7 Squadron SAAF, Kos 1943

[keith A]

This squadron made at least 12 kills in eleven days 16-27 September, defending Kos. Does anyone have exact details of their claims? My information is as follows:

16.09.43 1-0-0 Ju88
17.09.43 1-0-0 Ju52
18.09.43 3-1-0 Ju88, 2-0-0 Bf109
19.09.43 1-0-0 Bf109, 0-0-1 Ju88
20.09.43 1-0-0 Bf109
26.09.43 1-0-0 Ju88
27.09.43 1-0-2 Ju88, 1-0-0 Bf109

[David Pausey]

Hi Kieth

I had a look at the 7 SAAF Sqn ORB at Kew some time ago but I can not remember if it was because it was unreadable or that they had lost some of there records and that was why I never got photo copies of it. I will look again when I next visit Kew, have you looked through TOE by C.Shores ?
This may be of some help I think that IV/JG27 were in combat over Kos on the 18th and 19th of Sep 43 as they claimed five Spitfires and lost three 109's. Will contact you in the New Year.

Cheers

David

[robert]

Hi,

here the losses of Bf109:
18.09.43

10/JG27 Bf109G-2 W.Nr.10463 white 1+= Ofw.W.Morgenstern MIA Kos
10/JG27 Bf109G-6 W.Nr.18470 white 5+= Uffz.Gustav Dettmar POW Kos

19.09.43

11/JG27 Bf109G-6 W.Nr.20335 red 7+= Uffz.Walter Torge MIA Kos

27.09.43

IV/JG27 Bf109G-6 W.Nr.15975 lost in air combat over Rhodos

Perhaps someone could help me with Spitfire and Boston losses over Kos:

18.09.43 - 3 Spitfires between 15.08-15.13 N and NW Kos
19.09.43 - 2 Spitfires around 08.17 WSW Kos
30.09.43 - 1 Walrus 14.40 Leros
01.10.43 - 2 Boston ? NW Kos

Regards

Robert

[alessandro bray]

Hi,

I have this 7 SAAF losses:

18.9.43 N of Kos lieutenants Turner (JK148) and Cheesman(JK140) in combat with Bf109
19.9.43 Kos lieutnant Seel in combat with Bf109
27.9.43 Kos lt Prescott and Hynd around 11,30; lt Basson bailed out in the afternoon raid, all in combat with Bf109


and this german claims:
18.8.43 3 spitfire (2 fw Keller and 1 FjUff Hientzsch) N of Kos 15,08-15,13
19.9.43 2 spitfire (lt Hetzler, oblt Boesler) WSW Kos 8.17
27.9.43 2 spitfire (uffz Loeffler and ofw Gromotka) Kos 11,18-11,20
2 spitfire (ofw Gromotka and ofw Scheit) Kos 15,17-15,20

alessandro

[robert]

Grazie Alessandro!

Robert

[Brian]

Hi guys

Regarding claims, this is what I have:

16/9/43
Lts EM Taylor & AEF Cheesman Ju88 2(F)/123 4U+RK

17/9/43
Lt RP Burl Ju52

18/9/43
Lts RP Burl & DR Fisher Ju88 Probably recce aircraft
Lt AA Ground Ju88
Lt OJ Kelly Ju88
Lt PP van Deventer Ju88 - possibly all three attacked Ju88 II/ZG26, which FTR
Capt HE Kirby Bf109
Lt EM Taylor Bf109

Ofw Morgenstein & Uffz Dettmar IV/JG27 FTR
Lts AG Turner & Cheesman both KiA

19/9/43
Lt IM Seel Bf109 but then spun in (shot down?) and killed
Lts KW Prescott & JH Hynd Bf109
Lt RP Burl Ju88 damaged

20/9/43
Lt Inggs Ju88 II/KG6 3E+GM

27/9/43
Maj CA van Vliet Bf109
Lt AL Basson Bf109 then shot down (rescued)
Lts AA Ground and DR Fisher Ju88 plus two Ju88s damaged (apparently Ju88 crew rescued by Z506B)

Lts Prescott & Hynd both shot down and killed

28/9/43
Lt DS Jaeger Bf109

Capt EA Rorvik KiA
Lt EM Taylor shot down (rescued)

I am sure we would all appreciate any additions to the above; serial numbers would be useful as would Lt Inggs' first name/initials (unknown to me).

Hope this helps.

Brian

[keith A]

Thanks chaps, my info was from the War in the Aegean and the SAAF Officila history. I believe 7 Squadron scored on two occassions in addition to this.

12/02/43 1-0-0 Ju88 Lt Fisher, Rorvik and 2/Lt Rosholt
17/04/44 0-0-1 Bf109 Lt Richter.

From this information it looks like Capt. RP Burl should be in TOE with these claims in addition to another with 41 Sqn SAAF in 1944.

I have read that Van Vliet was a high scoring pilot but until now his only previous service I have located was flying Fairey Battles in East Africa with 11 Sqn SAAF, then with 1 Sqn SAAF in Libya in 1941. where he claimed a Bf109 on 17/12/41. Another candidate for TOE?

[stefaan]

Hi Keith.
What is the TOE???
Stefaan

[Frank Olynyk]

Stefaan,

TOE is Those Other Eagles, by Christopher Shores (Grub Street, 2004).

van Vliet appears in Aces High (Shores & Williams), with four victories listed, and an explanation of the supposed "high score" in East Africa.

It would appear that Burl, Taylor and Ground should all be in TOE.

Frank.

[Brian]

Happy New Year including Frank!!

It seems as though Fisher also qualifies for inclusion in TOE - three shared Ju88s plus one damaged?

Cheers
Brian