Who bombed Poti on 16 July 1942?

[Jack Sanders]

Hello,
Has anyone come across German sources describing an attack on Poti (a Soviet, now Georgian, port) on this date? I am interested in the units and number of aircraft participating. A dive-bombing attack is reported by Soviet sources, which, coupled with the port's distance from the Crimea (approx. 400 km), indicates the use of Ju 88s. However, according to Michael Holm's data, all the Ju 88 units in the southern USSR (III./LG 1, KG 51, KG 76) were based out of range of Poti on the 16th. Could it be that I./KG 100, which was based at Saki within range of Poti, made this attack? Soviet sailors had confused level and dive-bombers in previous instances, so He 111s are not ruled out.

Regards,

Jack Sanders

[Boomerang]

According to Joel Hayward's Stopped at Stalingrad: 'On 16 July twenty-four bombers of I./KG 100 and II./ KG 26 launched a joint raid on the bulk of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet...in Poti Harbour... They hit several warships, including a heavy cruiser with a massive 1,400 kg bomb, but...failed to sink a single vessel. They lost two He11s in the attempt, however.' (page 154)

The reference is to 16 July 1942. According to Hayward, the abovementioned units were based on Crimean airfields.

Cheers

Boomerang

[Jack Sanders]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

According to Joel Hayward's Stopped at Stalingrad: 'On 16 July twenty-four bombers of I./KG 100 and II./ KG 26 launched a joint raid on the bulk of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet...in Poti Harbour... They hit several warships, including a heavy cruiser with a massive 1,400 kg bomb, but...failed to sink a single vessel. They lost two He11s in the attempt, however.' (page 154)

The reference is to 16 July 1942. According to Hayward, the abovementioned units were based on Crimean airfields.

Cheers

Boomerang

Hello,
Thank you, this is just what I needed. I have this book, but am clearly not very good at finding things in it. II./KG 26 was indeed based at Saki, but Hayward's information on Soviet losses leaves much to be desired. The "heavy cruiser' was the obsolete light cruiser "Komintern" of 7838 t displacement, which had been converted into a minelayer in 1941. It was disarmed and expended as a breakwater after being damaged in this raid. The destroyer "Bodry" was also badly damaged, re-entering service only in December 1944, while the guard ship "Shtorm" sustained light splinter damage.

Regards,

Jack Sanders

[Boomerang]

Hello Jack:

Thanks for the information about the damage to Soviet vessels. It did strike me as odd that Hayward refers to a direct hit by a 1400 kg bomb, but states that only light damage was inflicted - as you indicate, not so 'light' after all.

I looked at the book again and noted that it includes a reference to primary German sources for 16 July 1942.

Cheers

Boomerang