Questions About Do-18, Norway, 25 April 1940

[SteveR]

This is concerning combats between Blenheims of 110 Squadron and Do-18s on 25 April 1940. Background first:

In Fledgling Eagles by Shores, et al, on p. 287 it states that F/O G.R. Gratton sighted Do-18 K6+DK of 2./Kü.Fl.Gr.406, dropped his bombs on it, then attacked with guns. The Dornier was last seen retreating SE with one engine apparently stopped; some time later it radioed an SOS and landed on the sea 70 miles SE of the Shetlands, the crew being rescued by the submarine U-17, which destroyed the aircraft with gunfire. A second Do-18 - K6+CK - traveling with the first one, was also attacked by Gratton, though Gratton's report made no mention of a second aircraft.

On p. 288 it goes on to say that later in the day six more Blenheims from 110 Squadron were sent to bomb transport vessels in Granvinsfjord (sic); one of them, flown by P/O R.J. Hill, had an inconclusive fight with "Bf 110s" during which Hill was wounded. Then it states that during the return flight the Blenheims ran across K6+CK, still on its way back from the Shetlands, and the Do-18 reported being attacked again.

The Bristol Blenheim by Graham Warner, on p. 181 states that P/O Hill's crew claimed two Messerschmitts shot down into the sea 100 miles off the coast while withdrawing.

The Luftwaffe-zur-See website (scroll down to 25 April):
http://www.luftwaffe-zur-see.de/Seel...n/Jahr1940.htm
lists K6+DK as a 100% loss on 25 April; the text says (using google translate):
"Qu. 4247, Norwegian coast, emergency landing as a result of enemy fire, machine recovered by air traffic control vessel WAL XI" and "Crew rescued on 26.04 by U-17". No other Do-18 losses are given for 25 April.

Finally, in a thread here on ToCH:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archiv...p?t-31230.html
Martin Gleeson gives the info from the 110 Squadron Form 540 for the day, Andy Bird quotes the Report Summaries for Hill for 25 and 26 April, and Col Bruggy gives the citation for the awarding of the DFC to P/O Robert James Hill for his actions on 25 April (thank you very much to Martin, Andy, and Col!).

I've checked the Form 540 and the Report Summaries on the NA site; they are as Martin and Andy stated. In brief, the Report Summaries state that Hill attacked a Do-18 on the water with guns, got in a dogfight with a second, airborne, Do-18 and shot it down, then was wounded by fire from the Do-18 on the water and left the area to RTB.

To me, the account in Fledgling Eagles seems rather garbled, as if the few known (at the time) facts were sort of just pounded together to make them fit, especially as there seem to be no victory claims by, or damage reported to, the "Bf 110s." Another point is that according to 110 Squadron's Form 541 for 25 April, the "time up"/"time down" times for Gratton's crew are 0645/1025, the "time up"/"time down" for Hill's crew are 1215/1710, and the time of Hill's encounter is given as 1555 - this seems to be a bit of a stretch for Gratton and Hill to have both had a scrape with K6+CK. The very brief account in The Bristol Blenheim seems to have just been taken from Fledgling Eagles (but please correct me if I'm wrong on either or both of these).

Going on the assumption that the account given by Hill in the Report Summaries basically correct and accurate, at least insofar as there was indeed one Do-18 on the water which they attacked and another one in the air which they believed they shot down (I understand that crazy things are "seen" during combat; I like to think that it would be hard to "see" a lone aircraft both in the air and on the water simultaneously though) - the one in the air that was shot down being K6+DK- my questions are:

1. Can anybody add anything to this from the German side (records, log books, memoirs, etc.)?

2. Does anyone know of/have any info on a second Do-18 loss on 25 April?

3. Were there really two different Do-18s encountered at the same time and place by P/O Hill's crew, and if so, what became of the second Do-18?

4. Any names for the Do-18 crew(s)? (I realize they wouldn't be listed for the crew rescued by U-17.)

5. Thinking about it, and again assuming the account given in the Report Summaries is true, could it be that K6+DK was the one on the water (due to a mechanical failure or fuel shortage, or something along those lines), the crew of which was rescued by U-17, while the second Do-18, the one shot down, had no survivors (records lost or something)? Does that sound plausible?

Sorry this post got so long - I wanted to mention what I've read and the sources where I read it so that my questions might make sense. Thank you very much in advance for any info, answers, and light that can be shed on this!

[Chris Goss]

This dealt with the U-17 rescue


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showpo...34&postcount=4

[SteveR]

Thank you Chris! I'd missed that one in searching through the archives here.