Unknown aircraft Dubrovnik 28.11.1943.

[drifter206]

Hello all
On 28th of November 1943. 24 B-25 Mitchells (12th air force) attacked Dubrovnik (Croatia) and apparently one aircraft was hit and crashed behind island of Lokrum and pilot was captured. Local newspapers wrote about this quote "Canadian pilot looked like a bad boy caught in a forbidden game".
http://www.dubrovnikdigest.com/news/...skom-ratu-foto
(link on Croatian)
I recently found witness who confirmed the story that pilot was captured in Bosanka village and aircraft crashed in the sea behind island of Lokrum.
However I haven't found any loss of Mitchells on that day and Mitchell was not one man airplane so it could be another type, maybe escort fighter.
Also I was not able to find any loss on that day, only day after in vicinity of Dubrovnik, Spitfire from No.2 SAAF squadron - Macdonald.
Does any of you have something in database
thank in advance
Antun

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

MACDONALD, Lt Neil M. "Mac" 206309V (also given as McDONALD).
2 RSU (Repair & Salvage Unit).
2 Sqdn (SAAF) 1.6.43 - 29.11.43 PoW. Stalag Luft III. (Vol.1/.167)

Amendments to Vol.1 - Page 167: Macdonald, Lt NM "Mac": 2 Sqdn from c.2/3.43, briefly attached to 2 RSU then back with 2Sqdn by 1.6.43 (Vol.3/p.227)

4.5.43. 2 RSU: Kittyhawk I AK860 Lt NM Macdonald (ex-2 Sqn) ditched after engine failure near Risida (Pisida). Pilot returned to 2 Sqdn in 6.43. (Vol.3/p223)

29.11.43. Colonel Loftus then led 2 Sqdn on another successful offensive patrol over "Jug-Land", that afternoon, strafing MT, a train and two ships, although Lt Neil "Mac" Macdonald was hit by ground fire, He reached the Adratic but had to bale out and was later captured. (Vol.4/p.75)

29th November 1943. 15h05-15h50. Offensive patrol over Yugoslavia.
Spitfire V JK387: DB-F, Lt NM MacDonald PoW: hit in Glycol by AA fire, baled out over sea at 15h14 c.4,8km from Dubrovnik. Seen to get into dinghy (Vol.4/p.175)

See:
Springbok Fighter Victory - SAAF Fighter Operations 1939 - 1945 (Vols.1-4).
Schoeman,Michael.
Nelspruit:Freeworld Publications cc,2002-2011.

Col.

[Leendert]

The NARA POW records (aad.archives.org) does give 1 US POW on 28 Nov 1943 with code 89 (Yugoslavia) and Service Branch "AC" (Air Corps) but I somehow can't open the file to see the name involved.

Regards,

Leendert

[RSwank]

Leendert, the record appears to be for this man:

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/384818


https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4196...burg_sentinel/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4196...burg_sentinel/


Possibly ??? 64th FS, 57th FG

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/4093

[drifter206]

guys you are great
thx
Antun

[RSwank]

Here is a little on Stevens H Turner:

https://books.google.com/books?id=d6...%20POW&f=false


He was in the 64th FS, flying P-40L 41-10453. Flying weather recce to Sarajevo left at 0630, bailed out near Yugoslavia coast 0730.

[Leendert]

Antun,


Take a look here too: http://www.57thfightergroup.org/macr/1409.html with text and map of MACR for Lt Turner.


Regards,
Leendert

[Zoran Petek]

Reports (in Croatian):
"28. studenog: 24 neprijateljska zrakoplova bombardirali su Gruž, Lapad
i okolinu. Srušeno 13 kuca i 1 crkva, oštećeno 25 kuća i veliki broj kuća
lakše oštećen. Potpoljen brod Cavtat i 2 jedrenjaka, a 3 teže oštećena. U
predjelu Dubrovnik II. uništen vodovod, električna središnjica i brzoglasni
spojevi. Poginuo 1 domobran, 16 njem. vojnika i 45 građanskih osoba, a ranjena
3 domobrana i 42 građanske osobe. Kod Zatona iz neprijateljskih zrakoplova
ranjeno 6 njem. vojnika, a kod Huma ranjena 3 domobrana, 3 željezničara,
1 žena i zapaljen 1 vagon."
"Nedelju 28. 11. prije podne dva zračna napada, cilj Gružka luka, Lapad,
ušće Omble i Babin Kuk. Prvi napad sa 4, drugi sa 17 bombardera. Šteta
i mrtvih dosta. Još neustanovljeno. Parobrod Cavtat oštećen. Dva jedrenjaka
potopljena."
On that date also MC.202s strafed Podgorica airfield.
Some other Italian attacks. Next day:
"29. studenog: 6 neprijateljskih zrakoplova ponovno bombardirali Dubrovnik II. i Lapad bez osobitog učinka."

