| Summary : The approximate position of a German Messerschmitt Me110 fighter, which was shot down on 15th August 1940 into the sea between Seahouses and Craster, on the Northumbrian coast during the Battle of Britain. The downed aircraft is likely to have been of the "DO" or "Dora" type, which were equipped with a special auxilliary fuel tank under the nose to enable longer range missions, known to German aircrew as the "Dackelbauch" or "Dachsund's Belly". The aircraft was part of a German fighter unit, I Gruppe ZG76 (I/GZ76), which was escorting bombers of I and II Kampgeschwader 26 (I/III KG76 on a large attack on the north and centre of England, via the north-east, probably with Dishforth Airfield as the main ultimate planned focus of the attack. This was mounted in the wake of the attacks beginning on 12th August known as "Adler Tag" or "Eagle Day" Sources vary as to the departure point of the fighters, either Aalborg in Denmark or Stavanger in Norway, but Stavanger is more probable and this variation is probably due to confusion with a secondary attack aimed at Driffield Airfield by a different unit from Aalborg (largely broken up by 616 Squadron). The attack along the northern flank aimed at Dishforth was defeated by a combination of RAF aircraft of 72, 79, 605 and 607 squadrons. This particular German aircraft may have been shot down by a member of either 72 or 79 squadrons. The raid was a disaster for the Luftwaffe and mass raids were never aimed again on the north-east. At least one source speculates that the British may have had advanced warning of the German attack via an Enigma Code decryption, although this has not been confirmed. |
More information : `Thursday 15th August 1940. About 1300hrs. As the German formations flew down the Northumberland coast they were under attack by British fighters and ack-ack defences. One Me110D of 1/ZG 76 from Aalborg, Denmark, was shot down into the sea between Seahouses and Craster by aircraft of either 72 or 79 Sqn.
`Crew: Oberleutnant Loobes (Gruppe Intelligence Officer), killed; Uffz Brock (Adjutant, 1st Gruppe), killed.
`Note: On 19th June 1998 while walking on the beach at Seahouses the author found a main wheel tyre, probably from the above-mentioned Me110. It is now on display in the Bamburgh Castle Aviation Artefacts Museum.' (1)
Me110D (or Bf110D) used as a long-range fighter. (2)
There is a certain amount of confusion over the aircraft lost on this raid, how, when, why, and by whom shot down.
Aircraft Messerschmitt Bf.110D M8+?B.
Oberleutnant Gustav Loobes, pilot, killed; Unteroffizier Xaver Brock, wireless op, killed.
`The Battle of Britain was at its height in August 1940. On Thursday, 15 August, believing that available RAF fighter squadrons were heavily committed in the south, the Luftwaffe launched a two-pronged daylight attack from bases in Denmark and Norway against aerodromes and industrial targets in northern England...63 Heinkel 111s of KG26 (based at Stavanger, Norway) had the aerodromes at Dishforth and Linton-on-Ouse as their primary targets, with Newcastle, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough as alternatives. The Heinkels were escorted by 21 Messerschmitt Bf110D twin-engined fighters of 1/ZG76.
`The bombers and their escorts were detected by radar as they approached the north-east coast shortly after midday. Due to a serious error of navigation, they were some seventy miles north of their intended route, which should have ensured landfall somewhere over the coast of County Durham. When the error was realized, the raiders swung south in search of their targets but by then they were already under attack...
`Acklington-based Spitfires of 72 Squadron made the first contact...but as the raiders moved south, over and along the Northumberland and County Durham coast, other fighters joined in. Hurricanes from 79 Squadron, Acklington, 605 Squadron, Drem, and 607 Squadron, Usworth, as well as Spitfires from 41 Squadron, Catterick, all exacted their toll, while the anti-aircraft guns around the Tyne, the Wear and...the Tees made their own contribution...
`The Luftwaffe's attack was a failure...Most of the Heinkels failed to find their intended targets...most jettisoned their bombs over the coast or the coastal strip of east Durham.
`All of the fighter squadrons made claims, as did the guns. According to 13 Group Fighter Command Operations Record Book for 15 August 1940, fighter pilots made claims amounting to 31 enemy machines "destroyed", 22 "probably destroyed", and 14 "damaged". In addition the Tyne guns claimed a further five, and the Tees guns one more. That makes 73 enemy aircraft destroyed - almost the entire attacking force!
`Although the claims were no doubt made in good faith, they could not be checked conclusively at the time for most actions took place over the sea, the crash site of most of the aircraft shot down. Later evidence was to show that the claims had been greatly overstated when placed alongside the Luftwaffe's recorded losses of eight He111s and eight Me110s....
`A number of fighter pilots damaged raiders, which then broke away streaming smoke and diving into the cloud layers below the battle zone. The defending fighters were not always able to follow, because of the battle that was raging, and thus a "damaged" enemy must sometimes have been claimed as "destroyed" [and vice-versa?] On the basis of claims made by Spitfire and Hurricane pilots who saw their victims crash, the following, does, perhaps, offer a more realistic picture - although, even then, the losses do not exactly match the claims made:
`72 Squadron, Acklington: Pilot Officer Douglas Winter...and Flying Officer Oswald Pigg both attacked Me110s and saw them crash into the sea...
`79 Squadron, Acklington...Pilot Officer Douglas Clift shot down an Me110 some twenty miles east of Coquet Island.' (3)
Builder: Messerschmitt AG (1)
Unit: 1/Zerstorergeschwader 76 (1)(3)
Crew: 2 (1)
Crew Lost: 2 (1)
Date of Loss Qualifier: A
Author Robert Dixon includes a piece on the events of 15th August 1940 in the battle of "Northern Flank" in his "Norav" website. His article is researched from the German Federal Archives (Bundesarchiv), which provided details of losses and targets, as well as pilot combat reports of 72 and 607 Squadrons, pilot's log book entries and Operations Record Book of 607 Squadron. During the attack German fighters of I Gruppe ZG76 (I/GZ76), was escorting bombers of I and II Kampgeschwader 26 (I/III KG76 on a large attack along the "Northern Flank" on the centre of England, with Dishforth Airfield as the main planned focus of the attack. (The piece notes the confusion as to other targets in the secondary sources and the point that the official German orders only state that Dishforth Airfield was to be attacked by this wave). This assualt was mounted from Stavanger, Norway in the wake of the attacks beginning on 12th August known as "Adler Tag" or "Eagle Day". The fighter escort were ME 110s of the "DO" or "Dora" type, which were equipped with a special auxilliary fuel tank under the nose to enable long range missions, known to German aircrew as the "Dackelbauch" or "Dachsund's Belly". This attack was roundly defeated by a combination of RAF aircraft of 72, 79, 605 and 607 squadrons. The fighter escort was scattered and the bombers forced to head home after jettisoning their bombs before reaching their target. A secondary attack on Driffield Airfield was launched by JU88s of KG30 from Aalborg, Denmark, this was mostly broken up by RAF 616 Squadron around Flamborough Head, although some German aircraft did manage to hit Driffield. Casulties for the RAF were light, in comparsion to heavier loss on the German side. The article raises the question of whether the British has advanced warning through an "Enigma" decryption- this was the certainly the case in two other episodes during the Battle of Britain. (4) |