Spitfires from Northern Ireland +JU-88 COMBAT

No worries. Ill write a full report on the action as there is a lot more to include since i first made the post. Ill can also include the original 504 squadron combat report by SGT Hawkins if you like.

The photo was taken from Donal MacCarrons book called "Landfall Ireland".
There is no credit beside the photo of Paul Stormers in the book. Bad show you were not given the credit. The photo of the JU-88 on fire has the name M Frewer as a credit beside it.

Be in touch.
Best regards skyhawk (Robert)

 

Justin found as I did that folks like us did the leg work.

Welcome on board Justin you will find that this is one of the best WW2 forums on the internet there are quite a few very well read folks here as well as a few veterans who "tell it as it was".

 

Thanks skyhawk for your offer of help , that would be super . I have had the honour and pleasure of meeting some of the Luftwaffe airmen who were interned here in the South and still to this day I have contact with the last few living veterans and their families.
RAF1 , what kind of photos do you want me to exactly post , some just from Paul Stormers crash or from the other crashes also ?
Skyhawk , the photo you posted of Paul standing by the tail of his trainer is originally in colour , did you take this from Donal Mac Carron's book because it was me who gave it to him plus alot of the other Luftwaffe photos too and he did not even have the manners to credit these photos to me , ah well this kind of thing will not happen again !

Hi,
One or perhaps two of the aircraft would be fine. Sorry to hear about your problem with that author, was the picture of Lt Stormer one of these standing at the tail of the Klemm, the one that he says was taken pre war.?
RAF 1

 

Hi James S , good to have found this super forum .It makes a change to see such good material being posted here .
RAF1 , ok I will post some photos of my work here in the next few days , you will understand if I dont post some of the rare material as I need this for my book project .
The photo of Paul taken by the Klemm was taken in Buc , France during the war .It is not a pre-war photo , this is one of a series of colour photos that I got from Paul many years ago .

 

Bumping this half dead thread again -_- I have put together a small profile for the Junkers D-1 of 1/Afkl (F)123 who took part in this battle.
It's only working version of it and I am hoping to make it more presentable as time allows.
Just thought that it might be nice to have a portrait of one of the involved party in this thread.
Unfortunately, I had to relly on the only picture from the, already mentioned, book and so any comments and suggestions for improvements are more than welcommed.

The Spit of B. Sawiak will be on the way at some stage too.

 

Evening all!
Fise, the Ju88 will not open for me, so I cannot really see it. Probably my fault.
Skyhawk, the attachment in your second posting is rather strange and seems to give the impression that the pilot Lt Paul Stormer narrated this to the author but it is not in line with Stormer's report of the incident.
They were no where near Cork on the outward journey, Sawiak 315 Sqn was the first to attack and this was before they actually crossed the Border into N.I.
If I may I would like to add additional information to your excellent contribution. The USAAf 5 Sqn who were scrambled from Eglinton actually received a recall when it was observed that it was not heading in their direction. Also 93 Sqn at Andreas scrambled two aircraft to cover the IOM area and incidentally the GCI (mobile) station Ballinderry worked this raid.

I am still trying to ascertain the ID letters of the codes for the two 504 Sqn Spits. Anyone help please?
Tony K

 

This is all the information i have found out since the original posting:-

Aufklaerungsgruppen 123

JU-88D/1 4U+KH
(extra fuel tanks were fitted in the forward bomb bay to increase range)

Long Range Photographic Reconnaissance : -

British Sea Ports
Industrial Areas
Military Installations
Major Cities

Crew - 4

Pilot
Radio Operator
Flight Engineer / Air Gunner
Observer / Air Gunner

Remote controlled cameras were installed in a heated compartment in the aircrafts rear fusalage:-

RB 20/30 Camera - Low Altitude
RB 50/30 Camera - High Altitude

August 23 1942
0300 Hrs
Ju-88D-1 (4U+KH)
1 Staffel

Aircraft took off from Buc airfield flying in a westerly direction over N/W France and is believed to have refuelled at an airfield on the Brest peninsula before heading to Northern Ireland to carry out a photographic reconnaissance over the Belfast aera.

The route was out over the atlantic on a N/W course to avoid interception from British aircraft operating from the S/W of England.



Crew :-
Lt Paul Stormer (pilot)
Hptm Gottfried Berndt (observer)
Ofw Karl Hund (radio operator)
Uffz Josef Reiser (flight engineer)

The flight was being tracked by RAF radar stations on the west coast of England and was designated " Raid 134".

152 Squadron based at RAF Angle in Wales flying Spitfires vb's were scrambled to intercept. (previously based at Eglinton, Northern Ireland)

Aircraft serials were BL970 and AA909.
RED 1 - Sqd/L Wilson
RED2 - Sgt Gilroy
07:55 Hrs

It is very significant that the weather that morning was mist and low scattered clouds restricting visibility.

