3 Group Claim 12 Feb 42

[Chris Goss]

A bomber crew claimed to have damaged a Bf 110 this day-anyone have any idea of the squadron they could have come from?

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Possibly No.218 Squadron, F/O Allen*, Stirling I N6127:

https://218squadron.wordpress.com/1455-2/

This operation (FULLER), also brought the first 218 Squadron Stirling sorties, flown by S/L Kerr in N3700, F/O Allen in N6127 and Sgt Tompkins in N6089, who took off between 14.30 and 15.15 hours. F/O Allen sighted two destroyers through a break in the cloud., but it was only after circling for thirty-six minutes that the cruisers were spotted from 1,500 feet. An attack was carried out against one of them, but the bombs fell harmlessly into the sea 100 yards off the starboard quarter. The Stirling was hit in the bomb bay by flak, and was then engaged by three BF110s, one attacking from dead astern, and later from the starboard quarter. After a spirited riposte from the Stirling's gunners, the assailant was seen to break away in a vertical dive, and was lost from sight. N6089 was also attacked by a BF110 but arrived home safely with its bombs having been unable to locate the ships. S/L Kerr was the last back at 19.00 hours, having caught the briefest glimpse of his quarry before cloud obscured the aiming point. His Stirling was engaged by a Do 217, and sustained slight damage, but both aircraft dived into cloud, and that was the end of the encounter.

See:
3 Group Bomber Command An Operational History.
Ward,Chris & Steve Smith.
Barnsley:Pen & Sword Aviation,2008.
p.49.

* 88425 F/O (Pilot) Donald Westbrook ALLEN RAFVR.

Col.

[Chris Goss]

Brilliant! Thanks Col. Saved me some time

[phasselgren]

Hi,

214 Sqn made a claim for a probably destroyed Bf 110 at 17:46 hours, Wellington Z.1158 with P/O Ruoff as pilot.

/Peter

[Chris Goss]

Thanks also Peter. Will work on this Monday