Luftwaffe activity, Termoli, Italy, 3-7/10/43?

[ropeynz]

Hi

I wondered if anyone could help with German air units involved in the above battle? I found one thread here showing a loss in Nov from II/SG4. Would other units have attacked the port? British reports mention attacks by Fw190 several times over the 4 days.

Thank you

[Nick Beale]

If you're talking about daylight actions then strictly speaking the Fw190 ground attack units would probably be Stab and II./Sch.G 2, II./ and III./SKG 10 (which were renamed Stab, I., II. and III./SG 4 respectively during October). These were the only Fw 190 units based in Italy at the time.

If no one comes up with more details in the meantime, Christopher Shores' "A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945 Volume 4: Sicily and Italy to the fall of Rome 14 May, 1943 - 5 June, 1944" is due out at the end of September.

In the longer term, Andrew Arthy and Morten Jessen are working on "Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Fighting Over Southern Italy" covering operations from September 1943 to January 1944.

[Andy Mitchell]

Hello,

Here are some notes regarding the Fw 190 in Italy and specifically Termoli in the timeframe mentioned. These notes have been extracted from DEFE3/883 and DEFE3/884 which cover the dates concerned.

2 Oct 1943 – JP6072 DEFE3/883 pg 86 – snippet – Intentions for 3/10/44 issued 2/10/44 - Battle recce with main effort Foggia and Termoli.

2 Oct 19643 – JP6172 DEFE3/883 pg 199 – snippet – Ops western Med 2/10/43 – 11 Fw 190 attack M/T concentration south west of road junction H9655 at 06.45 hrs, 9 Fw 190 attacked M/T tented camps and Lorries Lucera area at 10.45 hrs.

3 Oct 1943 – JP6201 DEFE3/883 pg 228 – Allied landing early 3/10/43 at Termoli H8278 with 3 large and 5 small vessels. No communication with battle group operating there.”Available elements” of 16 Pz D. had been despatched to clean up situation. According Flivo LXXVI AK 15.30 hrs 3/10/44.

3 Oct 1943 – JP6183 DEFE3/883 pg 210 – Fliegerkorps II intentions 17.00 hrs 3/10/43 for 4/10/43. ABLE – Ground Attack aircraft to support left wing of Army.

3 Oct 1943 – JP6192 DEFE3/883 pg 219 – By 22.00 hrs 23 Fw 190 of II./Sch. G. 2 had taken off from Piacenza. (Comment – compare JP5595 and JP5825 giving Grosseto as destination.

3 Oct 1943 – JP6197 DEFE3/883 pg 224 – Termoli harbour recce 16.15 hrs 3/10/43, 4 small ships (fair indications totalling) up to 4000 tons.Off the harbour 1 LST.

4 Oct 1943 – JP6255 DEFE3/883 pg 289 – snippet – secondly, preliminary interpretation of Termoli at 06.00 hrs 4/10/43: in the harbour, 3 LCI and 1 LCM. In outer harbour 3 small ships, interpretation not possible. (Comment according to visual recce, each up to 3000 tons). Thirdly, visual recce of Termoli 06.35 hrs 4/10/44: in harbour alongside quay 4 to 5 ships each up to 2000 tons. Off the harbour 5 to 6 ships each up to 3000 tons.

4/10/43 – JP6302 DEFE3/8/83 pg 343 – Aircraft serviceable for operations on 5/10/43 according Fliegerkorps 22.00 hrs 4/10/43 – Baker – Ground attack aircraft 7 Fw 190.

4/10/43 – JP6362 DEFE3/883 pg 412-3 – snippet – Baker ...24 ground attack sorties, including attack by unknown number against shipping at Termoli, time unspecified, 7 Fw 190 attack on shipping at 09.45 hrs.

4/10/43 – JP6423 DEFE3/883 pg 494 – Serviceability early 4/10/44 – snippet ...II./Sch.G. 2 – 3.

6 Oct 1943 – JP6533 DEFE3/884 pg 53 – Report Western Med ops 06/10/43 - Ground Attack aircraft against shipping in Termoli area and against reserves being brought up east of Terrmoli.

6/10/43 – JP6453 DEFE3/883 pg 531 – snippet – Intentions Fliegerkorps II evening 6/10/43 for 7/10/43 - ...Battle recce with main effort Termoli area.(Baker) G/A aircraft. Continuous support 16 Pz. In Termoli area.

6/10/43 – JP6466 DEFE3/883 pg 548 – German attack before Termoli suspended according Fliegerkorps II at 18.00 hrs 6/10/43.

6/10/43 – JP6479 DEFE3/883 pg 563 – Conduct of operations as from 15/10/43 laid down by Luftflotte on 6/10/43, consequent on completion of evacuation Sardinia and Corsica. (Able) Fliegerkorps II to prepare to take over all flying units of Luftflotte by 15/10/43. At same time, all close support units operating in central Italian area previously under Fliegerkorps II to be taken over by Fliegerführer Luftflotte, whose tasks will be the support of defensive battle of 10th Army, protection of central Italian area and battle front by fighter forces, subordination to Fliegerkorps II.(Baker) All bomber units, recce group 122, sea rescue service, 2./196 and mine detecting staffel to be directly subordinated to Fliegerkorps II.(Charlie) Arrangements for withdrawal and employment of Bomber Fliegerführer to be made later.

7 Oct 1943 – JP6579 DEFE3/884 pg 105 – Orders evenining 7/10/44 for 08/10/44. 2(H)./14 battle recce to include Termoli area. To establish main point of attack (Allied). ….Recce offshore area Termoli to ascertain whether Allies undertaking further landings…

7 Oct 1943 – JP6605 DEFE3/884 pg 138-9 – Operations Western and Central Med on 07/10/44 included….5 Fw 190 attack on Bridge and M/T with bombs and aircraft armament 6 km SE of Termoli at 13.00 hrs.

7 Oct 1943 – JP6631 DEFE3/884 pg 172 – On 07/10/43: (able) II./Sch.G..2 at Piacenza (comment JP6519 gave 16 aircraft there on 06/10/44 and 7 detached to Grosseto).
(Baker) II./SKG 10 and III./SKG 10 addressed Guidonia and Marcigliano respectively. (Comment JP5826 gave Aquino for both gruppen on 28/09/43.

8 Oct 1943 – JP6641 DEFE3/884 pg 182 – Intentions Fl.K.II 20.30 hrs 08/10/43 for 09/10/43…...(Baker) Support of Army withdrawal. II./SKG 10 to be at 45 minutes readiness from 05.00 hs (Comment further details not known here)…..

8 Oct 1943 – JP6662 DEFE3/884 pg 209 – Evening 8/10/43, II./Sch.G. 2 (Comment Piacenza, JP6631) had 23 aircraft of which 16 on airfield.( 3 serviceable, 8 within 48 hours) 7 detached to Grosseto.

Hope that this is of interest.

[ropeynz]

Thank you very much gentlemen. I had relied on Nafziger and it wasn't mentioned there that the SchG2 and SKG10 units became SG4.

Some of the specific entries I had seen, but not all so thanks again.

Perry