Pantelleria: Luftwaffe angriff 15/6/1942

[crolick]

StG 3 in June 1942 was based in Timimi a loooong way from Malta - http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.333333,23.05&spn=0.1,0.1&t=m&q=32.333333,23.05

Apart of StG 3 there was also Italian operated Ju.87 unit (102° Gruppo).


Andrzej

[Enrico Cernuschi]

Hello Crolick

thank you for the new infos.

We have got, anyway, a further collision: I./KG 54 or II./LG.1. The second unit is indicated by a German source, so it would be possible the I./KG 54 would be a further effect of British mixed sources.

Thank you for the correct German term StG 3, my fault.

Hardy's report is not supported by the British reports wrote just after the action. For example the statement HMS Partridge folowed as a shadow for more than two hours the Italian cruisers without the Regia Marina ships noted her is a pure novel. Ther's nothing about this enterprise in that ship report dated 19 June 1942 while the attached chart shows a totally different course than the VII Divisione one during that "pursuit".

I will be able to record eleven further and more interesting lies, but I need before to establish what's the truth about the German air attacks, above all the right hour and unit.

let me add, at least, that the great British novelist C.S. Forester had the task, during those years, to re write in the most epic and brilliant way, the story of the actions fought by the Royal Navy against the Kriegsmarine and the Regia Marina and that he accomplished his duty with great (sometimes too much) zeal. The problem is that this excellent fiction was smuggled as the real war after 1945.


      Bye

       EC          
   

[Enrico Cernuschi]

Hello Crolick,

thanj you for the suggestion. The Italian Ju 87 of the 102° Gruppo attacked at h 12.15 (the British time was 13.15) not before, so the problem of the 7.00 AM raid is always the main one.

     EC

[crolick]

Until 15 VI 42 II./LG1 was based in Iraklion (Crete) so it is doubtfull that she was involved in the operations agains 'Harpoon' (probably they were operating against 'Vigorous'). Though it is possible because II./LG1 was moved to Catania (Sicily) on that day.

During 'Harpoon' I./KG54 was based in Comiso (Sicily).


Cheers,
Andrzej

[Enrico Cernuschi]

The attack by I/KG 54 about at 7.00 AM is so probable.
It would be necessary, anyway, to have a German source which indicates the time of the attack and the appreciation of the crews.

Giuseppe Santoro's L'Aeronautica italiana nella seconda guerra mondiale, published by Esse. Milano-Roma on 1957 is the Holy Bible of the Italian Air Force history. An old book, but it was not followed by anything better. It states (page 385) that a Kesselring's report sent to the Italians some days after the action declared that 4 Ju 88 of a not identified unit attacked the convoy between h 5.43 and h 6.30 and 7 between h 6.06 and 6.22.
These times, in particoular the first, seems quite long and do not coincide with the British reports, even modifing, of course, the British summer hour with the Middle Europe one.

Any suggestion?


     EC           

[Urs Heßling]

Hi,

afaik, the Küstenfliegergruppe 606 was re-organized into Kampfgruppe 606 even before the war when being equipped with land-based aircraft (German: "Radflugzeuge")

In 1941, i.e. before the time discussed here, it was definitely KGr. 606; the source of that info are my uncle´s death certificates from August, 1941; at that time, he was squadron leader of 1./KGr. 606, based at Lannion.

again afaik, Helbig´s "own" plane had the markings L1+AM

greetings, Urs

[crolick]

Urs - right you are! The name was changed in November 1939 to Kampfgruppe 606


Andrzej

[Enrico Cernuschi]

Thank you, gentlemen, a little further step. The wrong name for the 606 could suggest we are once more facing not a true Luftwaffe report but, maybe, an other British fabrication. 

          Greetings

              EC

[t-geronimo]

Waiting for your further infos from Woodman (what book please?)

Richard Woodman, "Malta Convoys 1940-1943"
Published by John Murray ltd., London
ISBN 0-7195-6408 5

Sadly Woodman used no primary sources except some british ADM's.

[Enrico Cernuschi]

...and according my researches the ADM reports about the actions during World War Two can fit with the actual proceedings available today and written by the singe ships commanders days or not more than weeks after the battles only with the help of a very heavy hammer. 

   No, the German path is the only way to solve the mistery of the early attack (or more probably attacks).

                EC         

[Kuestenjaeger]

Helbig´s "own" plane had the markings L1+AM
greetings, Urs

Tja,Urs,diese Bezeichnung steht wirklich so mehrmals in dieser Chronik. 
Ich habe mich da nicht verschrieben,werde noch mal etwas stöbern.