RAF or USAAF attack on German shipping on 8 December 1943 (could be Med or Adriatic)

[Allan125]

Looking for some assistance with regard to an RAF or USAAF attack on German shipping on 8 December 1943, and we would like if possible to know what was the RAF/USAAF unit involved in the attack.

The details are pretty vague as it could be in the Mediterranean or the Adriatic.

This is about a German sailor who had previously served on the Prinz Eugen and Scharnhorst, he settled in Sheffield post-war and was wounded by bomb splinters on 8 December 1943. He was serving on 2 Transport Flotille, we have no idea of the actual type of ship, but a Herbert Gruner was the commander and was only an NCO, so we are presuming a caique, small motorboat, yacht, or even a Siebel ferry or Marinefahrprahm, and as it was supplying local garrisons this more points to the Adriatic than the Med.

The unit was 1 Transport Flotille, seconded to 2 Transport Flotille - 1 Transport Flotille was established in May 1943 in France, and in July 1943 moved to Italy with seventeen landing craft.

Headquarters first at San Remo and later Imperia. 2 Transport Flotille was formed in September 1943 from units of 1 Transport Flotille, headquartered in Venice, also oversaw transport operations in the Adriatic.

Unfortunately his file only gives the unit, date of the action and details of his injuries, but with no location, but as it states his injuries are "bomb splinters" we assume it was an air attack.

Many thanks in anticipation

[Zoran Petek]

West coast:
21 B-17s (99th BG, 15 AF) bombed Porto San Stefano, sinking several small vessels.
Civitavecchia was attcked twice, first by 12 B-26s (2nd and 4th flights of 320th BG that cloud prevented to bomb Orte MY, Mission 134).
In the evening Civitavecchia harbour was attacked by RAF Boston III/IIIAs (18 and 114 Sqns, 232 Wing, Desert Air Force). Boston coded 'Z' (18 Sqn, 232 Wing, listed both as BZ263 and BZ362) reported a ship on fire.
From one American document: "Civitavecchia harbor suffers 2 attacks: during day 12 B-26's hit warehouse and oil storage depot; at night 14 A-20's hit chemical works and RR yards, set 1 cargo ship on fire and possibly damage another." (as I said 320th BG day, 232 Wing night)
And on the east coast:
"On E coast Pescara bombed by 35 B-25's; hits scored on bridge and fires started in warehouse area." (321st BG, secondary target instead of Zadar)
"Ancona overpass unsuccessfully attacked by 24 B-25's." Probably by 12th BG, as in central Italy Aquila was bombed by 27 B-25's of 340th BG, which hit RR yards and industrial buildings.
The only other B-25 Group was 310th BG, just starting to move from Africa to Corsica, and only 4 B-25s made a sea sweep.
Hope it helps

Zoran

[Darius]

Hi Allan,

interesting question.

Is it possible to get scans of the papers?

I´ve checked the HMA-Datebase on Landungsfahrzeuge:
https://www.historisches-marinearchi...schreibung.php

In the "Gesamtchronik" https://historisches-marinearchiv.de...fz_chronik.php there are 3 cases of actions on 08.12.1943:

1.47891514MFP F 514 08.12.1943LuftangriffL 02MM- 08.12.1943 12.45 Uhr Luftangriff von ca. 27 4mot. Bombern auf Porto San Stefano: F 514 mit Minenladung durch Bombenvolltreffer (Totalverlust) gesunken. 1 Mann verwundet [6]


9.6120831016---DELPHIN, A 16 Pmot
08.12.1943VerlustTR 1MM- 08.12.1943 MS DELPHIN (A 16 Pmot) der 1. Transportflottille im Mittelmeer verloren gegangen.[4]

9.6186732229---CAPRIA, B 229 Pmot
08.12.1943VerlustTR 1MM- 08.12.1943 MS CAPRIA (B 229 Pmot) der 1. Transportflottille im Mittelmeer verloren gegangen.[3]

The last ones are of the 1. Transportflottille. We have to check the nearer circumstances of their loss.

Regards

Darius

[Allan125]

Thank you Zoran and Darius for very comprehensive, and interesting replies, I will check with my friend who raised the query with me as to whether a scan can be done, he is in Germany, I'm in Cornwall, and the question originated from Sheffield, where I presume the papers are..

Cheers

Allan

[Nick Beale]

You could check in the German Naval Ops. Staff war diary for December 1943 (English translation) which is here: https://archive.org/details/wardiarygermann521943germ

The German original is here: https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-zmsbw/fr...itung/docId/65

[Allan125]

Thank you Nick - much appreciated

Allan

[Zippy1]

Thanks everyone for your help, and to Allan for thinking to put the request on here !

[Zippy1]

Unfortunately I haven't found any info yet on the location or his ship :

[Darius]

Hi,

1. From KTB 1. Transportflottille, 08.12.1943:

Konzentrischer Bombenangriff auf Hafen von St. Stefano. Totalverlust F.P. "Gerth", F.P. "Karl", F.P. "Horst", F.P. "Merseburg", F.P. "Wien", F.P. "Fasan". Personalverluste: vier Leichtverletzte.

For other air attacks on 08.12.1943 on vessels of the 1. Tsp.Fl. there are no more data on crew losses. In the action reports of the vessels lost in San Stefano, there´s no Herbert Gruner mentioned.

2. From KTB 7. Sicherungsdivision, 09.12.1943:

13/09 [sic, must be 08] schwerer Bombenangriff auf St. Stefano. Hafen durch ges. Schiffe gesperrt. Gesunken: P. Horst, Wien, Gerd, Fl.Bt. 577, KS Angelo, P. Karl explodiert. KS Fritz Prager, P. Fasan ausgebrannt. F 514 Treffer im Vorschiff. Minen unter Wasser. M 7605 leicht beschädigt. 2 Vermißte, 2 Verletzte auf M 7605.[...]

Haka St. Stefano meldet durch Kr.FT:"13 Uhr sch. Bombenangriff [...] 6 Verwundete, 2 Vermißte. M 7605 bombenbeschädigt, ausgelaufen nach Livorno, 2 Mann vermißt, 2 Mann Lazarett."

Regards

Darius