HALPRO loos on 29-30 June 1942

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

During the night of 29-30 June 1942, 13 Allied bombers, including three American Halpro B-24s and 10 RAF bombers, attacked Tobruk harbour. One of the American bombers, the B-24D 41-11624 "Balls of Fire" dit not return from this raid and was lost with its seven crew.

This aircraft seems to have bad luck concerning their covering in books. recent book "A history of the Mediterranean Air War, vol 2" has a typo in the serial (noted 41-1624), and has no serial in "Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean". Also in the later book, four crew have shown as being killed and the three other have no fate shown. It will usually mean they survived, but in fact all disappeared this night and are commemorated by the ABMC with a "loss date" of 1 July 1943 (so one year and one day after they went missing: that is usual with missing US airmen and sailors, and is the date their status was changed from "missing" to "finfing of death").

As for the cause of the loss, Hptm Paul Semrau claimed two bombers this night, a Halifax and a Wellington, and the MAW book says one was this B-24. But this bomber was also reported to have been downed by Flak, and many American sources on the Net say it was a victime of friendly fire, either AA fire, Beauforts (!!!) or Spitfires (!!!!) shooting it down. I guess this should have started from somewhere, maybe a rumour, and have let a trace in documents.

In MAW vol 2, we can see that Sgt R. L. Baker of 73 Sqn RAF claimed a Ju 88 damaged 6 miles east of Fuka at 0145 hrs on 30 June 1942. There is no loss shown on the German side, so is it possible that he in fact attacked the B-24, or was suspected to have done it later ?

[kaki3152]

The book "Liberandos: A WWII History of the 376th BG" by James Walker has the following:

"Capt. Francis Nestor and his crew failed to return. The seven men,only just arrived after a 17 day delay in Natal, became the first HALPRO crew lost in combat. It was never determined whether they were lost to enemy action or the misfortune of not being able to being able to adequately identify themselves to British Beauforts[!]"

[Brian]

Hi guys

For what it's worth I can't find any friendly fire that fits the bill, apart from the 73 Squadron possible incident that is mentioned.

Incidentally, of course you mean Beaufighter and not Beaufort in this discussion.

I don't have a copy of MAW Vol 2 to refer to, so I am unaware of what has been written.

Cheers
Brian

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

Actually, Semrau only claimed one a/c shot down on the night in question, here's the claim details:


Hptm. Paul Semrau: 11 3./NJG2 Halifax Tobruk 00.15


Cheers, Theo

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello

Thanks for your replies

Kaki, the 376th BG text was one of those I found on the Net, the one referring to Beauforts.

Brian, the source above is the one that talks of Beauforts, I agree with you that Beaufighters are far more likely to act as night fighters.

Theo, all my sources (Tony Wood, the Nachtjagd claims book and the recent book on MTO air war by Shores) have two claims by Semrau, but I will rather follow you on this subject.

The second claim of Semrau listed by these sources was for a Wellington at 0035 hrs on the 30th, the "Halifax" that might have been the HALPRO B-24 being at 0015 hrs.

Do you discard this second claim as an error, or do you set it at another date ?

[michele-palermo]

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Night 29-30

Ten Ju.88s attacked communication lines, motor transports, and tents at El Abu Dweis (20.38-01.38); one aircraft was lost (OBS).




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night 28-29

Reportedly the 29th two Ju.88s were lost: Lt. Rökker (I./N.J.G.2, Ju.88 C-6 W.Nr. 360002, R4 + DH) was hit by Flak and compelled to force-land near Marsa Matruk (100 %);Ofw. Döring (4./L.G.1, Ju.88 A-4 W.Nr. 5672, L1 + LM) went missing with his crew. It is likely that Döring was shot down in this occasion, while Rökker in one of the clashes the following night. Possibly he was hit by Baker or by the gunners of 376th.


Are you sure Semrau that day was operating in Lybia and not in Sicily?

[kaki3152]

Ok, here's a little more info.

From the book "Ferne Nachtjagd" by Moehlenbeck/Liese, it has the following extract for June 29,1942:

"Am 29.6 schiesst Hptm. Semrau eine Halifax ab. Es dürfte sich dabei jedoch - wir bei Hamstorff [Hptm Hamstorff 2./NJG-2] um eine B-24 Liberator gehandelt haben. Ebenso geht eine Wellington auf seine Konto" [p173]

More evidence that Paul Semrau shot down the B-24