Night fighter operations with Defiant 1941

[phasselgren]

Hi,

I need some help with information about claims made by Defiant crews during night fighter operations 1941. The information I find in the books ‘Aces High’, ‘Those Other Eagles’ and RAF Fighter Command Victory Claims’ toghether with Tony Woods site is sometimes conflicting and names of gunners are often missing.

First I need help with names of the air gunners involved in following claims:

• 4/5 Feb 41, Do215 destroyed, Pilot: Sgt H.E. Bodien, 151 Sqn
• 10/11 Feb 41, He111 probably destroyed, Pilot: P/O R.M.D. Hall, 255 Sqn
• 7/8 May 41, He111 damaged or destroyed Pilot: Sgt A.E. Scott, 96 Sqn
• 7/8 May 41, He111 destroyed and Do17Z probably destroyed, Pilot: Sgt G.S. Taylor, 96 Sqn
• 7/8 May 41, He111 destroyed and He111 damaged Pilot: Sgt P.L. Johnson, 255 Sqn or did he fly a Hurricane?
• 8/9 May 41, He111 destroyed, Pilot: P/O M.F. Wynne-Wilson, 255 Sqn
• 8/9 May 41, He111 destroyed, Pilot: S/Ldr R.L. Smith, 255 Sqn or did he fly a Hurricane?
• 10/11 May 41, He111 destroyed, Pilot: Sgt J.C. Copeland, 151 Sqn
• 24/25 June 41, He111 damaged, Pilot: Sgt R. Smithson, 96 Sqn

All help even a small contribution is much appreciated.

Cheers
Peter

[mhuxt]

Hi:

From www.151squadron.org.uk

February 4
Hurricanes and Defiants were both operating in night activities. Sgt Bodein, flying a Defiant with Sgt James as his air gunner, intercepted a Do 215 at an altitude of 10,000 ft. Just two short bursts of five seconds' duration were sufficient to send the enemy aircraft down in flames, the range being 25-50 yards.

A telegram was received from Air Vice Marshall Saul, the A.O.C. of No 11 Group, which read:-

"CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS LAST NIGHT. GLAD TO OBSERVE THAT THE SQUADRON ARE EFFICIENT ON ANY TYPE OF AIRCRAFT".

Claims for the night were:-

Sgt Bodein

Sgt James

1 Do 215 destroyed

May 10
The London area was subjected to heavy night raids and Hurricanes and Defiants were in action. 151 Squadron carried out a large number of patrols in the London area. Of the four combat victories recorded, two were by Hurricanes and two were by Defiants.

P/O Stevens and P/O Smith were both flying Hurricanes, and P/O Stevens’ aircraft was hit by return fire from one of the bombers he attacked.

P/O Wagner and Sgt Sidenberg in a Defiant, intercepted and attacked three Ju 88’s, but the Defiant was too slow to follow through, and their aircraft was hit by return fire from the bombers.

P/O Gayzler and P/O Pfleger, also in a Defiant, intercepted a Me 110 over Peterborough but again, the Defiant was too slow to follow through with a worthy attack, and the Me escaped.

Other Defiants flown by F/Lt McMullen with Sgt Fairweather, and Sgt Copeland with Sgt Sampson, were more successful and achieved combat victories.

Claims for the night were:-

F/Lt McMullen
Sgt Fairweather
1 Ju 88 destroyed
Sgt Copeland
Sgt Sampson
1 He 111 destroyed P/O Stevens 1 He 111 destroyed
1 He 111 probably destroyed
P/O Smith 1 He 111 probably destroyed

[Franek Grabowski]

Originally Posted by mhuxt

P/O Gayzler and P/O Pfleger, also in a Defiant, intercepted a Me 110 over Peterborough but again, the Defiant was too slow to follow through with a worthy attack, and the Me escaped.

Just to assure everybody, this was a Polish crew.

[Hans Nauta]

Hello Peter,

The wireless operator/air gunner of Sgt Hall was Sgt Fitzsimmons. Their victim was probably He.111H-5 Wnr 3791 5J+CB of Stab/KG4 which managed to cross the North Sea and to make a bellylanding on the beach between the coastal villages of Egmond aan Zee and Bergen aan Zee, Holland.

