9 Ju88s lost over Algeria 1944

[keith A]

In the period February-May 1944 French fighters shoot down nine Ju88 in the region around Algeria. Two in February, three in March, two in April and two in May. The victory on 18 March 1944 has been identified in a post on the forum. Have any of the others also been identified?

best regards

Keith

[keith A]

I believe the victory of 8.3.44 was a Ju88A-17 of 9./KG26 (HMAW 4).

K

[Trendle]

Hello Keith,

February 2nd 1944

1.(F)A.Gr./33 / Junkers Ju 88 D-1 / # 430066 / B1 + LH / Reconnaissance Flight -> Allied convoy UGS.30 "Tropical" off the Algerian coast / Shot down by two Bell P-39 Airacobras - Lieutenant Auber and Sergent-Chef Hurtin - GC 1/4 / Crash into the Mediterranean about 32 km north of Sidi Ferruch - Algeria / Leutnant Werner Patzwaldt (FF) + Oberfeldwebel Otto Höflich + Feldwebel Walter Spellenberg + Feldwebel Erich Schenken - missing

All the best

Fred

[Trendle]

February 3rd 1944

1.(F)A.Gr./33 / Junkers Ju 88 D-1 / # 430433 / 8H + PH / Reconnaissance Flight -> Allied convoys in the coastal area off Algeria / Shot down by two Bell P-39 Airacobras - Adjutant René Weber and Sergent Michel Seteen - GC 1/4 / Crashed into the Mediterranean about 95 km north of Cap Corbelin - Algeria / Unteroffizier Rudi Schulz (FF) + Unteroffizier Gerhardt Wittmann + Unteroffizier Alois Leitner + Feldwebel Hans-Theo Scherzler - missing

Fred

[keith A]

Cheers Fred, much appreciated.

K

[keith A]

A couple of details.I have the first as 2.2.44 and one of the pilots was Jean-Marie Aubert. Correction to either gratefully received.

K

[Trendle]

Hello Keith,

I think I have listed most, if not all, of the Ju 88 shot down or fired upon by the Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres off the Coast of Algeria in my books in the period February - May 1944. The problem with the allocation of the individual kills is, however, that often on the same day, nearly the same time and in the same area other Allied fighters from the Mediterranean Allied Air Force were at work and so the kills cannot be assigned exactly. My Sources come primarily from “Le Service historique de la Défense - Château de Vincennes” - France and then of course also Decot, Daniel: Pilotes Français sur l'Alsace et L'Allemagne - Paris - 1990, Decot, Daniel: Pilotes Français sur la Vallée du Rhone - Paris - 1982, Decot, Daniel: Pilotes Français sur L`Italie - Paris and Decot, Daniel: Pilotes Français sur l'Afrique du Nord et la Corse - Paris - 2000.

Cheers

Fred

[keith A]

Many thanks Fred. I have the Ju88 shot down on 2 February 1944 by Auber (my bad- I think my mind was on an English pilot, Richard D. Aubert, I knew of...) and Hurtin.

The victory on the 3rd is by Seeten and Weber according to Decot and "Les pilotes de chasse francais" by Listermann, Tiller and CJE..

Michel Seeten (b.1920) was shot down over enemy territory in August 1944 and after bailing out joined the Italian partisans with whom he was killed resisting capture in December 1944. His bravery as a partisan is commemorated on a memorial in Carpi, Lombardy.

K