51 Sqn Halifax LV819 4-5 November 1944 Combat Report info sought

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

Who can help me with the Combat Report of 51 Squadron Halifax LV819, which was badly shot up in a combat with a Ju88 on 4-5 November 1944 and subsequently written off on its return to RAF Snaith. Of special interest are the location and time of the combat.

Cheers and thanks for any info, Theo

[SteveR]

I had a look through the Combat Reports for both 51 Squadron and 4 Group on the TNA website and found nothing - neither of those have reports from as late as November 1944.

The 51 Squadron Form 541 was a bit helpful. The last two sentences for LV819 for the night of 4-5 November 1944 state "This aircraft had a combat with a JU 88 at 19.47 hours. N (sic) claim is made."

Based on that I assume there's no Combat Report as such to be found.

I haven't reached my quota of free downloads for the month yet so I downloaded both the F540 and the F541 for 51 Squadron for November 1944 and will gladly send them your way if you'd like.

Chorley gives neither the time or the location of the combat.

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks Steve for confirming what I feared -no elaborate Combat Report available anymore for this incident. Anyway, we do have the time of the combat.

Cheers, Theo

[SteveR]

If you've got the track for the bomber stream and the direction of the turn off the target perhaps a rough determination of the location can be made.

From the F541 for LV819: "...with a bomb load consisting of 1 x 2000 lb. 5 x 1000 lb. and 6 x 500 lb. H.E's. (sic) which were released from a height of 17,500 feet at 19.41 hours."

So the combat took place 6 minutes after bombs gone. What course would they have taken off the target and how far away would they have been 6 minutes later?

Crew of LV819 as given in the F541:

F/S Stevens. E.G.(P)
Sgt Spratt. V.S.(N)
Sgt Whitmore. J.B.(B)
Sgt Gibbs. R.A.(W)
Sgt Pritchard. A.R.(E)
Sgt Yearsley. J.H.(MU/G)
Sgt Morgan. H.D.(R/G)

Maybe someone has a logbook from one of them that can shed more light on the location of the combat.

[Theo Boiten]

Hello Steve,

Thanks a lot for that. Based upon this info, the Halifax must have just been past the gap between Düsseldorf and Köln on a SW homeward-bound course when they were engaged by the Ju88.

Cheers, Theo

[SteveR]

Hope this is of some help in determining LV819's opponent!

[Theo Boiten]

Yes Steve thanks -I've now identified a most probable Nachtjagd candidate who claimed the destruction of this aircraft -but he did not fly a Ju88...

Cheers, Theo