Christer Bergstrom BOB book

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by mars

Nick, I believe these RAF losses included RAF bomber losses over Germany and Western Europe

..they do, but they were not that significant, approx 170 machines IIRC.

[mars]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

..they do, but they were not that significant, approx 170 machines IIRC.

This number sound low, I read some books about RAF offensive on European mainland in the BoB period, I recall I was surprised their heavy losses, several hundred bombers were lost at least, but I do not have these books with me now. I have not read this book yet (have already ordered) But I can make a calculate guess, Christer also count RAF coast command's losses as part of BoB losses, that was another thing that could be open for discussion, I am not that sure is does he also include RAF training unit's losses and RAF fight command's non combat losses as part of RAF Bob losses, if so, does he apply the same rule on Luftwaffe?

[Juha]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

...Also in the new book, an interesting appraisal of combat losses on both sides - the RAF's being much higher for the four months July to October, ...

Intresting but I have difficulties to buy that, I haven't count the losses from Chorley's and Ross' books, but the old figures for RAF were 367 bombers, 1140 fighters and 96 other operational types = 1603 altogether and 1733 for LW, not much higher but a little lower. Hopefully Christer has not repeated his old claim that both RAF Cat. 2 and Cat. 3 mean total loss.

Juha

[FalkeEins]

I don't know yet.. its a large book and I would have very much liked to have had a much longer chat with him about it...but his Kent Battle of Britain tour party has moved on

http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2015...chmitt-bf.html

[John Vasco]

Well I got my copy a couple of days ago and have had a cursory glance through certain parts relating to Erprobungsgruppe 210 (no surprise there, then!).

Page 237: 27 September 1940. "...The Gruppenkommandeur, Hauptmann Martin Lutz, fell in the air over Bristol. A little further north, the ace Oberleutnant Wilhelm-Richard Rössiger perished in the flames of his burning Bf 110..."

I have a serious problem with the above two sentences. For the following reasons. It is clearly known that Martin Lutz's Bf 110 came down at Bussey Stool Farm, near Tarrant Gunville, certainly not over Bristol. Also, Rossiger was not shot down 'further north of Bristol', but was shot down into the Channel.

For the life of me, I cannot fathom out how Christer came to the conclusions in the above two quoted sentences, since the confirmed information has been 'out there' for decades... Sorry Christer, but this kind of totally incorrect information in a modern day book harks back to the errors and mistakes of books many decades ago, when far less information was known by researchers and authors.

[John Vasco]

Page 129: 15 August 1940. The early evening raid on Croydon by Erprobungsgruppe 210. "...Triumphantly, Rubensdörffer led his Gruppe home to add a new great success to the unit's war diary. But he never got that far. Above Rotherfield the Messerschmitts' line of retreat was intercepted by Squadron Leader John Thompson's 111 Squadron, followed by 32 Squadron, led on this mission by Flight Lieutenant Michael Crossley..."

What? The combat reports of 111 Squadron show that they intercepted Erprobungsgruppe 210 as they finished their attack on Croydon and were climbing for height, and to reform. This was just before 32 Squadron joined in the interception. All confirmed/damaged/probables claims by 111 Sqdn. were in the vicinity of or just to the south of Croydon. 111 Sqdn. certainly did NOT commence their interception over Rotherfield. What actually happened is that Rubensdörffer's Bf 110 finally crashed at Bletchinglye Farm, Catts Hill, Rotherfield.

Again, the disappointing thing is that this information has been 'out there' for over a decade...