German Airfields in Algeria by late December 1942

[Andre Chissel]

Dear All,

I am researching the torpedoing of the troopship Cameronia and have been able to prove that it was not U-565 that torpedoed her but an aerial torpedo from KG26.

There were four attacks on the ship and from other sources I have full details of several of these air attacks that were launched from Sardinia.

However, it is now clear to me that some of the attacks on 21-22 December 1942 were not launched from Italy or Sardinia. They involved He111s and must have been launched from North Africa.

Does anyone have any information about He 111 attacks launched from German airfields on 21-22 Dec 1942 against allied shipping - in particular convoy KMF-5 ?

Many thanks

Andre Chissel

[Laurent Rizzotti]

At this date, Algeria was in Allied hands, Axis air bases were in Tunisia (Bizerte and Tunis area mainly) and western Lybia (Tripoli area).

[mhuxt]

Laurent - check PMs.

[Nick Beale]

Rudi Schmidt's "Achtung — Torpedos Los!" doesn't have much detail but he says that all three torpedo Gruppen of KG 26 were in Grosseto, Italy at this period.

[Andre Chissel]

What are PMs ?

Andre