Any claim on 6.7 March 1944 near Toulouse ?

[gilles collaveri]

Hi everybody

on the evening of 6 March (nighttime), a JU88C6 from ZG1 crashed near Toulouse, shortly before landing, killing all crew.
see data hereunder. (It is noted by the Luftwaffe archives on the 7 March because the event occurred late at night of the 6 )

A French report recently found states that local witnesses mentioned machine guns noises :

is there any claim from an allied fighter at that date near Toulouse ?
could this Ju88 have been shot down by a night fighter ?
If yes, by whom ?

Thanks

GC

Info from Matti :
1944-03-07, 3./ZG 1, Ju 88C-6, 750814, 6 km südlich Toulouse, Absturz. Bruch 100 %.
F Fw Döhler, Heinz, tot
B Uffz Gargulak, Friedrich, tot
Bf Uffz Bongers, Ernst, tot

more on :

https://aerocherche.fr/index.php/art...-chien-et-loup

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Cher Gilles,

I do quote from MOSQUITO by Sharp and Bowyer (https://www.abebooks.com/book-search...el-j-f-bowyer/), pg 348:

"Periodically, some Mosquito Squadrons carried out special duty flights. On one Squadron Leader Lisson and F/O Franklin of 418 Squadron were sent to Toulouse area, and failing, proceeded another 400 miles to Alghero. After a second attempt, they made a supply drop on 6 March (1944), when heading home."

418 Squadron's ORB found here below do give us some clues. This first sortie was carried out on the night of 3/4 March (Operation Salvaza?):
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/D8403989

Who claimed a Fw 190 D long nose around Toulouse on the night of 6/7 March 1944 was 1st/Lt. Lou Luma (whom you know from the Arado 96B that you found the wreckage).

Could it be that the sound of machine gun noises may have been German Flak? You see that there were RAF Intruders flying around that night nearby, at least two machines from 418 Squadron....so, the young German may have fired at the Ju 88 thinking they were actually hitting a Mosquito....Maybe this is the path to look at or follow up.

Hope this is of assistance Gilles....A busy night around your town, Toulouse.

I wonder what was Operation SALVAZA carried out by S/L Lisson, from 418 Squadron...

Most humbly yours, your friend,

Adriano

[Adriano Baumgartner]

I have not gone through other books from the Mediterranean Theather of War (MTO)...maybe we do have something from the Squadrons based there....Give me some time to dig out those other books. Some stored on shelves or other places...will need some time to find and go through them.

A.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Gilles, no luck to find out what was or the details of this "Operation SALVAZA" carried out by S/L Lisson twice...and successful on the night of 6/7 March 1944, near Toulouse....

https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/D8403988

Maybe some kind of dropping to a SOE party or French maquis? Maybe someone with better knowledge can give us a hand....

Maybe Squadron Leader Lisson's Report may give us some clues to the dropping itself, the contents, etc...the "special mission"!?!?!?!?!?

Adriano

[Nick Beale]

You can find a spreadsheet of Mosquito claims for enemy aircraft here: http://www.mossie.org/donated_files/donated_files.htm

There was a Bf 110 claimed that night but near Gardelegen. The only claim in southern France was that Ar 96 near Pau, by 418 Sqn.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Maybe SALVAZA was just the name of the field, near Carcassone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne_Airport

[gilles collaveri]

merci beaucoup Adriano & Nick

so, there might be a claim but it is not cristal clear.

Indeed, Salvaza is the name of the airport near Carcassonne. We can't exclude that the English pilot made a mistake, and thought he was in Salvaza whereas he was in Toulouse (it is not very far).

Anyway, thanks for your efforts and serach

Bon dimanche/ have a nice Sunday all.

Gilles

[Chris Goss]

I would say that the only claim might have been by an Allied aircraft which did not return. The evidence from returning aircraft would confirm there was no claim. Nothing in John Foreman's claims book