4./KG26 5/6 Sepember 1940

[BrianC]

Hi guys

Continuing the post started on the Allied Forum regarding John Wooldridge's action on the night of 5/6 September 1940, I requested information on
4./KG26's activities that night. Hopefully, one of our experten may know?

Checking BoBTN, I notice that 4./KG26 suffered losses/damage as recorded:

5/6 September: 1H+JM believed shot down by night fighter (Katz crew)

6 September: 1H+BM shot down by own flak (Bischoff crew)

1H+EM: believe crashed IJeslmeer (Kuckelt crew)

IH+FM: crashed near Koeppern (one killed)

1H+LT (9./KG26) crashed (three killed)

Might any of the above be connected with Wooldridge's mission?

I assume all the above occurred during night of 5/6 September??

Stay safe
Brian

[Andy Mitchell]

Brian,

Mason in Battle over Britain gives the following in the loss listing for 6th September:-

1H+NK, 1H+BM, 1H+FH, 1H+FM and 1H+HP - Target Newcastle
1H+EM Target Derby

In addition, this is from the Lagebericht Nr 366 covering the night of 5/6 Sept 1940

On the night of September 6th, stronger combat units launched attacks on the port and industrial facilities in Liverpool and around London. Against the night airfields of Hemswell, Waddington, Digby and Cranwell, the large tank farm at Thameshaven, the ports of Hull, Blyth and Sunderland as well as Port and armament companies in and around Newcastle directed nuisance attacks by smaller combat and long-range units.

Night Operations:
Airfields:
22:00 hrs. St. Eval Airfield with 6 SC 250 and 2 Flambo. The target was recognized perfectly. The effect could not be observed due to fog fields. To disrupt night operations, departing and landing aircraft at the following airfields were shot at from low altitude with MG fire:
22:00 - 22:30 hrs. Hemswell Air Base, Waddington, Cranwell and Digby

Aviation industry:
from 01:34 to 02:15 hrs. Alumina plant Newcastle / Hebburn with 4 SC 500, 48 SC 50 and 4 Flambo. Hits on the target and in an extensive fire immediately to the south could be seen, in which new explosions and fires were caused.

Port and tank facilities:
2200 - 2400 London-Silvertown, dock and port facilities by 10 aircraft with 6 LZZ 250, 1 Flambo, 95 SC 50, 20 SD 50 and 10 BSK.
The bombs were on target. Several sources of fire were identified. The further effect could not be observed due to severe searchlight glare.

Around 23:00 hrs Thameshaven tank farm by 1 airplane with 25 SC 50. The already existing strong fires were increased by 6 more fire spots.

23:45 – 04:55 hrs. Rotherhithe docks and port facilities in London by 57 aircraft with 8 SC 500, 23 SC 250, 7 LZZ 250, 392 SC and SD 50, 30 Flambo, 162 BSK, 495 BEL 1 and 4 decay bombs 50. Strong explosions with subsequent large fires were observed.
Some of the aircraft dropped the bombs from a height of 5 - 6,000 m above the target area due to haze and strong searchlight glare.

01:40 hrs. Blyth port facilities with 1 SC 500 and 4 Flambo. The bombs detonated in the city.

Around 02:15 hrs., Sunderland docks with 2 SC 500 and 4 Flambo. The bombs were partly in the city, further effect not observed.

Port facilities Llverpool / Birkenhead by 62 aircraft with 2 SC 500, 85 SC 250, 61 Flambo, 5 LZZ 250, 390 SC and SD 50 and 116 BSK (59, 25 t and 116 BSK in total) • The target was found safely using dead reckoning. Hits, fire and explosions were observed. In part, the effect could not be seen due to poor visibility.

Other targets
00:30 hrs. Vickers Armstrong Ltd. In Newcastle /Scotswood and Ordinance factory in Elswick by an airplane with 16 flares and 16 BSK. The incendiary bombs were north-west of the target. Small fires have been observed.

01:10 - 02:03 industrial plants west of Newcastle with 2 SC 500 and 32 SC 50 with no observed effect.

Alternative targets:

Hull with 5 SC 50.
23:10 hrs. Southend on Sca 1 SC 250 and 10 BSK.
02:40 hrs. East edge of Hastings with 16 SC and SD 50,
2 decay bombs and 30 BEL 1 with no recognized effect.
Manchester with 6 SC 250, 2 LZZ 250, 2 Flambo and 20 SC 50.
Chester with 1 SC 250, 2 Flambo and 10 SC 50.
Sealand airfield with 2 SC 250 and 10th SC 50.
Birmingham with 2 SC 500, 4 SC 250, 1 Flambo.
Shrewsburg (?) With 2 SC 250.
Cardiff with 12 SC 50.
Warminster with 1 SC 250.
Weymouth with 1 SC 250, 2 Flambo and 10 SC 50.
Bournemouth with 3 SC 250 and 2 SC 50.
Southampton with 4 SC 250, 4 Flambo and 5 SC 50.
Portsmouth with 2 SC 250 and 24 SC 50.
Little Hampton with 7 SC 250 and 9 SC 50.
Brighton with 2 SC 250, 2 Flambo and 5 SC 50.

Amount of bombs not reported:
Bristol
Dorchester
Shoreham
Portland
Stanlow
Exeter
Swansea

Hope that this is of some help.

[John Manrho]

The crash of the Lt. Katz crew was in the night of 4/5 September 1940 at 02.28 hrs near Nieuwkoop. He flew Wnr. 5707 and 1H+IM.

Thanks,

John

[Chris Goss]

Did you ever come across any firm evidence that Wooldridge did attack an airfield as the F540 doesn't confirm than neither do the German reports

[BrianC]

Hi Chris

No, no evidence, but what about the KG26 losses I noted?

Stay safe
Brian

[Chris Goss]

Very confused in respect of II./KG 26 those nights.

He 111 H-3, 3318 1H+FP 6./KG 26 crashed on take off from Gilze Rijen killing Lt Siegfried Balthes and crew. Date was changed from 4 to 5 Sep 40 and what else is written is very hard to decipher.
He 111 H-3 5707 1H+JM 4./KG 26 crashed near Amsterdam killing Uffz Wilhelm Henningsen and Fw Rudolf Höper. Date changed from 4 to 5 Sep. Cause not certain
He 111 H-4, 3207 (3287?) 1H+AM 4./KG 26. Missing from attack on East Coast 4 Sep 40. Uffz Erwin Ewerts and crew missing.
He 111 5./KG 26 Uffz Franz Nowak killed no aircraft damage
He 111 H-3, 6896, 1H+BC Stab II./KG 26. Uffz Karl Stenzel & crew missing. Date changed from 4 to 5 Sep

It would appear that two more aircraft collided and were damaged at Gilze and two more suffered burst tyres. No mention of anything being destroyed by RAF aircraft over Holland. In fact the only He 111 to be shot down at night by the RAF was a Stab I./KG 1 machine at 0110 hrs on 5 Sep 40.
Then on 6 Sep, two aircraft returned damaged by Flak and crash-landed at Gilze while another crash-landed near Calais. The 9./KG 26 loss was apparently non-combat and in Germany while none of the 2./KG 26 and II./KG 26 losses down for 6 Sep 40 support being lost or damaged in an air attack on home base

[John Manrho]

Balthes crew was killed in night of 4/5 Sept too.

[BrianC]

Chris, John & Andy

Many thanks for your input.

Take care
Brian