The German aircraft was not sighted by the two pilots and both aircraft returned to Angle after an extensive search at 0920.

On the south east corner of Ireland at Look Out Point No 14 the German aircraft was first heard out to sea at 0756 Hrs. Over a half an hour period the aircraft was reported by watchers in all LOP on the East coast flying just outside territorial waters.

At 0829 watchers at LOP No 3 reported the aircraft 4 miles East and moving North towards Dundalk Bay.

Radar stations on the N/W coast of Wales were picking up the JU-88 and 315 squadron flying spitfire vb's were alerted. The squadron was based at RAF Woodvale with a detachment at RAF Valley. Black section scrambled at Valley 0757 Hrs ordered to patrol Bardsey Island at 15000ft .

Black 1 - Fg Off Sawiak - BL959
Black 2 - Sgt Lisowski - AD262

During the take off Black 2 ran into soft sand tipping the aircraft on its nose. He was unhurt although was delayed and Black 1 set off alone to intercept the e/a. When Sgt Lisowski obtained another spitfire he was unable to locate his leader or the e/a due to the misty conditions and landed at RAF Ballyhalbert on the Northern Irish coast to refuel.

No 93 squadron were based at RAF Andreas on the Isle Of Man. At 0805 Hrs two spitfires vb's were scrambled:

Plt Off Lorand - BL333
Sgt Lloyd - AB245

They were ordered to patrol over the sea between the Isle Of Man and Belfast Lough.
The e/a was not sighted and RTB to Andreas at 0945 Hrs.

The JU-88 was also being tracked by radar stations on the east coast of Northern Ireland (83 Group Fighter Command).

504 squadron based at RAF Ballyhalbert flying spitfire vb's were scrambled at 0810 Hrs.

4 spitfires were scrambled:-
Blue and Green sections.

Blue 1 - Sgt Hawkins - BL541
Blue 2 - Sgt Francis - BL933

Green 1 - Plt Off Dexter - BL762
Green 2 - Sgt Evans - BL977

Further North at RAF Eglinton on the North Irish coast was the 5th Fighter Squadron USAAF flying spitfire v's. They were also scrambled to intercept the elusive German aircraft.

Green section made no contact with the enemy aircraft and returned to ballyhalbert.




First attack was made by Fg Off Sawiak at 0834 Hrs . Both aircraft were reported at 0837Hrs as “two unidentified aircraft” by Gardai in Ashbourne, county Meath. At around the same time Blue section sighted the enemy aircraft and noticed it already to be in combat with another spitfire which broke away at about 500ft and disengaged.

Blue section then made their attack.
(Ref 504 squadron combat report)


Fg Off Sawiak had been seriously injured by return fire from the JU-88 and his aircraft riddled with bullets. An attempt was made by the Polish pilot to make a wheels up landing in a field two mules North Rathoath, Co Meath. The result being that the aircraft was completely wrecked and the pilot sustained multiple injuries. Sawiak was taken to St Bricin’s hospital by ambulance but died of his injuries.
On the 25th August 1942 at 1320 Hrs the Polish airman’s remains were sent back to England via the cross-channel steamer at Dun Laoghaire.

The German aircraft was heading South over the Curragh Military Camp and towards Kildare and Kilkenny with the port engine emitting smoke.

The RAF wireless intelligence service or “Y” was picking up several messages sent by the German aircraft at this time. Its intention was to make for home and flew south over Tramore Bay Co Waterford.

At 0845 a further two spitfires of 152 squadron were scrambled from Angle

Yellow section

Flt Sizzer – AA765
Flt Sgt McPherson – BM625

Flying N/W towards the Irish coast. The two spitfires were later reported by LOP 13 at Tramore Bay as “two aircraft five miles North and circling at 0925 Hrs.

It was about this time that the German aircraft changed course over the bay and headed inland. (Probably on seeing the spitfires Lt Stormer had decieded to land)


The 3 aircraft were seen flying low over the bay. The German aircraft diving and maneuvering to avoid the gunfire from the two spitfires.

With one of the engines now on fire Lt Stormer selected a large field to put the aircraft down 3 miles North of Tramore at Carriglong, Tourgare. At 0930 Hrs the aircraft made a wheels up landing. The crew were uninjured and evacuated the aircraft which burst into flames. The airmen having to take cover in a ruined building adjacent to the crash site to avoid exploding ammunition and debris.

After carrying out a series of victory rolls the two spitfires returned to Angle at 0950 Hrs.

Ofw Hund and injured his hand and received medical attention at the Waterford Infirmary whilst the other airmen were held at the Military Barracks. The following day they were brought to the Curragh Military camp where they were interned.

See atachment- 504 Squadron combat report.
Photo of the spitfire Sawiak was flying.

