ?

3. He111 IV/KG4 shot down off Welsh coast 3 missing 1 dead -125 sqd ?

4. He111 Erp.Kdo17 10% damaged following N/F attack near Scilly Islands

5. He111 StabIV/KG55 crewman wounded in N/F attack over Channel - 29 Sqd ?

6. Ju88 1/KG77 crashed Niewroude following N/F attack two dead two wounded

7. Ju88 1/KG77 crashlanded Gent following N/F attack four wounded

I believe a total of 10 claims were made by 151,125,29 and 68 Sqds

18/19-3-43 Attack on Norwich

1. Do217 1/KG2 shot down by 410Sqd. near Kings Lynn four killed

2. Do217 6/KG2 crew oh Hpt. Hansen missing - 68Sqd ?

3. Ju88 1/KG6 crew of Ltn Bohm missing - 157 Sqd. ?

Hope this helps I think it would be difficult to definitely identify who got what.
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Old 7th October 2008, 19:47
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Danny Hill Danny Hill is offline
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Re: Help with a 68/96 sqn RAF nightfighter claims?

This is great stuff, Brian- thanks alot.

Will be a great help to fill in the picture.

Dan
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