Falmouth Air Raids July 1940

[CornwallPhil]

A video-book style presentation on the air raids on the Cornish port of Falmouth in July 1940.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz0okQgdwJ4

[Nick Beale]

Excellent work, Phil.

I recently found this deciphered Luftwaffe message from July 1940 which may be of interest (National Archives file HW5/3; report CX/JQ/121, Teleprint 22/para. 12):

On 8/7, 2 Ju 88 of III./LG 1 raided ENGLAND. It was reported to Fliegerkorps 4 that they started at 1110 and returned at 1410-35. One a/c dropped 8 250 kg bombs on landing-ground at YEOVIL, but they fell short. The other a/c attacked harbour at ST. MAVETH (ST. MAWES?) opposite FALMOUTH, where 4 250 kg bombs were dropped, but effect was hidden by cloud. Slight AA fire at WEYMOUTH. (A)

The "(A)" is a British rating of reliability, i.e. they're highly confident of their interpretation; "(D)" was the lowest, where there was a lot of guesswork about the meaning.

[CornwallPhil]

Thanks Nick.
This could be the aircraft that bombed the Suippe beached at St Just Pool a mile or so north of St Mawes. I've not come across anything locally that speaks of St Mawes itself being hit on that day.
If you find anything else that refers to Falmouth in the Ultra transcripts please let me know.

[CornwallPhil]

I have now added August 1940 which features the direct hit on Resparko damaging Zwarte Zee et al & also the Home Guard man out on duty with his son who saw the bombs fall on his home.
The link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xly34dkMym4

[CornwallPhil]

Please use the link below to find the latest in this series on the air raids on Falmouth. This one covers September 1940 and deals with the Codeword Cromwell invasion alerts, the Worcestershire Line and the loss of HMY Sappho and HMT Comet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyj0ikGxhDo

[Ryan in Cornwall]

Hi Phil,

I've been watching the videos - great work! Can you tell me how I might be able to get a copy of the war diary for the 8th Battalion Worcestershire regiment for 7th September 1940 please? I'm specifically interested in the entry giving the Cromwell code word as I'm researching the local auxiliary units at the moment. I've looked for the regiment's diaries through Google and the PRO but keep drawing blanks.

As an additional question, do you know how word got to Grampound and Probus Home Guard units about Cromwell?

Thanks for your time and help.

Ryan