Dive Bomber Attack in the Med 18th April 1941.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me the Unit /Aircraft/ Airmen of the German Dive Bombers which may have claimed the sinking of HMS Fiona on the 18th April 1941 ? The ship was some 50 miles North West of Sidi Barrani, Egypt when the bombing attack was made which resulted in the loss of 54 lives.
Luckily the ship was empty of troops at the time ?

Many thanks
Alex

[AndreasB]

Are you sure they were German? From the below it appears the attacks were carried out jointly by German and Italian Ju 87.

Dt. Ju 87 der III./StG.1 und II./StG.2 und ital. Ju 87 der 96. und 236. Sq. versenken [...] am 18.4. nordwestlich von Sidi Barani die bewaffnete Yacht Fiona (2190 BRT).

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/41-04.htm

All the best

Andreas

[Alex Smart]

Hello Andreas,
Thanks for the link.
Have I got it right ?
Dt(Detachments ? ) Ju 87 of III / StG.1 and II / StG.2 and Italian... Ju 87 of the 96th and 236th Sq. sink at 18.4. north-west of Sidi Barani, the armed yacht Fiona (2190 BRT).
So both the Luftwaffe and Italian Air Forces were involved in her sinking ?

From what I have been given to understand, 236 Sq had very few aircraft on hand over this period of time, receiving 237 Sq's aircraft to make up to strength. So wondered if they were involved ?

Thanks again
Alex

[Rasmussen]

Originally Posted by Alex Smart

Dt(Detachments ? )

"Dt." = deutsche

[Mattesini]

For the German and Italian air operations you will find all the information you are looking for on the activity, number of aircraft, belonging departments, sunken Allied ships, etc., in my book “L’attività aerea italo - tedesca nel Mediterraneo. Il contributo del “X Fliegerkorps", Stato Maggiore dell’Aeronautica Ufficio Storico Gennaio - Maggio 1941", Roma, 1995, 2a edizione 2003 " (The Italian-German aerial activity in the Mediterranean. The contribution of the "X Fliegerkorps (Gennaui - May 1941)), revised and considerably enlarged.

Francesco Mattesini

[Andrei Demjanko]

The unit which sank HMS Fiona was III./St.G. 1

From Italian document

Alle 1045 dieci Ju 87 scortati da 4 Me 110 hanno attaccato gli obiettivi navali di Sollum. Un incrociatori ausiliario fortmemente armato colpito da diverse bombe affonato. Un Blenheim e stato abbattuto [by Ltn. Ferdinand Glanz of 8./ZG 26 at 11.00. His victim was Blenheim IV V5438 of 45 Sqn] Reazione di artiglieria contraerea e di due Hurricane che non hanno pero attaccato.

Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of North Africa and the Mediterranean says twelve [!] Ju 87's of III./St.G. 1 participated, citing Hptm. Mahlke's report:

"11.05 hours warship or armed merchantman of approx. 8000 BRT, probably old coastal monitor, sunk in sea area NE of Sollum. Own losses nil."

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by AndreasB

Are you sure they were German? From the below it appears the attacks were carried out jointly by German and Italian Ju 87.



http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/41-04.htm

All the best

Andreas

96 Sqd is wrong, what is meant is 96 Gruppo, which consisted of two Sqd, 236 and 237. If they were involved or not (see Andrei's answer) is not known by me.

96 Sqd was a Macchi 200 equipped fighter unit at this time.

Cheers
Stig

[Mattesini]

Fiona (ex Juna), 2190 tons (18 aprile 1941)
Era stata requisita dalla Royal Navy il 31 agosto 1939, alla vigilia della guerra. Il 18 aprile 1941 il Fiona (capitano di fregata Arthur Harold Hidreth Griffiths) svolgeva una missione di vigilanza lungo la costa egiziana, quando venne attaccata da una formazione di dieci aerei tedeschi Ju 87 del 3° Gruppo del 1° Stormo Stuka (III./St.G.1), comandato da capitano Helmut Mahlke, e da quattro Me.110 del 3° Gruppo del 26° Stormo Distruttori (III./ZG.26), il tutto alle dipendenze del Fliegerführer Afrika. Gravemente colpita dalle bombe la Fiona affondò a 50 miglia a nordovest di Sidi el Barrani (per 311°). Tra l’equipaggio vi furono cinquantaquattro morti, inclusi il comandante Griffiths e cinque ufficiali.
Francesco

[John Beaman]

English only on this forum unless you are quoting from an original WWII document

[Mattesini]

I get it. Since I am not very experienced in English, I preferred to write in Italian. I'm sorry ...

Francesco
Infor