RAF nightfighter claim on Ju 88 22/23rd Feb 1944

[Hans Nauta]

Dear all,

I'm trying to figure out which RAF nightfigher was responsible for the loss of Ju 88A-4 B3+JP Wnr 301436 of 6./KG54.

The wreckage was reported to be found on the Buxley Sands, 10 miles S of Brightlingsea, shot down by a nightfighter at 22.15 hrs.

The Blitz Then and Now mentions 23.43 hrs as crash time.

Shifting out with the aid with the Fighter Command War Diaries, 85, 96 and 410 Squadron where successfull in shooting down Ju 88, Ju 188 and Me 410 over sea.

Has anybody perhaps a clue which crew/squadron claim matches with above crash location and either 22.15 hrs or 23.43 hrs?

Thanks in advance and best regards,
Hans Nauta

[SMF144]

Hans,

Here is the one for No. 410 Squadron RCAF, who incidently claimed two Junkers that night/morning.

Time attack was delivered: 2343 hrs

Place of attack: 1st attack "N" for nan 1353

General Report: One Mosquito XIII AI Mk.VIII, Pilot S/L C.A.S. Anderson and Observer G.P.A. Bodard (both RCAF) took off from Castle Camps 2125 and landed at 0045 on Interception patrol. While under GCI Control, Trimley Heath (F/O Ashley, F/L Carr) S/L Anderson reports: We were patrolling in 'N' for Nan Square at 20,000 ft when finally vectored North by Trimley and told to go to 23,000 ft, then told to go down to 18,000 ft, when contact was obtained, range 2 miles, and well below, closed in and overshot due to the a/c being too far below, did an orbit to port of 360 degs., picked up contact again, range 1/2 mile, and still below, overshooting again, did an orbit picking up contact again, range 3/4 mile, closed in slowly to 500 ft., and a visual was obtained; this was lost several times due to evasive action of a/c, but Navigator held the contact, and closed into maximum range. A/C then identified as Ju.88 from 50 ft., astern and below, altitude 18,000 ft. When pilot was about to shoot, E/A peeled off violently to port, we followed and got in a short burst at 90 degs., deflection, range 150 ft. Strikes were observed on fuselage, and starboard engine, the latter caught fire. E/A levelled out and we attacked again from 75 yards range, further strikes were seen on fuselage, E/A turned to starboard, again we followed and attacked, strikes were seen on the fuselage, small explosions were observed from the fuselage on the E/A and it immediately burst into flames. Whilst E/A was spinning towards the sea, the aircraft started to break up, and finally was seen to crash into the sea in flames. We claim this aircraft as destroyed.

Now, for the second one:

Returned to GCI Control Trimley (F/L Carr) and they gave us a vector of 090 and to go to 17,000 ft immediately we got a contact, range 3 miles, we closed in whilst climbing, but the a/c was too high, and we undershot, requested help from control and was given vector of 270 degs, got contact, range 3 miles, we closed in to 500 ft. a visual obtained, but lost due to evasive action of a/c, however, the Observer held the contact and brought us in to 150 ft when a/c was identified as Ju.188 from underneath and to one side. E/A immediately dived to port, we gave a short burst at 60 degs deflection from 50 yards range, strikes were observed on the fuselage and wings. E/A took violent evasive action and lost height, we made another attack, giving a short burst from 100 yards range, strikes were observed, this time on the cockpit. E/A spun completely out of control and was observed to explode when it hit the deck. During the time of E/A spinning down, we followed as closely as possible in a tight spiral dive, finally levelling out at 6000 ft. We claim this a/c as destroyed. Position M.9421

Hope this helps?

Stephen

[Hans Nauta]

Hello Stephen,

Thanks a lot for your quick reply. Although one of the mentioned times of 23.43 hrs matches the time as given in The Blitz then and Now, the concerned locations at N.1353 and M.9421 are far out to sea and some 40 miles away from the Buxley Sands.

However unexpected, you solved another more problematic query for me as I've also listed 2 Ju 88's as lost over the North Sea the same night which matches now with the Ju 88 and (misidentified) Ju 188 claim!

Best regards,
Hans Nauta

[Hans Nauta]

Dear all,

After having sorting things out further it appears that 85 Squadron may have been responsible for shooting down Ju 88 B3+JP at the Buxley Sands.

Claims that night were made by F/Lt D. M. Dixon, W/O E. C. Jarvis and F/Lt F. S. Skelton.

Hopefully somebody has more details on file concerning their claims which may match the position at Buxley Sands and the probable time of 22.15 hrs?

Best regards,
Hans Nauta

[SMF144]

Hans,

Glad to have helped you out. Could you please identify the two Junkers 410 claimed for my files? Send me a PM if you want.

Thanks.

Stephen

[David Pausey]

Hi Hans

I have RAF Night Fighter claims for 22/23-2-44 as follows:-

F/L W.Baillie, F/O J.M.Simpson. 25 Sqn. Mosse XVII HK285. He177(3/KG100) over Yoxford.

F/L B.Burbridge, F/L F.S.Skelton. Mosse XVII ‘Y’. 85 Sqn. Me 410 off Dungeness.

