Eye witness account: 401 FS vs JG1, Domfront area, 31st July 1944

[O.Menu]

Hi!

As a physician I never lose one opportunity to ear WW2 stories from my patients. This morning Mr Auguste Leidinger, a 80 years old man, told me that in 1944, he was working for the mayor from Céaucé town in Normandy, 10km South from Domfront…

There, on 31st of July he remember clearly to have seen a fight in the air where a Canadian pilot named P.T.Jarvis was shot down and killed just at 12h00 when the bells from the church could be eared. But you know what, the victorious German pilot also died just after. Oh, but why? Did I ask. Well, the German aircraft was circling around his victim very low above the ground and he unfortunately collide a tree, a chestnut tree! Both airplanes felt down on the ground pretty near one from each other.

First check:

*From “2nd TAF”, by C.Shores & C.Thomas:
- F/L T.P.Jarvis was shot down and killed at around 13h30 inside his Spitfire IX MJ662 near their Domfront objective when the 12 spitfires from the 401 Squadron attacked 12 Fw 190 probably from JG1.
- 2 Fw 190 claimed shot down, the only Spifire loss was F/L. Jarvis.


*From “JG1 history” by E.Mombeeck:
- 3 Fw 190 losses on 31st of July:
- Fw.Rudolf Rauhaus, killed, Stab I./JG1, Fw190A-8 W.Nr.172606 “white 20” crashed near Beaumont-sur-Sarthe (South from Alençon) after they meet allied fighters
- Uffz.Heinz Fleisschauer, lost, 3./JG1, Fw190A-8 W.Nr.171004 “yellow 7” crashed around Caen after they meet allied fighters
- Lt. Heinz Kottucz, killed, 3./JG1, Fw190A-8 W.Nr.173024 “yellow 8” crashed North-west from Alençon after fighting against P-47


*From « La Luftwaffe face au Débarquement » by JB.Frappé :
- JG1 Claims :
12h35, Lt Kottucz, I./JG1, one P-47 around Avranches, between St-Hilaire-du-Harcouêt and Saint-James (BS 6-8)
12h35, Ofw. Flecks, 6./JG1, one P-47 between Mortain and Avranches (BS 6-8)
12h55, Ofw. Flecks, 6./JG1, one Spitfire North from L’Aigle (AB 4-5)
?, Uffz. Wurl, 6./JG1, one Spitfire, unknown place

Only II./JG2 got also some victories this day but around 19h30. JG2 is also the only other fighter unit in the area who got some losses but too far on the East from Dormfront.

JB. Frappé though that both “yellow7” and “yellow8” I./JG1 losses would occurs during the fight against the Spitfires around Dormfront.

Two other Fw 190A had been claimed by P-47 around 12h50 around Beaumont (far more on the North)



Discussion:



None of the correctly documented German claims seems to correspond with the one we are looking for which is not chocking since it seems that the German pilot died just after his victory…

Among the JG1 losses, “White20” is too far, but one from "yellow7” and “yellow8” both from 3./JG1 probably collide this chestnut tree at Céaucé. (Céaucé is West, North-West from Alençon).

Correct time would be actually 13H00. With a fight between Spitfires from 401st Squadron and Fw 190A-8 from I./JG1.


Thanks to anyone who can add any information

Olivier.

[KrisJG3]

Still no additional answer , remarks , ... etc ?
Looks very interesting this story with collision at tree.

"...On 30 July the American spearheads reached the vicinity of Avranches, while in the air the Allied fighter-bombers flew unceasingly against German defensive positions. JG 1 was again tasked to attack the Allied Jabos and help relieve the pressure against the German 7th Army. At 1441 hours, ten to twelve Focke-Wulfs of II. Gruppe took off from Semallé and were joined by an equal number of aircraft from I. Gruppe at Lonrai. The Verband flew at 1000 meters (3300 ft.) in the direction of the front under the leadership of Lt. Gerhard Hanf of I. Gruppe. On this occasion, the German formation wasn't intercepted before reaching their own lines. They quickly spotted and bounced fifteeen to twenty Thunderbolts which were strafing ground targets. The combat lasted only a few minutes leaving the surviving Thunderbolts scattered and the Germans flying singly back to their own base. Six P-47s were confirmed destroyed, with three going to the pilots of II. Gruppe. Gefr. May of 7./JG 51 was credited with one at 1512 hours for his first Abschuss, while Obfw. Flecks of 6. Staffel shot down two, one at 1513 and another a minute later for his 16th and 17th victories. However the Germans did suffer the loss of two pilots, one being from II. Gruppe. Uffz. Wolfgang Boyé of 7./JG 51 was killed when he was shot down near Avranches. On 31 July a joint mission was again flown with I. Gruppe over the breakout, 16 machines of I. Gruppe taking off at 1217 hours and joining several aircraft of II. Gruppe. The German unit was intercepted almost immediately by a superior force of Thunderbolts. Three pilots were lost, all from I. Gruppe. Two victories were confirmed, one by II. Gruppe when Obfw. Flecks shot down a P-47 at 1235 hours for his 18th Abschuss. After the combat, parts of the German formation continued their mission, flying in a northeasterly direction from Alençon. A group of Spitfires was spotted and successfully attacked. Obfw. Flecks was credited with another victory, a Spitfire going down at 1255 hours for his 19th Abschuss, while Uffz. Fritz Wurl, also from 6. Staffel, claimed a Spitfire for his fourth Abschuss. Also on this date II. Gruppe finally received a new Kommandeur, Hptm. Hermann Staiger (58 Abschüsse to date), who was transferred from I./JG 26. Acting Kommandeur Oblt. von Kirchmayr was transferred to I./JG 11. He had 20 Abschüsse to his credit, all gained in two years operational flying with II./JG 1. ..."

