April 13th 1940 Norway

[Steve Smith]

Hi,

Was there any encounters / claims for a Vickers Wellington off the Norwegian coast on the above date. Various web sites attribute the ditching of a 215 Squadron Wellington, flown by a No.38 Squadron crew having been attacked and damaged by a fighter before ditching at 00:04hrs off the English coast.

TIA

Steve

[Chris Goss]

Would this be 0004 hrs on 13th if so the combats were on 12th? This from my forthcoming book:


On 12 April 1940, 36 Vickers Wellingtons, 24 Handley Page Hampdens and 23 Bristol Blenheims were tasked to attack shipping off Stavanger throughout the day. As a result, six Hampdens and three Wellingtons were lost. The Hampdens, which attacked earlier in the day, were lost to Bf 109s of II./JG 77 which claimed eight but later, the Wellingtons were intercepted by I./ZG 76 and Z.St./KG 30. Lt Helmut Woltersdorf, Oblt Heinz Gresens and Fw Leo Schumacher of 2./ZG 76 and Ofw Georg Fleischmann of 3./ZG 76 claimed five Wellingtons (Woltersdorf claiming two) south-west of Stavanger between 1651 and 1735hrs whilst Ofw Martin Jeschke and Uffz Peters Laufs of Z.St./KG 30 claimed another two at 1645 and 1650hrs respectively. Sqn Ldr Maurice Nolan of 38 Sqn reported being under attack by enemy fighters and that they were about to crash in the sea whilst Sgt Horace Wheller and Sgt Geoff Goad of 149 Sqn made it as far as the Norwegian coast, the latter last being seen at 1610hrs being chased by a Bf 110. These three Wellingtons failed to return and there were no survivors. A number of other Wellingtons were slightly damaged and two crews from 149 Sqn claimed to have shot down two Bf 110s. However, no Bf 110s were lost but a Ju 88C-1 believed flown by Lt Paul Semrau was damaged, force-landing back at Stavanger and another flown by Uffz Erich Maus crashed what is believed to be Ju 88C-1 Wk Nr 0136 whilst coming in to land at Stavanger after combat, killing him, Bordfunker Gefr Michael Hoch and gunner Flg Hans Rack; the following day would have been Hoch's 20th birthday.

[Steve Smith]

Hi Chris,

A belated thank you. However, it was the operation flown on the 13th I am interested in.

Kind regards

Steve

[Chris Goss]

That is what I say in first line so was this 13-14 or as I have assumed 12-13?

[Steve Smith]

Chris,

The Wellington took off at 11:50hrs on the 13th. It was was reported to have crashed at 00:04hrs on the 14th. So I am looking for details on the 13th.

Steve

[Stig Jarlevik]

Steve

I doubt there were any bomber missions to Norway on the 13th.
There is nothing in Fledgling Eagles to support that.

Since the 12th was such a disaster Bomber Command most likely stayed at home licking its wounds.

Also something must be wrong with your listed times. A take off at 11.50H with a loss at 00.04H (which
is in the middle of the night) suggests the Wellington has been in the air for more than 12 hours and
I cannot understand why such a long time should be necessary for a mission to Norway and back.
A trip to Stavanger and back would be around 5-6 hours max (no I have not made a careful calculation)

The matter can be easily solved if you give us the serial number of the Wellington in question.

B Rgds
Stig

[Steve Smith]

Stig,

The times are correct, and the date is correct to the Squadron ORB, station ORB, and Group ORB and the Air 81. I have not mentioned Stavanger ?

Wellington L4339 ( ex 215 a/c) flown by a 38 Squadron crew took off at 11:50hrs for a long range recon of Vaernes, Norway.

Steve

[Stig Jarlevik]

That was different Steve

So no bomber mission at all, but a single recce flight.
The incident is not mentioned in Fledgling Eagles as such since according to Shores et al it was Coastal
Command that was active on the 13th and the Luftwaffe claims listed were all against their Hudsons.

Checking the AM 78 form the aircraft belonged to 215 Sq since 15 Feb 1940 and was supposed to be
transferred to 11 OTU on the 17th (already filled in) but the backside of the card confirms the loss on
the 14th with 38 Sq given in parenthesis.

Jim Halley adds the aircraft was damaged by Bf 110 and crashed into sea on return from Vaernes 22mls north of Whitby, Yorkshire.
As far as I can see there are no valid claims by either ZG 76 or Z./KG 30 that fits this loss.

No idea from where Jim got the Bf 110 connection

B Rgds
Stig

[Steve Smith]

Hi Stig,

Agree with all, it was Jim's suggestion that the Wellington was engaged by a night-fighter that prompted the original post.

Thanks anyway.

Steve

[Chris Goss]

Not sure being Norway if it was still daylight at the time of the alleged combat?