Loss of Dornier at Falmouth 10 Oct 1940

[CornwallPhil]

I have come across the following local press report concerning an incident at 1630 on Thursday 10th October 1940 at Falmouth, Cornwall. I would be grateful for any further details anyone can supply.

“On Thursday afternoon large numbers of people were in the main shopping centres when anti-aircraft batteries opened fire at a Dornier machine which was high up and right over the town. Already, however, the machine seemed to be somewhat abnormal because a wide streak of smoke was flying from it, too wide a streak to be considered as exhaust vapour condensation in cold air. After the firing the volume of smoke increased and the plane turned and made out to sea. It appeared to be losing height, while a British fighter plane was rapidly following it. The trail of smoke hung in the sky for a long time. It was a ‘probable’ score in the British defences’ day’s total.”

Did the plane make it back to base? Did it ditch or crash at sea? What was its mission? Who were the crew? Any information gratefully received.

Please note: this is a different incident to the Junkers 88 and the Dornier 17 shot down by 234 Squadron on Wednesday 9th October 1940.

[Chris Goss]

There were no Do 17 losses that day which would match. Küstenfliegergruppe 606 was active at around this time attacking Liverpool-13 aircraft took off but only 8 attacked, others attacking alternative targets. All got back safely albeit one had a landing accident at Brest. No RAF claims for that time in your neck of the woods

[CornwallPhil]

Thanks Chris.
Is it possible it was a returnee from the Liverpool raid that flew over Cornwall on its way back? What time of day was the Liverpool raid? Could the two dovetail?
There were 12 air raid alarms in Falmouth on Thursday 10th October 1940 so passing aircraft could have triggered some of those.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Phil,
My thoughts are troubled with your question.

Some years ago I started to put together a story of the air war over Falmouth. Other things happened.

The following may be of some use to you however.
1940
August
8th - Falmouth area - Ju88 Probable shared by three pilots of 234 Sqn.
F/Lt. A.S.Harker, F/Lt. E.B. Mortimer-Rose and one other.(Forman has P/O R.Hardy and Sgt. J. Szlagowski).
September
23rd - He111 TG+KA by Blenheim "K" of 236 Sqn, some 270 miles from Lands End.
Wng/Cdr A.R.D. Innes.
25th - Do17 damaged by a 601 Sqn Hurricane serial R4218, Plymouth area.
P/O. H.C. Mayers.
25th - Ju88 by a 601 Sqn Hurricane serial V6649 some 20 miles south of Plymouth. F/O. T. Grier.
25th - Bf110 probable by Hurricane P3675 "S" again of 601 Sqn, pilot F/Lt. M.L. Robinson.
October
9th - Ju88 probable, South of Falmouth.Shared by 234 Sqn pilots P/O. E.W. Wootten and F/Lt. E.B. Mortimer-Rose in Spitfires.
26th - Ju88 probable again Mortimer-Rose "off Lands End" .
28th - Ju88 by Sgt. M.C.B. Boddington some 20 miles South of the Lizard 234 Sqn Spitfire "4346"(?).
November
2nd - He111 damaged by 234 sqn Spitfire some 20 miles South of the Lizard by Sgt. Boddington.
24th - Do17z shared by 234 sqn pilots Mortimer-Rose and S/L. M.V. Blake.
was actually a Do215 "VB+KR", in sea off Kynance Cove.
25th - Ju88 South of Lands End by P/O. Wootten 234 Sqn.
29th - Ju88 damaged some 20 miles south of the Lizard by 234 sqn pilot Boddington in Spitfire "4685".
( Forman has also a Do17 destroyed 30 miles south of the Lizard by S/L. Blake and a Ju88 destroyed by F/O. G.L. Ritcher 20 miles south of the Lizard ).
December
5th - Do17 again by Boddington some 4 miles south of St. Austell.( Forman has SW of Dodman Point ).
19th - Do17 By Wootten some 10 miles South of Rame Head.
20th - Do17 of 3(F)/31. damaged 40%, shared by Mortimer-Rose and Blake 12 or so miles south of Lands End.
25th - Ju88 of 4(F)/121 by Mortimer-Rose near Falmouth.

Others were recorded in 41.

But to return to the 10th October. My thoughts are that perhaps there was an own goal ?
Forman's "Victory Claims" vol 1 has the following claims for the 10th October 40.
92 Sqn - Do17 shared - probably destroyed East of Brighton 0800 hrs.
213 Sqn - Do17 damaged 10miles north-east of Tangmere 1405 hrs.
238 Sqn - Bf109 and a Bf110 both damaged over sea South of Warmwell 1230 hrs.
603 Sqn - Bf109 over the Channel 1030 hrs.
603 Sqn - Bf109 destroyed Dunkirk beach 1100 hrs.
603 Sqn - Bf109 damaged over French coast 1100 hrs.

A Bomber Command Wellington, P9273 of 149 Sqn was lost without trace.
A Coastal Command Blenheim, N3530 of 235 Sqn was shot down at 17.30 hrs over the Channel. in both cases the crews were all killed.
Perhaps one of these was lost on the return flight and was misidentified and intercepted ?

Alex

[CornwallPhil]

Alex,
Thank you for sharing your research. Both interesting & useful.

Interesting notion re possibility of a own-goal, but I remain unconvinced.

I have found an entry in the War Diary of the 8th Btn Worcestershire Regiment who were tasked with defending Falmouth at this time which says:
"1630 Enemy plane chased by British fighters flew SW over area."

One would hope their plane recognition in daylight hours would be up to scratch by Oct 1940 (as the Btn had fought in France, been evacuated via Dunkirk before building the landward defences for Falmouth). Secondly, would the Wellington or Blenheim you suggest be flying SW over Falmouth?

My reading of the last line of the newspaper report suggests that the 'probable' was given to the AA defences rather than the RAF. I perhaps need to get hold of their War Diary to get more on that.

However, I maintain an open mind until the evidence allows me to narrow my thinking.

[Chris Goss]

Times probably don't match. 13 ac took off 1615-1712 hrs. 8 attacked Liverpool 1940-2003. 3 attacked Penrhos 2005-2025. 1 attacked Carew Cheriton 2105. One attacked Plymouth 2135

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

1/.
Re Own Goal
If the Bomber was one of the two RAF I noted, it would have perhaps been on its return from Europe and if already in trouble may well have strayed from its planned course.


2/.
Which of our Fighter Squadrons was the chase plane from ?
Perhaps the Fighter Squadron ORB would tell of any intercept that took place ?
Excercise to find the Fighter squadron involved in the chase, single or twin engined fighter aircraft ? Would have to seek both types I expect. Then Fleet Air Arm Squadron's in the region too.

Alex

[CornwallPhil]

To be going SW over Falmouth would be to be heading for the Atlantic! There was no Predannack airfield on the Lizard at this time. St Eval was the only operational RAF airfield in Cornwall in Oct 1940.

234 Sqn were the fighter squadron tasked with the defence of Cornwall. They were based at St Eval. Their ORB for the 10th Oct simply says "Six aircraft on three interception scrambles."