Source:
http://sturmvogel.orbat.com/FGnorm.html


Here is more story about interesting us pilot:
Flight Lieutenant Terrance Patrick Jarvis
Juillet 31, 1944
401 e Escadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
service de numéro J/11056
cimetière militaire de Bayeux, France. Age 29
See:
http://charmanetoverlord.skyrock.com...ON-PILOTE.html
http://charmanetoverlord.skyrock.com...media=30230979


"....Terrance Jarvis allé à l'école Saint-Augustin et de Vancouver College. Pendant son séjour à l'université, il était un joueur de football étoile. Avant de se joindre à l'ARC, il a travaillé pour B. & K. l'exploitation forestière et pour le Logging Company Vedder. Avant d'aller à l'étranger, en mai 1943, il a suivi une formation d'instructeur de pointe de. Terrance Jarvis servi avec 401 "Ram" Escadron, une unité de jour de chasse canadien. Au moment de sa mort, Juillet 31, 1944, il a été aux commandes d'un Spitfire sur une mission de reconnaissance armée sur la zone de la France Domfront. Avions Terrance a été, interceptés par un Allemand FW-190 de combat, mais il a pu échapper à l'avion ennemi. Il attaqua et détruisit la FW-190, mais ce faisant, a couru sa propre aile dans un arbre et s'est écrasé. L'avion a explosé dix miles au sud-est de Vire, France. Il était le mari de Phyllis Edna Jarvis, de Vancouver, et a eu deux enfants, Wayne et Wendy. ..."

Can somebody translate this text ?

Pilot died: 31.07.1944 - so this day was air battle (?)

[Leo Etgen]

Hello guys

Not really very much that I can add but these are the losses included in the Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11 volumes by Prien and Rodeike for 31 July 1944:

Feldwebel Rudolf Rauhaus of Stab I./JG 1, killed in Fw 190 A-8 "White 20" (W.Nr. 172 606) in aerial combat with US fighters, crashed near Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, 100%

Leutnant Heinz Kottucz of 3./JG 1, killed in Fw 190 A-8 "Yellow 8" (W.Nr. 173 024) in aerial combat with P-47 fighters northwest of Alençon, 100%

Unteroffizier Heinz Fleischauer of 3./JG 1, missing in Fw 190 A-8 "Yellow 7" (W.Nr. 171 004) in aerial combat with P-47 fighters northwest of Alençon, 100%

Unteroffizier Hans Freitag of 7./JG 1, injured in Bf 109 G-6 "White 10" (W.Nr. 413 581) in emergency landing in the Tergnier area due to engine damage, 100% (died 12 September 1944)

Thus, according to this source none of the JG 1 losses that day were due to RAF fighters. I hope this helps.

Horrido!

Leo

[SMF144]

Interesting discussion. The only thing I can add at this point is the Form F of F/L W.T. Klersy of No.401 Squadron, RCAF.

Time up and down: 1232-1337
Place of Attack: N.W. of Domfront.

"I was flying as yellow I in 401 Squadron on an armed recce. Just west of DOMFRONT I observed 10 aircraft flying east on the deck. I dived down and on identifying them as Fw.190's I chased one for approximately ten miles N.E. trying to close. I finally closed from 500 to 250 yards and opened fire from line astern, sometimes varying from 5 to 10 degrees off. I observed some strikes around the wing roots and engine and white and black smoke poured from him. He crashed in the middle of wood and was seen to burn. This confirmed by yellow 4 F/L Connell.

I claim 1 Fw.190 Destroyed."

Stephen

[KrisJG3]

I think here is interested information:

"...Avions Terrance a été, interceptés par un Allemand FW-190 de combat, mais il a pu échapper à l'avion ennemi. Il attaqua et détruisit la FW-190, mais ce faisant, a couru sa propre aile dans un arbre et s'est écrasé. L'avion a explosé dix miles au sud-est de Vire, France. ..."


"... Aircraft Terrance has been intercepted by a German FW-190 fighter, but he was able to escape the enemy aircraft. He attacked and destroyed the FW-190, but in doing so, ran his own wing in tree and crashed. The plane exploded ten miles South-East of Vire, France .... "

Source: http://charmanetoverlord.skyrock.com...ON-PILOTE.html

Here also say about collision with tree (?).

"...German aircraft was circling around his victim very low above the ground and he unfortunately collide a tree, a chestnut tree! Both airplanes felt down on the ground pretty near one from each other. ..."

Maybe Fw190 was hitted by Spitfire and went down but Canadian pilot was crashed on the tree (not Fw190) ?

Have a look attachment - agree ? :
"...This morning Mr Auguste Leidinger, a 80 years old man, told me that in 1944, he was working for the
mayor from Céaucé town in Normandy, 10km South from Domfront ..."

South-East of Vire = North-West of Alençon = N.W. of Domfront.

Maybe Fw190 was hitted by Spitfire and went down but Canadian pilot was crashed on the tree (not Fw190) ?

As his grandson, this has always been the version of events I've understood. Can't seem to post a pict otherwise I was going to post a picture of the last entries in his logbook. Will possibly know more as we are off to Ceauce next week for a commemoration in the town. Thanks for the info above.