Eye witness account: 401 FS vs JG1, Domfront area, 31st July 1944

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Hi!

As a physician I never lose one opportunity to ear WW2 stories from my patients. This morning Mr Auguste Leidinger, a 80 years old man, told me that in 1944, he was working for the mayor from Céaucé town in Normandy, 10km South from Domfront…

There, on 31st of July he remember clearly to have seen a fight in the air where a Canadian pilot named P.T.Jarvis was shot down and killed just at 12h00 when the bells from the church could be eared. But you know what, the victorious German pilot also died just after. Oh, but why? Did I ask. Well, the German aircraft was circling around his victim very low above the ground and he unfortunately collide a tree, a chestnut tree! Both airplanes felt down on the ground pretty near one from each other.

First check:

*From “2nd TAF”, by C.Shores & C.Thomas:
- F/L T.P.Jarvis was shot down and killed at around 13h30 inside his Spitfire IX MJ662 near their Domfront objective when the 12 spitfires from the 401 Squadron attacked 12 Fw 190 probably from JG1.
- 2 Fw 190 claimed shot down, the only Spifire loss was F/L. Jarvis.


*From “JG1 history” by E.Mombeeck:
- 3 Fw 190 losses on 31st of July:
- Fw.Rudolf Rauhaus, killed, Stab I./JG1, Fw190A-8 W.Nr.172606 “white 20” crashed near Beaumont-sur-Sarthe (South from Alençon) after they meet allied fighters
- Uffz.Heinz Fleisschauer, lost, 3./JG1, Fw190A-8 W.Nr.171004 “yellow 7” crashed around Caen after they meet allied fighters
- Lt. Heinz Kottucz, killed, 3./JG1, Fw190A-8 W.Nr.173024 “yellow 8” crashed North-west from Alençon after fighting against P-47


*From « La Luftwaffe face au Débarquement » by JB.Frappé :
- JG1 Claims :
12h35, Lt Kottucz, I./JG1, one P-47 around Avranches, between St-Hilaire-du-Harcouêt and Saint-James (BS 6-8)
12h35, Ofw. Flecks, 6./JG1, one P-47 between Mortain and Avranches (BS 6-8)
12h55, Ofw. Flecks, 6./JG1, one Spitfire North from L’Aigle (AB 4-5)
?, Uffz. Wurl, 6./JG1, one Spitfire, unknown place

Only II./JG2 got also some victories this day but around 19h30. JG2 is also the only other fighter unit in the area who got some losses but too far on the East from Dormfront.

JB. Frappé though that both “yellow7” and “yellow8” I./JG1 losses would occurs during the fight against the Spitfires around Dormfront.

Two other Fw 190A had been claimed by P-47 around 12h50 around Beaumont (far more on the North)



Discussion:



None of the correctly documented German claims seems to correspond with the one we are looking for which is not chocking since it seems that the German pilot died just after his victory…

Among the JG1 losses, “White20” is too far, but one from "yellow7” and “yellow8” both from 3./JG1 probably collide this chestnut tree at Céaucé. (Céaucé is West, North-West from Alençon).

Correct time would be actually 13H00. With a fight between Spitfires from 401st Squadron and Fw 190A-8 from I./JG1.


Thanks to anyone who can add any information

Olivier.