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Shot down planes near Marble Arch 18 mar 1941

Oasis

New Member
Are there reports of two RAF planes shot down on March 18, 1941 at 9 am near Marble Arch "Ara Fileni"? Thanks for any information.
 

Andreas

New Member
Two candidates:

1) 55 Sqdn Blenheim T.1995, lost location unknown on recce to Sirt from Mechili I think. Crew MIA.
2) Wellington W5630 on deliver flight Waddishall to Benina, lost orientation and came down after engaged and hit by enemy AA in enemy territory. All crew survived, POW.

All the best

Andreas
 

Oasis

New Member
Andreas, always of great help!

If the two candidates are the only losses of the day in that area, I could say they are the same mentioned in my father's war diary and by Ponath WD also.
Both aircrafts were engaged by german and italian (my father section 4 of 7th battery 20mm) AA, the second at 9:00 (the english lieutenant was taken over by my father), the first at 10:15 fallen into the sea.
Have you the names of the two crews?

By the way, have you any notice also of this second event in the same area: 19 march 1941 an english bomber is hit by my father's section and forced to make a crash landing about a kilometer and a half away: the pilot surrended quietly just only saying "goodbye". The event is reported also in Ponath and Schorm WD where is specified that the aircraft was flying from Tunisia with 6 english sergeants with french banknotes on board. Grateful for any notice and names.

All the best

Toni
 

Andreas

New Member
Ciao Toni

In that case, the report by your father is maybe a day out, or the RAF loss record is wrong in that it maybe considers departure date in the UK, while the loss occured the next day - do you have the time of the incident? This was almost certainly Wellington Ic W5630 on transfer flight from 3 Group in the UK. She crossed France (hence the French money) but due to cloud and inability to pick up a signal once near the North African coast passed Benina and continued south. (Detailed account in Chaz Bowyer's "Wellingtons at War" pp. 36-43).

Sgts. A G D Mackay, A L Millington, A R Butler, W T House, W Ainsbury all RAF and S H R Bevan RNZAF, all POW.

There is no other loss on 18, just the 55 Sqdn Blenheim, F/O T O Walker, Sgts E P Collingborn and B Lee all killed.

So there's one loss missing, with a POW.

All the best

Andreas

Information from Gunby/Temple "RAF Bomber Losses"
 

Andreas

New Member

Oasis

New Member
Andreas, it is a little mystery but I can better explicate by these firsthand sources:

18 march, reported in my father's WD (Marble Arch) and Ponath WD too:
at 9:00 a Hurricane is hit by italian AA, forced to land at 1500 m near my father position and the Lt is taken as POW directly by him.
at 10:00 germans hit the Blenheim that falls into the sea.

19 march reported in my father's WD (km 43-27 Balbia), Ponath WD and Schorm WD:
the Wellington with 6 sergeants is hit, forced to land and the crew POW.
The mystery should be the date reported by the three WD as 19 march.

My father's section (1st Artiglieria Celere) in the first days of battle was always near Ponath and Schorm recon forces.

All the best
Toni
 

Andreas

New Member
Ciao Toni

I think for the Hurricane we are in the clear, and it should be V7345. Also reported here:


For the Wellington, I have this noted as well for 19 March, albeit DAK war diary claims it was I./Flak 33 that shot her down:


The Blenheim is not mentioned at all.

Regardless of the German claims, I think all three planes now have been positively identified, including their crews.

All the best

Andreas
 

Oasis

New Member
Ciao Toni

I think for the Hurricane we are in the clear, and it should be V7345. Also reported here:


For the Wellington, I have this noted as well for 19 March, albeit DAK war diary claims it was I./Flak 33 that shot her down:


The Blenheim is not mentioned at all.

Regardless of the German claims, I think all three planes now have been positively identified, including their crews.

All the best

Andreas
thanks Andreas, the Hurricane is referred to my father, others to germans.
ciao
Toni
 

Andreas

New Member
Not like the Germans to claim credits for the Italian achievements. I mean, they would never do that...

All the best

Andreas
 

Andrew

New Member
Hello Andreas and Toni.

Just reading your conversation.

My apologies for butting in, but my father was the pilot of the Hurricane shot down on 19/3/41.

I have a lot of material on his shooting down (by German AA I believe) and even a German newsreel of his burning a/c and capture.

Kind regards

Andrew
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Andrew

Thank you for your offer of additional material on this event. Please share what you can when you have time. Its is interesting that two members of the forum had fathers involved in the same wartime event.

Pista! Jeff
 
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