Bf 109 loss due to 94 RAF 1/6/44

[stefaan]

Hi Guys.
On 1/6/44 during Desert A/F attack on a convoy in the Med a Bf 109 was damaged by 2 SAAF Baltimore gunners.It was chased of by 94 RAF Sqn spitfires and eventually shot down.
Does amybody know from which Sqn and who was the pilot in the 109.
I use Tony Woods excellent webpage for claims but cannot find a similar loss page for the Luftwaffe.
Does something like that exist on the net???
Thanks
Stefaan Bouwer

[Nick Beale]

Are you sure of the date? The Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force (MATAF) operations/intelligence summary for the 24 hours up to 1900 on 1 June 1944 says nothing about a DAF attack on a convoy, nor were any air victories claimed that day. The Coastal Air Force was attacking Bihac airfield in Yugoslavia, plus railways and road transport.

Also, can you narrow down the location a bit? It makes quite a difference to the possible Luftwaffe candidates if "the Med" means the south coast of France or the coast of Yugoslavia, for example.

There was a combat involving Coastal AF Spits and Bf 109s of NAG 12 over Brac Island (Adriatic) on 4 June though.

[Brian]

Hi Stefaan

I have just checked my records and do not have a claim for 94 Squadron on 1/6/44. However, there was a claim for a Bf109 by Flt Lt H. McLachlan of 94 Squadron on 31 May.

Cheers
Brian

[stefaan]

Hi.
In the SAAF books it was called 'Glorious 1st of June' Raid on the Gerda Toft,Tanais and Sabine about 32 Km N of Crete.
It was a combined op involving 15SAAF,454RAAF,24SAAF and a number of RAF Beaufighter Sqns ie 227RAF.It spanned over a few days till all three vessels were eventually sunk by the 8th of June.
94 RAF escorted the Raid.
Nick, I have checked in your excellent book on Air War Italy,C Shores book on Med Air War 1944-45.
There is a gap on the Med Air War from the end of the N African campaign till June 44 in all the books that I have.
201 Naval Co-op.Group was very active over that time.
In your research did you ever come across other air intercepts of the Luftwaffe and their losses in that time??
I have a few other losses that I can not trace anywhere.
Stefaan

[David Pausey]

Hi all

I belive the Convoy Stefaan mentioned was a German attempt to get supplies to Crete and set out from Athens on the 31-5-44(the 109 lost on this date was from JG27). The Convoy was attacked on the 1-6-44 by Marauders from 24 SAAF Sqn, Baltimores from 454 and 15 SAAF sqns and Beaus from 252, 603, 16 SAAF and 227 Sqs. The Escort was Spitfires of 94 Sqn and Mustangs from 213 Sqn. Two Ar196’s and one Me109 were claimed shot down but who made these claim I do not know. I think JG27 left Crete on the 5-6-44 and JG51 took over or may have already been on the island with JG27, I have no details of losses on the 1-6-44. I'll dug out Mr Shores book the pic history of the RAF in the Med for more details.

Cheers
David
PS JG's 27 and 51 had only one staffel based on Crete at this time I think.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by stefaan

Hi.
Nick, I have checked in your excellent book on Air War Italy,C Shores book on Med Air War 1944-45.
There is a gap on the Med Air War from the end of the N African campaign till June 44 in all the books that I have ... In your research did you ever come across other air intercepts of the Luftwaffe and their losses in that time??
Stefaan

To have any hope of completing a particular project, I try not to get distracted by other periods and theatres, although I'm never completely successful! I've done almost nothing prior to January 1944 (the late war period is my "thing") and ditto on the Aegean but I have noticed there is some material in Signals Intelligence files and ULTRA intercepts about Luftwaffe activity there, much of it by Ju 52s, Ar 196s and Do 24s. Also, you see references to the detached Staffeln of JG 27 in the islands and Yugoslavia.

Chris Shores' three volume history did deal with the Aegean campaign of 1943. I don't recall much in print on the Luftwaffe in Yugoslavia, Greece and the islands in 1944-45 though (but I'm not volunteering to fill that particular gap).

[Chris Goss]

I have photos of 252 Sqn attacking this convoy and a logbook entry for an Ar 196 crew man. No mentions of 109s though

[stefaan]

Hi
I'll try to get my book on 213 Sqn from Air Britain and look if they mention anything in it.It is with an ex 213 pilot to sign for me.
Otherwise we'll state that it was believed to have been shot down and not that it was untill we get futher info.
I'll post the other claims once I have them all together for other dates.
Are there any websites showing Luftwaffe losses on the net
Thanks
Stefaan

[David Pausey]

Hi

After dugging out my paper files I found some photo copies and notes of some of the Sqn’s involved in the 1st June 44 attack:-

94 Sqn made no claimes and flew Spitfire Vc and IX on the mission, this is all I put down.

213 Sqn flew six Spitfire IX’s close cover to the bombers and four Mustang III’s top cover. Two of the Spitfires (F/L C.D.A.Smith MH696 and W/O F.E.Mitchell MA427) attacked two Me109’s at extreme range 700-800 yards as they attemped to attack rear vic of the Baltimores. No hits were recorded. Mustangs dived down to escort Beaus and prepared to attack 3 Ar 196’s but this failed as the 2nd section were mistaken for Me109’s. I have Copy of ORB.

227 Sqn flew two Beaus as fighter escort and F/Sgt F.G.W.Sheldrick, F/Sgt J.E.Ash (JL897 “V”)claimed one Ar196 destroyed, seen by 16 SAAF Sqn to crash into the sea. I have Copy of ORB.

252 Sqn claimed one Ar196 damaged by F/O J.A.T.Macintosh(Can), F/S R.H.Alderton (NE479 “E”). I have Copy of ORB.

603 Sqn made claimes for one Ar196 destroyed and one damaged no details of who got them in my notes. No details! in the book ‘The Greatest Sqn of Them All’ History of 603 Sqn.

16 SAAF Sqn made no claims. I have an account of the mission from there ORB.

As for the Bombers I have no details on them apart from whats in C.Shores book and the 603 Sqn book.

Jochen Priens book on III and IV/JG27 has no losses for the 1-6-44 but has this to say about the 31-5-44:-

The last known loss of the former 7./JG 27 in the Mediterranean area was reported under the date of 31 st. May when Uffz. Josef Plachy was wounded during air battle over Kreta and had to carry out a belly landing with his Messerschmitt south of Kastelli. This loss was still registered as happened with 13./JG 27.

I am sure that 5/JG51 were on the Island of Crete but I have no details of any losses, also there was an article in the Frence magazine Avions on the Ar196 in the Med I think but again I have no details or the mag.

Hope this helps

Regards

David

[David Pausey]

Hi Chris

Any mention of any losses in the logbook of your Ar196 crewman ?
Which unit do he fly with ?

Cheers
David