F/O E.R.Hedgecoe, P/O J.R.Witham. Mosse XVII. 85 Sqn. Me 410 35m S Dungeness.

S/L G.L.Caldwell, F/O Rawling. Mosse XIII HK370. 96 Sqn. Me 410 W Uckfield.

S/L C.A.S.Anderson, F/Sgt C.F.A.Bodard. Mosse XIII HK521. 410 Sqn. Ju 88(9/KG6 ?) N.1353 23:43hrs.

S/L C.A.S.Anderson, F/Sgt C.F.A.Bodard. Mosse XIII HK521. 410 Sqn. Ju188 M.9421 00:03hrs.

F/O B.F.Miller USAAF, F/Sgt F.Stirling. Mosse IV. 605 Sqn. E/A Melsbroek 00:50-03:25hrs.

F/Sgt H.Williams, W/O R.J.A.Gurnett. Mosse VI. 418 Sqn. u/i aircraft dam 1m NW Coulommiers A/F 01:50hrs.

F/Sgt H.Williams, W/O R.J.A.Gurnett. Mosse VI. 418 Sqn. Me410 2m N Coulommiers A/F 01:53hrs.

I do not have times for the others or details of the PD and Dam claims by 85 Sqn.
Have you any details on Luftwaffe losses for this date ?
Hope its of some help.
Regards
David

[Chris Goss]

I have Burbridge/Skelton & Hedgcoe/Bamford claiming a Me 410 each that night but no losses from V/KG 2!

[SMF144]

418 did indeed claim two a/c in the early AM of the 23rd but no where near England, but over Coulemmiers A/F hence not inclduding them in my original post.

[Brian Bines]

I am not certain how accurate the time in the crash report of 22.15hrs is. British Radar first picked up raiders over Belgium heading north (to marker beacon on Dutch Coast) at 2245 hrs. the Home Ofiice report for the 22/23rd Feb states ''at about 0015 hrs 150 long range bombers began to cross our Coast, some over east Anglia and the Estuary and the others over the South Coast '' while a German report talks off bombing times over London between 00.28 to 00.50 hrs. Aircraft shot down overland that night were all after midnight. Nightfighter claims apart from S/L Andersons in Squares N and M (off the east coast) were in Squares Q,R and W (off the south coast) or over the Continent ,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Hans Nauta]

Hello Stephen, Chris, David and Brian,

Stephen, underneath the details.

The other Ju 88 losses which match with the claims of S/Ldr Anderson of 410 Squadron are:

Ju 88A-4
Wnr 550291
B3+EN
5./KG54
FF: Uffz Horst HECHLER (23) ErkM 60029/112 (MIA)
BO: Uffz Harry MÖBIUS (22) ErkM 60029/125 (MIA)
BF: Uffz Adolf SEITZ (23) ErkM 67164/81 (MIA)
BM: Obgefr Heinz TWITTENHOFF (24) ErkM 60029/123 (KIA)

The body of Obgefr Twittenhoff washed ashore on 12th June 1944 in the vicinity of beach pole 36.3 near Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands, and was buried as unknown Obgefr at Bergen cemetery. At the time of the burial his service number was known. On 16th April 1957 his body was reinterred at Ysselsteyn.

Ju 88A-4
Wnr ?
3E+?T
9./KG6
FF: Uffz Friedrich BIEBERSTEIN (23) ErkM 53565/194 (MIA)
BO: Fw Heinrich ERNST (24) ErkM 53565/195 (KIA)
BF: Fw Karl LANDENBERGER (25) 53565/159 (MIA)
BM: Uffz Heinz EXNER (23) ErkM 53565/196 (MIA)

Fw Ernst washed ashore on 6th May 1944 in the vicinity of beach pole 8.8 near Groote Keeten and was buried on 8th May 1944 at Bergen cemetery.On 16th April 1957 his body was re-interred at Ysselssteyn

Unfortunately Code and Wnr are not on the NVM for this loss.

Difficult to say, but B3+EN may have been the victim at 23.43 hrs. This Ju 88 was claimed at position N.1353 which is about 40 km E of Felixtowe, while 3E+?T may have been the victim at 00.03 hrs at position M.9421 which is about 20 km ESE of Clacton-on-Sea. This because of the home base of Melsbroek of the latter, but it's a very thin assumption and not backed up with evidence and cannot be taken as granted.

David,
Nice to hear of you again. Other claims that night don't match with the position of B3+JP which was found almost intact on Buxley Sand, the dead crew still on board so perhaps a ditch was attempted by the crew. So perhaps this Ju 88 was one of the damaged a/c claimed by 85 Squadron?

Chris,
I've no material which identifies losses of V/KG 5, but Ulf Balke mentions 5 losses by V/KG2 in his book, but none of these specified in his loss lists.

Brian,
Nice to hear from you too. Yes, the time 22.15 hrs doesn't make much sense in relation to your information. When the time is taken as uncertain there is still no matching claim with the position of the wreckage. Perhaps this Ju 88 wasn't shot up by night fighters after all but victim of the ack-ack...

Best regards,
Hans Nauta