help on RAF raid on june 24th 1941

hansettes · Aircraftsman 1st Class

help on RAF raid on june 24th 1941

MikeH · Air Vice Marshall

Hello Hans,

Sgt Robert Simpson Adair was the wireless operator onboard Halifax L9492 of 76 Squadron, lost on operations to Kiel 23/24 June 1941.

Crew:

P/O W.K Stubbs +

Sgt J. L Cullum +

Sgt G. H Barnard +

Sgt J. L Lipton pow

Sgt R. S Adair +

Sgt A Turner +

Three seperate bombing forces were dispatched to attack Köln, Düsseldorf, and Kiel. Only one aircraft failed to return: 76 Squadron Halifax L9492 was caught by three searchlight batteries(from Scheinwerfer Abteilung 608 and 609) and then shot down by Oblt Eckardt and his regular Bordfunker F.W Frank of 6./NJG1, it crashed near Eilendorf. This marked the first Halifax destroyed by a night fighter in WWII.

Oblt Reinhold Eckardt :7 6./NJG1 Halifax near Eilendorf, S.E Buxtehude 02.32

(source: Nachtjagd War Diaries Vol 1, Theo Boiten).

Regards,

Mike

hansettes · Aircraftsman 1st Class

Thanks Mike for your information. Until late yesterday evening/night searching the internet I found this information too on : http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/warmemscot-ftopic3088.html. You have to scroll down a bit. In your post you confirm that there were three seperate forces, one to Kiel, one to Cologne and one to Düsseldorf. The first is too far away to fit in my "theory". Cologne and Düsseldorf do.

Also I found this on the internet : http://airforce.ca/awards.php?search=1&keyword=&page=45&mem=&type=rafww2 : WEIR, S/L Thomas Cameron (37918) - No.61 Squadron, 15 November 1940 (Officer Commanding, 2 September 1941); - 24 June 1941 - Target Dusseldorf - Bombed from 9,500 feet. No burst seen owing to cloud cover over target. Manchester aircraft.

Is there a way to find which squadrons went out to their targets? My information up to now tells me that the raids on Kiel, Cologne and Düsseldorf were the only ones on that night.

Hans

PeteT · Wing Commander

Hans

For completeness, the Bomber Command War Diaries state that BC also undertook a number of minor operations that night to Boulogne, Bremen, Emden and Hannover plus minelaying in the Frisians. There were no reported losses but as you say that does not necessarily mean that their bombs did not fall in the area you are researching. I recognise you can discount some of these missions, but you may wish to include others in your research.

The diaries also state that 44 Wellingtons and 18 Whitley were on the Cologne raid with 1 Wellington lost; 30 Hampdens and 11 Manchesters were on the Dusseldorf raid with no losses; 13 Stirlings, 10 Halifaxes and 3 Wellingtons were on the Kiel raid with 1 Halifax loss.

I can confirm that 35 squadron had six Halifaxes on the Kiel raid with no losses; I can send you a copy of their Operations Record Book if you are interested

Regards

Pete

-- Edited by PeteT on Wednesday 29th of May 2013 04:42:47 PM

MikeH · Air Vice Marshall

Hans,

for squadron operations it might be worth checking out the National Archives website

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/raf-operations-record-books.htm

Mike.