I./KG 66 operating base 'Steinbock' Bristol raid 27-28 March 1944?

[Simon Trew]

Sorry, this is a similar question to the one I asked last week about the 20 February raid, but this time with reference to the (wholly unsuccessful) Steinbock raid against Bristol on 27-28 March 1944.

For this raid, the RAF Signals Intelligence Service Air Activity Summary No.1667 (covering 27-28 March; TNA AIR 22/500)) associated I./KG 66 with Rennes airfield. The British also plotted a KG 66 aircraft from Cherbourg to Sark to Weymouth to Selsey Bill to Winchester to Southampton to Salisbury to Bath and back to Cherbourg between 2218 and 0138 hrs; this is quite interesting as the flares report in HQ AA Command Daily Intelligence Summary 89/44 (WO 166/14235) lists a veritable deluge of flares all around Weymouth throughout the raid - very obviously miles from where they should have been, unless this was some sort of deception effort.

HW 13/38, OPD 1125 of 29 March also associates I./KG 66 with Rennes during this raid.

Does anybody have any additional evidence to confirm or challenge my assumption (again, for mapping purposes) that I./KG 66 operated during this raid from Rennes?

Many thanks,

Simon

[Brian Bines]

An article by Bill Norman in Flypast October 2003 describing the loss of the aircraft of Ltn Fara of 2/KG66 March 27/28 shows take off from Rennes crash on return by Dunkirk with crew baled out , one injury but safe .

Regards
Brian Bines

[Simon Trew]

Thanks Brian, much appreciated.

[Chris Goss]

As I said in the previous post, they would have been using Rennes as an absprungsplatz being closer to Bristol

[Simon Trew]

Thanks Chris for the confirmation.

[Marcel van Heijkop]

Indeed definitely Rennes, I have 2 FB entries for this night (including Fara).

Regarding the other Steinbock raids for I./KG66:

18/19 April 1944 (London): T/O: Soesterberg, Landings at Deelen and Eindhoven

20/21 April 1944 (Hull): T/O: Soesterberg, Landings mostly at Soesterberg, one at Eindhoven

24 April 1944 (Bristol): T/O and Landing: Rennes

25/26 and 26 April 1944 (Portsmouth, 2 waves apparently): T/O and Landing: Rennes

26/27 and 27 April 1944 (Portsmouth, 2 waves apparently): T/O: Rennes, Landing: Montdidier

27/28 April 1944 (Sea marking, east of Wight): T/O and Landing: Montdidier

30 April 1944 (Plymouth): T/O and Landing: Rennes

15 May 1944 (Bristol): T/O and Landing: Rennes

15/16 May 1944 (Portsmouth): T/O: Rennes, Landing: Vannes

22/23 May 1944 (Portsmouth): T/O: Rennes, Landing: Montdidier

27/28 May 1944 (Weymouth): T/O and Landing: Montdidier

28/29 May 1944 (Torquay): T/O and Landing: Montdidier

29/30 May 1944 (Falmouth): T/O and Landing: Montdidier

Hope this helps, Simon

Marcel

[Simon Trew]

Marcel,

Thank you for the confirmation, and for your generosity in providing a detailed list of the airfields associated with I./KG 66 operations during April-May 1944.

Best,

Simon

[Chris Goss]

The difficulty at this time is this moving around for example Stab I./KG 66
21 Jan-Montdidier TO, Montdidier land
22 Jan-"
29 Jan Soesterberg-Epinoy
4 Feb-Montdidier-Montdidier
18 Feb-"
2 Mar-Rennes-Montdidier
20 Apr-Soesterberg-Soesterberg
15 May-Rennes-Vannes

[Simon Trew]

Thanks Chris for the additional information.

Yes, working out who was where on what date is more than tricky, I've found. The British analysis in AIR 40/2019 confidently asserts a list of airfields used during a series of Steinbock raids, but some of these are almost certainly incorrect, unless they apply only to individual Staffeln or aircraft. I've assembled a list based on the ADI(K) reports and the published unit histories. But there are plenty of gaps and question marks, especially for those units that haven't yet had a decent unit history that covers this period written about them (e.g. KG 30).

Anyway, I am very grateful for this help and I'll add the information to my records.

Simon

[Chris Goss]

I have also got this:


29 Jan 44 Soesterberg-Montdidier
18 Feb 44 Montdidier-Montdidier
24 Feb 44 "
2 Mar 44 Rennes-Montdidier
21 Mar 44 Soesterberg-Montdidier
24 Apr 44 Rennes-Rennes
25 Apr 44 "
26 Apr 44 "