Me 109 Attack on Catania Harbor Sept. 1943

[dsetzer]

Does anyone have additional information or sources for the September 2, 1943 attack on the harbor at Catania, Sicily?

Here is what I have so far:

The 340th Bomb Group did not spend a great deal of time on Sicily. They arrived at Cosimo on August 2, 1943, then moved to Catania on August 27th. They were off the island and on the mainland of Italy by October 15th.

The Germans raided Catania on September 2, 1943.

I found mention of injuries to Canadian nurses from friendly anti-aircraft fire.

The War Diary of the 489th Squadron includes this entry for September 2nd:

"Speaking of raids, we had a bit of excitement here ourselves. Three ME 109's dived out of the sky and attempted to bomb the harbor of Catania. We were all pretty scared even though the attack was negligible in its effect."

We do not have a diary for the 488th and the 486th did not mention the incident.

The 487th Squadron had this to say:

"Excitement in the afternoon around mess time. 4 ME 109's attacked Catania Harbor. A/A opened up. Some hit slit-trenches, others watched an ME draw away from a pursuing Spitfire. A barrage balloon was knocked down."

The most intriguing item, however, is a passage from the second anniversary souvenir booklet published by the 340th while overseas. The entry for their stay in Catania contains the following:

"Jerry welcomed us with a raid just as we sat down to supper. Nobody spilled his coffee. But the guns on the line and all around the area in spots we didn't know about opened up and the group hit the ditch as one man. Supper was "meat and vegetable stew" again anyhow. Little damage was done although some of the folks up at Group HQ were chased around a shelter by fragments.

We had frequent Jerry visits but on only one was there any real excitement -- the afternoon the ack-ack got one Jerry, the Spitties another and one of our barrage balloons was sent down in flames, all in the space of a few minutes."
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[Brian]

Hi Dan

Great stuff! Are you able to elaborate regarding the casualties among Canadian nurses from friendly AA fire, please?

Cheers
Brian

[dsetzer]

The reference to the injured Canadian nurses can be found here:

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/s...ng/sisterhist3


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[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Dan,

The unit responsible for the afternoon raid on Catania was the II. Gruppe of Schnellkampfgeschwader 10, flying from Crotone in Italy. It was operating Focke-Wulf FW 190 fighter-bombers. The German unit claimed a barrage balloon shot down during the raid, and two FW 190s were lost during the return flight. The RAF's 81 Squadron intercepted the raid and claimed three FW 190s shot down, including Group Captain Hugo's 21st victory.

There will be more information about the FW 190 raids against Sicilian harbours on 2 September 1943 in the forthcoming book by Morten Jessen and myself, Focke-Wulf Fw 190 over Sicily, which will be avialable later this year.

Cheers,
Andrew Arthy

[jeanba]

Originally Posted by Andrew Arthy

There will be more information about the FW 190 raids against Sicilian harbours on 2 September 1943 in the forthcoming book by Morten Jessen and myself, Focke-Wulf Fw 190 over Sicily, which will be avialable later this year.

Interesting subject, thank you

[dsetzer]

Thank you Mr. Arthy! Fascinating!

My father was on the ground during the attack. He mentioned it in a letter he wrote to his brother on September 5, 1943 three days after the raid. He said:



"I suppose you know by now that I'm in Sicily. Now it is official. [...] As if that wasn't enough, 'Jerry' has been around making a nuisance of himself. I saw the ack-ack bring down three of 'em. They've never really come for us yet, but their target is so close to us that we just get in the way. I suppose rougher days are just ahead."

He was with the 340th Bomb Group (B-25 bombers) stationed at Catania.