PQ 17 losses

[Adam]

Perhaps someone can shed light on the following for me, please:

In PRO AIR 16/540 it notes that the Christopher Newport was torpedoed by a 'solitary He 115'. It does not give a date or the results of the attack but as, from what I have read, the ship was sunk by U-457 I am a little confused. Any help on identifying the crew and aircraft of this possible attack would be appreciated.

In addition if anyone could shed any light on aircraft (Wnrs, Vkz, Units, etc) and crews that claimed the eight ships sunk from PQ-17 and the ten from PQ-18 I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks in advance for any assistance

Adam T

[Heuser]

Hello Adam!
PQ 17 was attacked by He 115´s of the Küstenfliegergruppe 406 (02/07/42 and 03/07/43, 1 Liberty-Ship destroyed), the II./KG 30 (Ju 88 ) and 26 He 111 of the I./KG 26 (both 04/07/42). The KG 26 losses: 4 Heinkels, almost all others damaged. They claimed 3 ships destroyed, 3 damaged.
Ship losses altogether: 24 ( including submarine-claims)

PQ 18 was attacked by I./KG 26, III./KG 26 (Ju 88 ) and parts of KG 30 at 13/09/42, 14/09/42 and 18/09/42. KG 26 losses: 12 He 111, 8 Ju 88. OKW-report:10 ships (52908 BRT) destroyed by air raids.

VKZ: Kü.Fl.Gr. 406: K6+, KG 26 1H+, KG 30: 4D+

Sorry for my terrible english, regards
Heuser

[Adam]

Hi Heuser

Thanks for the prompt responce - there's nothing wrong with your English! Aside from what you mention I seem to remember 1./KuFlGr 906 also being involved, IIRC, in PQ 17 at least.

Still would appreciate further details on a/c and crew particulars for those claiming ships sunk and/or damaged from either convoy.

Cheers

[Heuser]

Hello Adam!
You´re right, the Kü.Fl.Gr. 906 (VKZ 8L+, ???) was involved in the attacks at 2./3. of July.
I´ve got only one information about a PQ17-ship:
The "William Hooper" was torpedoed by He 111 of Hauptmann Eicke, Gruppenkommandeur of the I./KG 26.
Tomorrow I can give you all personal losses of KG 26, but I gotta go to bed now. Wake up call in 5 hours...
Greetings from upper middle-rhine valley, Germany
Heuser

[Heuser]

Hello, it´ me again!

Losses 04/07/42, I./KG 26:
Lt. Konrad Hennemann MIA
Uffz. Herbert Gabriel MIA
Uffz. Johann Zopes MIA
Ogefr. Artur Scholz MIA
Lt. Georg Kaumeyr POW
Fw. Felix Schlenkermann POW
Uffz. Helmut Clausnitzer POW
Gefr. Theodor Mands POW
Fw. Emil Klara WIA
Oblt. Joachim Müller WIA
Uffz. Erich Lendl KIA
Uffz. Gerhard Arnold KIA

t.b.c.

[Heuser]

Hello Adam!
I´ve found two links in German language about PQ 17 and PQ 18, including everything: convoy ships, escort-group ships, Luftwaffe-units, submarines, losses...:
PQ 17, look at "1.-28.7.1942 Nordmeer"

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/~www/seekrieg/42-07.htm

PQ 18, look at "12.-18.9.1942 Nordmeer"

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/~www/seekrieg/42-09.htm

Send PM if you need an awful translation.
Regards, Heuser

[Adam]

G'day Heuser

Thanks very much for all that. Very helpful

Best Regards

Adam T

[Johann Palsson]

The first attack on PQ17 was on 2. July, at about 18:00 8 He 115 of 1./Kü.Fl.Gr 406 attacked without success. The plane of the Staffelkapitän Hptm. Herbert Vater (Werk.Nr. 2759) was hit and forcelanded on the sea, Oblt. Burmester landed and saved the crew.

On 4. July at 4:52 Hptm. Eberhard Peukert, staffelkapitän of 1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906 located PQ17 through a gap in the clouds/fog and made a suprise attack. The torpedo hit the Christopher Newport (7191 BRT) in the engine room. Since the engine room and stokehold were flooded and the seering gear out of action, the submarine P614, escorted by HMS Dianella, was ordered to sink it. P614 shot 2 or 3 torpedos but Christopher Newport did not sink. HMS Dianella put 2 depth charges under the ship but it still did not sink. P614 and Dianella left the ship still afloat but sinking. Later in the day U457 found the abandoned wreck and sank it with a torpedo.

At about 20:30, 26 He 111H-6 from I./KG26 attacked. 3 ships were hit:
William Hopper (7.177 BRT) by Hptm. Bernot Eicke.
Navarino (4.941 BRT) by Lt. Konrad Hennemann (He 111H-6 Werk.Nr. 7098 1H+GH, crew killed).
Azerbaidzhan, a soviet tanker.

Azerbaidzhan was only damaged and could continued with the convoy. The William Hooper had a destroyed engine room and Navarino was listing 30 °-40°, so HMS Britomart and Halcyon were ordered to sink the ships. They fired 20 rounds of 4in into the ships and left them on fire. Navarino sank but the still floting wreck of William Hooper was found by U334, that sank it with torpedos.

My opinion is that the ships should be credited to Luftwaffe since the U-Boats sank only abandoned and sinking ships.

Regards,
Johann Palsson

[Adam]

Johann,

Thanks for that and I agree completely the credit belongs to the Luftwaffe.

Adam T