3.1.1944. Njemačke postrojbe ulaze u Vrliku i iskrcavaju se na Mljetu. Angloamerički saveznici bombardiraju Split. Razoren je Lučac i porušene zgrada sudskog zatvora, duhanska stanica, carinarnica te crkve sv. Petra i sv. Roka. Naknadno su bombardirani i Zadar, Šibenik, Dubrovnik, Metković i Makarska.

On 20.1. Italian 4°Sormo's MC.205s flew Dubrovnik-Slano (armed recce),
Similar missions on 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 Jan.

8.2.1944.
"Neprijateljski zrakoplovi tukli su 8. II strojničkom vatrom Dubrovačku Rijeku — luku i o. Lokrum (4 km s. i 2 km j. Dubrovnika) bez učinka i žrtava."
28.2.1944.
"28. II neprijateljsko zrakoplovstvo bombardiralo je i
tuklo strojnicama 2 vlaka na pruzi Metković — Dubrovnik.
Žrtve i štete su male."
"Naknadno se doznaju gubitci pri zračnom napadaju
na prugu Metković — Dubrovnik (izv. br. 62):
Poginulo: 1 njemački vojnik, 1 ložač.
Ranjeno: 7 njemačkih vojnika, 1 domobran i 2 želj.
službenika."
"Pri noćnom napadaju na Dubrovnik (predjel Omble)
oštećeno je nekoliko kuća, a u s. Mokošici porušena
je crkva.
28. II neprijateljski zrakoplovi napali su bombama
i strojnicama vlak i samovoz kod Grude (26 km j. i.
Dubrovnika). Autobus izgorio. Ima više mrtvih i ranjenih.
Pri dnevnom napadaju na Dubrovnik 29. II
u 1600 sati pogođen je punim pogodkom u krmu brod
»Jadran«, a u predjelu Lapad ima više ranjenih.
5 neprijateljskih lovaca napali su strojničkom vatrom
bez učinka Metković. 1 neprijateljski zrakoplov pogođen
je, te je pao kod Gabele."
"28. II. po mraku (1900 i 2130 sati) neprijateljsko zrakoplovstvo
bombardiralo je i mitraljiralo Dubrovnik.
Pojedinosti nisu javljene."

8.3.1944.
Italian MC.205s on a sweep Korčula-Dubrovnik.
11.3.1944.
Italian 5°Stormo's Re.2002s attacked Dubrovnik.
"11. III neprijateljski zrakoplovi napali su bombama
i strojničkom vatrom Split. 5 bombi je
bačeno na njemačke čamce koji su se nalazili
kod Sustjepana. Među Niemcima imade žrtava.
Istoga dana bombardirano je i područje Dubrovnika
kod izvora r. Omble."

12.3.1944.
Italian 5°Stormo's Re.2002s attacked Dubrovnik and Metković.

"15.III u području Metkovića srušena su 2 nepr. zrakoplova. Prvi bombardiraju područje r. Omble kod Dubrovnika (dnev. i br. 74) na dan 13. III pogođen je naš parabrod »Daksa«, te se nasukao."

"16. III neprijateljski zrakoplovi bombardirali su
Perković, Knin, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Ploče, Vrbosku
i Jelsu na o. Hvaru. Stete i žrtve neznatne.
Srušena su 3 nepr. zrakoplova."

17.3.1944.
Italian 5°Stormo's Re.2002s attacked Dubrovnik. After the attack 102°Gr moved to Palata on 18 Mar.

Near Lopud one MC.205 crashed on 18.3.44.
"18. III. neprijateljsko zrakoplovstvo tuklo je
strojničkom vatrom skladište benzina »Shell«
u Dubrovniku, jedan tenk je izrešetan. Istog
dana ponovo je bombardiran Šibenik, kao i
želj. postaja Žitnić (22 km s. i. Šibenika).
Uništen je 1 želj. stroj, a u luci Šibenika potopljen
je 1 brod. Ima 4 mrtva i 7 ranjenih. Od
bombardiranja 17. III. izkopano je izpod ruševina
još 8 mrtvih."

And so on...

[drifter206]

Thank you RSwank, Leendert and Zoran
Can you tell me Zoran from which source is - Near Lopud one MC.205 crashed on 18.3.44.
Antun

[Zoran Petek]

Hello,
I do not have data at hand at the moment, but can add one on 29.3.1944, when 102° Gruppo (Re.2002) attacked Dubrovnik. After the attack one Re.2002 (208a Squa, Pilot Sgt Banfi) crashed into the sea.
Zoran