Luftwaffe/USAAF claim on 27/28 July 1944 West coast of Normandy

[raf38group]

Hello,

Albemarle P1400 of 297 Squadron took off from Brize Norton on 27 July at 23h00 and was attacked by a night fiighter the night 27/28 July 1944 just as it crossed the coast West of Montmartin-sur-mer (west of Coutances, north of Granville, Manche department, Normandy).
It was said by senior RAF officers that P1400 would have been shot down by an US allied aircraft but is there an equivalent to UK Operational Record Books to know which US Squadron could have shot down P400?
I thank you in advance for your help.

Bruno

[Chris Goss]

Serial number not correct and wasn't there some talk about an Albermarle being lost to a Mosquito about this time?

[raf38group]

Hello Chris,

Sorry !
The serial is P1400.
I never heard about a Moquisto.
Where could I find this info?
Thanks in advance.

[MW Giles]

Cannot find a Lw claim but
F/O R A Miller and P/O P Catchpole in Mosquito XIII MM526 claimed a Ju88 3m E of Bretal at 00:37 hrs

The combat report says they were on the West side of the Cotentin Peninsular so I think Bretal is really Brehal

I have the time of the Albemarle crash at 00:56 hrs so the time and the place just about match, you just need to rule out that there really was a Ju88 there at about that time

The claim is not set out in the 604 Sqn ORB which sometimes is a sign that things are a bit odd.

But I may be adding 2 and 2 and making 1000

Cannot blame the Americans for once as the 422nd was not operating

Martin

[raf38group]

Hello Martin,

A really big thanks for your help.
Like you I didn't find any LW claim this night and a senior officer told after war to Ken Frere of 296 Squadron that P1400 was shot down by an allied fighter.
He thought it was a Black Widow aircraft but this aircraft couldn't be there at that time.
3 miles East of Bréhal is Muneville-sur-mer where P1400 crashed so the mistery is resolved thanks to you.
At this link you'll find the new Coat of Arms of the town of Muneville-sur-mer which has the very rare particularity to have been created with P1400 on it and the 3 graves of the crew:
https://raf38group.org/muneville-sur-mer-coat-of-arms/

Bruno

[Chris Goss]

Combat report appears to be missing from NA (unless in Appendices) but I have a transcript for another source which I am afraid adds very little

[MW Giles]

It is there, see AIR 50/168/64

It is p 6 of 7 (They have lumped a few of his reports together)

Martin

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Martin. Put his name in and 604 Sqn and no records according to NA

[MW Giles]

Do not use the search attached specifically to the combat claims listing. It is broken and has been for some time.

Go to the advanced search that looks at the entire archive and search for Miller 604 and limit the search to AIR 50 and magically it pops up

Martin