HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940

[roumsetom]

Hello,
On May 11th, 1940, a victory was counted as likely to the warrant officer Delarue and to the sergeant Mathieu from GCIII/7 . It was about a HE.111. Somebody knows the unit of HE.111 wich was fired by the two french aircraft (MS 406)?
The GC III / 7 was based to Vitry Le François.
Wich Lufwaffe's unit operated a bombardment in the sector?
Thank's for answer
Regards
Franck

[Chris Goss]

11 May or 10 May-you contradict yourself!?

[roumsetom]

Excuse-me. The good date is May, 11th, 1940
Regards

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Franck,

I regret that I have found no clear matches for the claims you mention and nor has Arnaud Gillet in his Victoires de l’Aviation de Chasse Francaise. As far as I am aware only one He111 loss early that morning remains unresolved, that being a He111P of 2./KG55 that was forced down near Illange by unidentified fighters. But as this is some 90 miles from Vitry-le-François I doubt any connection.

[roumsetom]

Hello Peter
thank you very much for your answer.
The french patrol took off at 5.30 am and landed at 6.55. What time was it when the HE.111P was forced down?
Regards
Franck

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello again Franck,

A French 2e Bureau Report (SHAA 787) gives the time of the He111 landing as ‘vers 6 H.30 dans la region d’ILLANGE’ but please note this was reported as taking place on May 10, 1940. A subsequent report puts the location as ‘near Buzy’ which I take to be Buzy – Darmont, west of Conflans-en-Jarnisy, and thus a good deal closer to Vitry than the original location reported. The four crewmen all named in the French report were reported lost on May 11, 1940, in contemporary German records, which I chose to follow, but be aware that there is still considerable confusion in this case. It remains unlikely that this Heinkel has anything to do with the GC III/7 claims you are trying to identify.

[roumsetom]

Thank's a lot Peter.
The Delarue-Mathieu's patrol job was to cover the airfield of Vitry . Did this He 111 came to bombard Vitry? In case of it, from where did they come from?
Regards
Franck
(sorry for my english)

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Franck,

Your English is fine. The exact target for the He111 of 2./KG55 downed near Buzy was not established. However, I believe that 3./KG55 sortied to attack Avord airfield 02.45 - 05.20 (BST) on May 10, and Xaffervillers 03.30 - 05.35 (BST) next day which gives you an idea of the areas in which they were operating. At that time they were based at Baltringen.

[roumsetom]

2 / KG55 wasn't thus based to Leipheim until May 10th then to Schwaighofen on May 11th, isn't it?
Franck

[Pieter H]

Franck,

I know it is not 100% confirmed, but I think Vitry-le-Francois was attacked around 06.00 BST by III./KG53. Three Heinkels returned damaged from the attacks by GC III/7.

Regards, Pieter