Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941

[Andrei Demjanko]

Hello,

During the afternoon on 26 September Hurricane force-landed at Derna, the pilot was captured.

Does anyone know the serial of the aircraft and identity of the pilot?

[Andrei Demjanko]

Well, I know this is a tough nut to crack, so I'll put forward my own suggestions.

Judging by the location it was almost certainly PRU aircraft. RAF frontline squadrons simply did not operated so deep into Axis-held territory at this time.

I'm aware of the loss of F/Lt Brown (Hurricane I (PR) W9116) of 2 PRU in nearly identical circumstances. In this thread on Rafcommands forum the date of F/Lt Brown's loss is given as 2 October and the source for that put simply as 'ORB':

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...wn-RAF-PRU-PoW

But, as the circumstances of the incident reported on 2 October is almost identical to those, reported by Pz.Gr. Afrika on 26 September, and as the exact date was given differently in different British sources (see the link to the thread above), it might well could be F/Lt Brown, who force-landed at Benghazi on 26 September 1941 and was captured with his aircraft

[Stig Jarlevik]

Andrei

Reading MAW Vol 1 there is nothing listed on 26.9.1941 and there seems not to have been any reconnaissance duties that day.

The loss of F/Lt Brown is listed in that same book on 2.10.1941 due to an Axis report, while, when the authors summarize their own conclusions, they find it more likely it all happened on the third. Reason for that is, I suppose, there was no real activity on the British side on the 2nd while on the third there was in fact a recce mission protected by five Hurricanes with Tomahawks as top cover.
Strangely enough they then continue to place Brown's loss on the second.

Brown received his DFC on 27.9.1941, that is one day after he became a POW if your date is correct. Not sure what was stated in such awards, but if he was already a POW when the medal was given, I feel it should have been noted somewhere.

Cheers
Stig

[Andrei Demjanko]

Stig, thanks for your thoughts

Yes, MAW made reference to Axis report, which puzzled me. But while the force-landing of a Hurricane and capture of its pilot mentioned on 26 September, nothing was mentioned by Pz.Gr. Afrika neither on 2 nor on 3 October. Anyway, to lose two PR Hurricanes by force-landing on an Axis landing ground in the same area in the space of a week sounds a bit suspicious to me.

Hurricane fighters and Tac/R Hurricanes were not flying so far into the Axis territory. From memory, most advanced RAF landing grounds were in the Sidi Barrani area [400km from Derna] at the time.

The date of the award could be another clew, although not direct. The date of the award of DFC mentioned could be the date when award became effective, not when it was published. And F/Lt Brown could well have been awarded in recognition for his service prior to capture. This is just a suggestion (or call it speculation), but I found it plausible. The DFC Citation could clear this up.

I'm still not 100% sure it was F/Lt Brown's aircraft, that's why I started this thread. But currently I simply do not have other candidates

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

The award of the DFC to 37717 F/L Anthony Malcolm BROWN MiD RAF, was published with just a general citation; The above awards are for gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/5596

Note the date of the award.

Here are the details of Brown's Mention in Despatches, a few days earlier:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/5571

Col.

[udf_00]

Italian report : http://www.alieuomini.it/pagine/dett...l_n_al,60.html
488 - 3 ottobre
"nella giornata di ieri" meaning yesterday, the first sentence refers to the 2 OCT, for the others I don't know.

Italian report : http://www.alieuomini.it/pagine/dett...n_al_n,59.html
481 - 27 settembre
La difesa contraerea di Bengasi ha abbattuto due bombardieri nemici; un altro aereo è stato abbattuto dalla nostra caccia; un quarto apparecchio è stato costretto ad atterrare nelle nostre linee: l'equipaggio è stato fatto prigioniero.
loosely translated :
The Benghazi AAA shot down two enemy bombers; another aircraft was shot down by our fighters; a fourth plane force-landed inside our lines: the crew became POW.

Maybe not a Hurricane on the 27 or 26 SEP.

[Andrei Demjanko]

Col. and udf_00, many thanks to both of you

As far as I understand the date mentioned in the supplement to the London Gazette is the date when the award became effective.

Those official Italian press releases are of much help. It seems no.488 is that 'Axis report' which was the source for authors of MAW.

There were no British bombers lost in the Benghazi area 25.09-27.09.1941 according to 'RAF Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean'. So mention of a force-landing of the British aircraft and capture of its crew in no.481 almost certainly points to Hurricane from German report.

Tagesmeldung 26.9.41
1.)...
5.) 26.9. nachmittags 1 Hurricane in Derna notgelandet. Pilot gefangen.
6.)...

So now I'm 100% sure F/Lt A.M.Brown force-landed and was captured on 26. September

[AndreasB]

Brilliant link!

All the best

Andreas

[Andrei Demjanko]

Andreas, thank you very much!

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Andrej,
just a last note.
The war Diary of 153° Gruppo C.T. based in Derna, notes for 26 September 1941 that :"from 12.50 to 13.05 a Macchi C200 fighter of 374 Squadriglia scrambled. it saw an Hawker Hurricane force landing on Derna because of a breakdown".
ciao

Ludovico