Sgt Bann's Battle of Britain 238 Squadron

[steve sheridan]

Jon, excuse me nipping in on your thread!

Peter, thats great news to hear your current project TBoF Remembered, is near to publication.
I for one cant wait to see this, this period as long been missing from the bookshelves!
Best regs,
Steve.

[Larry]

Dear Jon,

Have you tried looking into the records for the Lifeboats in Portsmouth. Before the RAF ASR came into being the RNLI did a lot of 'recovery' work in the Channel?

Perhaps his brother knows whether it was a lifeboat, fishing vessel or Royal Navy ship that picked him up.

[Jon]

Hi Larry,
No i have not as yet, though i have in the past contacted the RNLI records office in Poole about Lt Achleitner of JG3 and whilst they did have records of a pilot being picked up in the area it gave no names. My worry is that without a definate date and time i will not have a chance and i bet many aircrew were picked up in the area almost every day.
Unfortunatley Maurice is not sure as to who or what picked him up, maurice is also convinced that Sgt Bann saw action over France, his letters certainly indicate this, but again i can find no record of him serving with any other squadron apart from 238.
Sgt Bann had only been married a few months to May, when he was killed. His last words to Maurice on being called back early from leave due to the Battle increasing was simply "Look after May, i dont think i will make the next few months" He was as we know, killed on the 28th September by a classic Luftwaffe fighter attack, diving, shooting and breaking away for home, Sgt Gordon Batt on his wing did not even see if it was a 109 or 110. Sgt Bann bailed out over the East of the Isle of Wight but was killed under a malfunctioned parachute.
Regards
Jon

[paulmcmillan]

Jon

ask question about RNLI on the RAF Commands forum www.rafcommands.com forum. Its moderator (Ross McNeill) has done a lot of research into the RNLI records (he used them for his Vol 1 book on Coastal Comamnd Losses)


Paul

[Jon]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the tip, just posted on the site.


Jon

[Jon]

This has just been posted on the other site recommended....looks very promising. The D017 in questions is in the Battle of Britain then and now, Sgt Bann also claimed a BF110 on this date, its also featured in another superb book...Zerstorer

I have a note that Sgt Bann was shot down by return fire from a Do17 attacked by a section from 238 Squadron on 21 July 1940. He baled out and was rescued. The Do17, apparently from 4(F)/14 was shot down by Sqn Ldr Fenton and Sgt Batt near Convoy Peewit.
I regret that I cannot quote my source (not noted) but I will have a look at 238's ORB etc when I next visit Kew. I hope this detail can be confirmed, but please don't treat this as 100% accurate unless otherwise proved.