RAF losses over Adriatic on 8 December 1943

[Boris Ciglic]

On 8 December 1943, 14 Bf 109G's of IV./JG 27 were dispatched to attack harbour in Stari Grad at Hvar island, which was held by Yugoslav Partisans at the time. There, an Partisan ship was sunk and south of Ston on Pelješac peninsula, a Beaufighter was encountered and claimed at 15.35 by Fw. Heinz Hackl of 12./JG 27. Any hint about its possible identity?

Cheers,
Boris

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Good question, I asked the same a while ago on the RAF Commands forum without any reply.

Here are the possible cases I have seen so far, and all closed:
_ a Beaufighter crew of 252 Sqn -> was lost off Cyprus.
_ a crew of 223 Sqn -> was lost over Migliano, Italy.
_ three men of 12 Sqn SAAF -> two Bostons lost to Flak over Miglianico, Italy.
_ there was no Mosquito loss.

A possible match was the P-38 42-13210 of 95th FS, 82nd FG flown by 2nd Lt Josep A Porterfield. MACR 1466.
This pilot took off with formation to escort B-24s that went to Tatoi Airdrome, Greece. Bombers and escort rendezvoued over Lecce Italy, but this pilot dropped out of formation and returned to base. Apparently fixed something and then took off again at 1007 to follow formation. He was never seen again, as he did not catch up with the formation.
But then this pilot would have been hopelessly lost to end near Hvar island.

[Boris Ciglic]

Hi Laurent,

All the possible candidates you mentioned crashed hundreds of kilometers off Dalmatia and I would have to assume that it was yet another case of overclaiming in IV./JG 27, so typical for this unit at the time. It is strange, however, that there should have been many witnesses on this occasion, keeping in mind the number of German aircraft engaged on this mission.

Cheers,
Boris

[Stig Jarlevik]

Laurent

Brian Cull does not list any 252 Sq loss on 8 Dec 1943.
Do you know which one that was?

Cheers
Stig

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Beaufighter XI JL898 lost height during sweep and hit sea 30 miles NW of Cape Arnauti, Cyprus.

Crew commemorated on the Alamein Memorial:
F/Sgt (Pilot) Peter J. MARTIN - RCAF R/141063 - Column 272
F/Sgt (Nav) John HAMILTON - 1341856 - Column 269.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Laurent

Appreciated

B Rgds
Stig

[NUPPOL]

http://www.abmc.gov/search-abmc-buri...7#.VKbjg8kXCSo
Porterfield listed on Tablets of the Missing

[Darius]

Hi,

I´ve found in the "KTB Seekommandant Süd-Adria" the following info for the 8th Dec.:

"Durazzo hatte von 1411 bis 1415 Fliegeralarm, 1 Feindflugzeug Kurs Süd beobachtet".

Regards

Darius