Regards skyhawk.

 

Robert,

A most excellent read.

Many thanks.

Regards
Tom

 

Thank you skyhawk for taking the trouble to post that information.
Tony K

 

Excellent job, cheers Robert.

 

Thanks guys for the response
i have spent a lot of time research and money on this topic but the real thanks goes to Patrick Cummings Donal MacCarron and John Quinn for the original information.

Regards skyhawk.

 

Nice bit of information. Thanks for sharing

 

Robert, the JU-88 flights and your mention of doing research reminds me of a local rumour I heard in Fermanagh.
Some folks maintain that the Germans photographed Castle Archdale and perhaps they may have done, we just have not seen the photos yet.
In Robert Fisk's "In Time of War" he included a recon. photo which showed the airfields spread out along the south shore of Lough Foyle, so perhaps a long range aircraft may have photographed the Fermangh bases ?

The rumour I heard was that an unknown German aircraft had crashed on the Donegal Fermanagh Border a few miles east of Belleek, it hit a hill before flying on about two miles it then crashed into bogland leaving no trace beyond some scattered pieces of metal , some say that the RAF and RUC investigated the "crashsite" but it was so deep down that it was left alone and was forgotten about.
People do try and fill in the gaps to create "what might have happened" one gent put forward the idea that it might have been a "110" which having photographed Archdale head out to Donegal bay to force land and perhaps meet up with a UBoat.
Another gent said that some part with strange writing on them had found their way to a pub in Ballyshannon but all proof of the crash had been lost.

Sometimes rumour can become "what people know took place".

Another gent without checking a note he took from Military Archives in Dublin stated that Cats from Lough Erne flew out as far as Newfoundland and back without realising that this would have meant the air gap never would have existed.

Another gent took a quote from Ludo Kennedy's book "Pursuit" , misunderstood what he had read and declared that Tovey and his ships were also on hand to see Hood sunk but could not account for his not joining the battle.... he also firmly asserted that Bismarck was sent out to bring the Home Fleet to battle.....

 

James,

There are indications of great concern by the Germans about the Coastal Command airbases in Northern Ireland.
Aerial photographs were taken of Ballykelly and Eglinton In April 1941 showing details of construction and dimensions of buildings.

Doenits himself expressed concern about RAF Coastal command operations from Aldergrove and made a request that attacks targeting airfields in Northern Ireland should be made in an effort to cause disruption. An aerial photograph was taken of Aldergrove on the 8th of December. Nothing came from this proposal reasons why suggest a lack of aircraft and resources due to inter service rivalry between Luftwaffe and navy command with units continually being transferred from one to the other and also Goerings attitude that he had to have a say in all things.


I'm sure Castle Archdale also was keen in interest and photographs taken as well.

 

It is quite likely that it was - the April 41 photo is probably the same one Fisk used , didn't know about Aldergrove being photographed.
The idea that NI was beyond the reach of the Luftwaffe was a false security and I don't doubt that the Luftwaffe not gone east we would have seen much more of them.
Do you have any source on any comments passed by Donitz on NI Coastal bases ?

I have often wondered if any of the German embassy staff ever holidayed in Donegal or Sligo in say 1941-42.

 

I believe Doenits request for operations came from information obtained from The German Naval Staff War Diaries. Also mentioned is the difficulties In obtaining aircraft and training crews for much needed maritime operations. It really does highlight how troublesome Coastal Command operations from Ulster were becoming to the U-boats.

It makes you think that if "PLAN KATHLEEN" or "ARTUS-PLAN" the German plan to invade Northern Ireland aided by the IRA had become a reality the Battle Of The Atlantic might have had a very different conclusion. Threatening the atlantic convoy routes.

Indeed Herman Goertz a Nazi spy and member of the Abwehr was parachuted from a HE-111 into Ireland in May 1940 " Operation Mainau" to identify suitable parachute landing sites.

This was just one of many drawn up plans to Invade Ulster that never materialised.

 

Skyhawk
I am sure you have seen this but I dont know whether anyone else has.
American pilot’s Spitfire recovered from Irish bog | Irish News | IrishCentral
Any ideas whether Bud Wolf is still alive?
Dee

 

I am very glad I was able to find this story. I was home this weekend chatting with my father.

He was in school at the time of this battle (but joined the RAF when he graduated). He was outside playing rugby and witnessed these events. He saw the battle from the point at which the two Spitfires joined in the fray, just after the Polish pilot pulled away due to injury, to the first few passes at the Ju88. He remembered the events with remarkable clarity, including hearing about a Spitfire having gone down, the Ju88's smoking starboard engine, later hearing where the Ju88 crashed. As an interesting aside, my father had visited the base where the Poles were stationed not long before these events occurred and may well have met the Polish pilot Sawiak.

 

Really Interesting.
Thanks very much for sharing.