I'm trying to research 849656 G J F Newman, on 19 August 1940 he wrote a letter to his Battery commander that the day before he engaged an ME110 that had passed over the Battery with smoke coming from its port engine, he fired on it with a Lewis gun striking the Starboard engine which stopped, it then passed behind a hill from which smoke soon appeared. This was around 18.00 on 18 August 1940, I'm hoping to try track down a possible ME110 that ties in with his claim, I've no idea his RA unit or location (except on the coast) any thoughts or leads? It was a busy day for aircraft losses Thanks Alistair
20 Me 110's mentioned in ATB's Battle of Britain on the 18th August. None mentioned being hit by ground fire.
Thanks for checking, from the letter it seems like it was already well on its way when he had a go, I'll try add the letter in case anyone can read any more into the actual wording. Cheers Alistair
Blitz vol 1 ATB 18/8/40 page 216 Bf 110C of 4/ZG26 Attacked by RAF fighters allso hit by ground fire prior to crash landing in flames on the emergency landing ground at Leysdown,Sheppey 5:30pm Also Home Guard had a go at a Dornier after it had been ht by a Bofors and it crashed at Leaves Green near Biggin Hill 1:30pm
Thanks for the extra info Clive, the first one sounds a decent match, I had a bit of a Google and found a note that it was S/L Manstin who damaged it and left it smoking, it was then engaged by Bofors of 12 LAA Battery - I wonder if Newman was with 12 LAA and joined in. Cheers Alistair
849656 NEWMAN George Jack Frederick Gnr enlisted in RA in 1935. Born : 8th May 1911 Isle of Wight Died : 2Q 1990 Swale Kent Married : Margaret A Newman 2 Q Sheppey Kent 1940 There is a note underneath his service number on the attestation which I can't read. The pencil notes indicate which unit the Gunner was posted to. He could have been stationed in Kent in 1940, indicated by the marriage?
This diary might be worth looking at WO 166/2682 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENTS: 12 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (LAA). Page below (from 6th AA Division Diary) gives 12th LAA battery locations in March 1940 so these might also be worth investigating at Kew if they exist There should be a daily report in either WO 166/2174 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: ANTI-AIRCRAFT DIVISIONS: Headquarters 6 Anti-Aircraft Division, Signals (HQ). 1940 May- 1941 Dec. or WO 166/2169 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: ANTI-AIRCRAFT DIVISIONS: Headquarters 6 Anti-Aircraft Division, General (HQ G). 1940 June- Oct.
Bf 110C of 4/ZG26 Attacked by RAF fighters allso hit by ground fire prior to crash landing in flames on the emergency landing ground at Leysdown,Sheppey 5:30pm. If this was the plane, then the guns which shot at it must have been in the Sheerness area. The hill in question. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...a7!8m2!3d51.44011!4d0.764158!6m1!1e1?hl=en-GB
Agree, Sheerness a likely location. Unfortunately, 34Bty diaries don't seem to exist so may also be worth trying 56th AA Brigade diary below WO 166/2308 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: ANTI-AIRCRAFT BRIGADES: Headquarters 56 Anti-Aircraft Brigade, General (HQ G). 1940 June- 1941 Dec.
The following from 'The Hardest Day' - A. Price 18 August 1940 Me110. Destroyed Pilot. Uffz. H. Jaeckel + Damaged in action with British fighters off Clacton probably by S/L. G. Manton of 56 Squadron at 5:30 pm Finished off by ground fire, aircraft crashed at Eastchurch (Isle of Sheppey) . Radio operator taken prisoner.
It's a shame the RA tracer cards aren't on findmypast yet as that would be ideal for checking his unit, I've started the ball rolling on unit war diaries. Thanks for all the help, I thought this was a long shot, but it seems to have identified a strong possibility, fingers crossed the war diary agrees. Alistair
Also Home Guard had a go at a Dornier after it had been ht by a Bofors and it crashed at Leaves Green near Biggin Hill 1:30pm I suspect that para (b) in the attached extract from a 1st AA Division diary is referring to this incident
Battery War Diaries for 12 LAA Regiment WO 166/2782 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES: 34 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (LAA). 1940 Apr.-Dec. WO 166/2784 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES: 35 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (LAA). 1939 Aug.-1941 June WO 166/2785 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES: 36 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (LAA). 1939 Aug.-1941 June WO 166/2792 ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES: 44 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (LAA). 1939 Aug.-Nov., 1940 July - 1941 June, Sept.-Nov.