Best regards,
Hans Nauta

[fsbofk]

From The Blitz Then and Now - Volumes 2 & 3 (After the Battle), for 1941:

Feb 4/5: Do 17Z-3 (wn 2907) of 7/KG2 (U5+AR) shot down by Defiant of No. 151 Squadron; Sgt H. E. Bodien, pilot; Sgt D. E. C. Jonas, gunner.
Feb 10/11: 2 enemy aircraft claimed probably destroyed by Defiants of No. 255 Squadron (no other details).
May 7/8: He 111H-3 (wn 3210) of Stab/KG53 (A1+BA) shot down by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron; Sgt Johnson, pilot; Sgt Aitchison, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111P-4 (wn 2871) of 1/KG55 (G1+LH) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; FL E. C. Deansley, pilot; Sgt W. J. Scott, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111P-4 (wn 2874) of 3/KG55 (G1+LL) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; PO D. Toone, pilot; FO R. L. Lamb, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111P-4 (wn 2908 ) of 6/KG55 (G1+HP) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; FL D. R. West, pilot; Sgt Adams, gunner.
May 7/8: He 111H-2 (wn 2432) of 3/KGr100 (6N+FL) shot down by Defiant (no other details).
May 8/9: He 111H-5 (wn 4006) of 4/KG53 (A1+FM) shot down by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron (no other details).
May 8/9: He 111H-5 (wn 4042) of 6/KG53 (A1+CW) shot down by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron (no other details).
May 8/9: He 111P-4 (wn 3000) of 6/KG55 (G1+FP) damaged by Defiant of No. 255 Squadron, force landed at Long Riston, Yorkshire (no other details).
May 10/11: He 111H-5 (wn 4002) of 3/KG53 (A1+CL) shot down by Defiant (no other details).
June 24/25: no Defiant claims listed

[phasselgren]

Thanks for the help all of you,

Regarding the claim by Sgt Bodien there were two different names mentioned on the gunner (James and D.E.C. Jonas). The official history of New Zealanders in the RAF supports that the correct name should be D.E.C. Jonas. ‘On the 4th a Dornier 215 was shot down in flames by Sergeant Jonas of No. 151 Squadron (Flying Officer D. E. C. Jonas; Auckland; born Auckland, 21 Feb 1921; salesman; joined RNZAF Jul 1940).’ http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1RAF.html I guess that Jonas can be confused with James on a hand-written document like the ORB.

According to the site of 151 Sqn Sgt James with Sgt Bodien as pilot made another claim on 9 April. Can anyone confirm if it´s the same here that the correct name of the gunner is Jonas instead of James.

Cheers
Peter

[Frank Olynyk]

Peter,
The second claim by Bodien and Jonas (not James) was at 0135 hours on April 10, 1941. Bodien ended up with five victories, and a DSO and DFC. I do not show any awards for Jonas (but not something for which I have attempted an exhaustive search).

Are there any sources which would give Jonas full name?

Frank.

[mhuxt]

Check PMs Frank.

[fsbofk]

Referring back to Volume 2 of The Blitz Then and Now (After the Battle):

April 9/10: He 111P (wn 1555) of 4/KG27 (1G+KM) shot down by Defiant, then hit balloon cables and fell on houses in Staffordshire around 0145 (no other details - perhaps Bodien & Jonas' second claim?).
April 9/10: He 111P-2 (wn 1423) of 5/KG55 (G1+DN) shot down by Defiant of No. 264 Squadron; FS E. R. Thorn, pilot; Sgt F. J. Barker, gunner.
April 9/10: Ju 88A-5 (wn 2170) of 3/KG77 (3Z+AL) shot down by Defiant of No. 151 Squadron; FL D. A. P. McMullen, pilot; Sgt S. J. Fairweather, gunner.
April 10/11: He 111H-5 (wn 3592) of StabIII/KG26 (1H+JD) shot down by Defiant of No. 264 Squadron; FO E. G. Barwell, pilot; Sgt A. Martin, gunner.
April 10/11: He 111H-5 (wn 3623) of 8/KG26 (1H+FS) shot down by Defiant of No. 256 Squadron; FL E. C. Deansley, pilot; Sgt W. J. Scott, gunner.

[phasselgren]

Originally Posted by Frank Olynyk

Peter,
I do not show any awards for Jonas (but not something for which I have attempted an exhaustive search).

Frank,
Jonas is not mentioned in the book 'By Such Deeds-Honours and Awards in the RNZAF 1923-1999' by C.M. Hanson and I think this excludes any possibility that he received an award.

Peter