Thanks for the kind correction.
Exciting - the Battlecruiser Squadron lives!!!
Fantasque Time Line (France Fights On) - English Translation
- Thread starter Wings
- Start date
- Status
Exciting - the Battlecruiser Squadron lives!!!
3023
November 6th, 1941
Paris - The essayist Thierry Maulnier boards at Gare du Nord, in the weekly Paris-Stockholm sleeping car. He is invited by the Swedish Academy to pronounce at the university of Uppsala a series of conferences on "the religions of yesterday, the ideologies of today and the philosophies of tomorrow".
Paris - The essayist Thierry Maulnier boards at Gare du Nord, in the weekly Paris-Stockholm sleeping car. He is invited by the Swedish Academy to pronounce at the university of Uppsala a series of conferences on "the religions of yesterday, the ideologies of today and the philosophies of tomorrow".
3024
November 6th, 1941
Australia - The cruiser HMAS Sydney joins the troop carrier Zealandia and the auxiliary cruiser HMAS Adelaide in the Great Australian Bight. The Zealandia is scheduled to sail to Singapore with more than 1,000 men of the 8th Australian Division. The Sydney is to escort her to the Sunda Strait because of the probable presence of a German raider off the coast of Western Australia.
Australia - The cruiser HMAS Sydney joins the troop carrier Zealandia and the auxiliary cruiser HMAS Adelaide in the Great Australian Bight. The Zealandia is scheduled to sail to Singapore with more than 1,000 men of the 8th Australian Division. The Sydney is to escort her to the Sunda Strait because of the probable presence of a German raider off the coast of Western Australia.
3025
November 6th, 1941
Alger - During the night takes place what will be the last attack of the year on Algiers. It will leave a bad taste to the Germans, but almost as bitter to the French.
All the measures envisaged on September 25th are implemented. As every night for the past few days, a heterogeneous flotilla leaves the port around 18:00 to take up position at the mouth of the bay: three Italian trawlers brought back from Lampedusa and then forgotten, a buoy tender close to the reform, a tugboat whose smoke would not be enough to hide the coast from any attacker, and three dainty little yachts duly requisitioned. Each one carries two to six 20 or 25 mm AA guns, either single or twinned. At the end of October, manoeuvres were conducted to ensure communication with the artillery and their detection and lighting equipment.
The result is as expected, since five He 111s are shot down (an unprecedented score). The boats of the flotilla then comb the area for survivors. The night fighters strike another success off the Algerian coast - but neither of the two Glenns sent to the coast of Perpignan return.
As the observer and the radio sent to Perpignan stopped their transmissions, tracked by the Abwehr and (much more reluctantly) by the French police, it was not until two weeks that the reason for this disappearance would be known: four Bf 110 night fighters are now policing the outskirts of Perpignan during the return of the bombers.
However, given the extent of its losses, the Luftwaffe decides to stop the operation.
On the other hand, all winter, sporadic attacks will still take place on Tunisia, including by nights without moon but with a favorable weather*. This is why the two groups of night fighters present in Tunisia will be maintained until December 1942, whereas the Algiers night fighter group is reduced to one group (still based in Blida), the other GCN, with Karel Kuttelwascher at its head, leaving to reinforce the defense of the Aegean islands.
* The guidance is then done by radio signals, emitted from Sicily, Pantelleria and Sardinia. This technique, already used against England, was quickly defeated.
Alger - During the night takes place what will be the last attack of the year on Algiers. It will leave a bad taste to the Germans, but almost as bitter to the French.
All the measures envisaged on September 25th are implemented. As every night for the past few days, a heterogeneous flotilla leaves the port around 18:00 to take up position at the mouth of the bay: three Italian trawlers brought back from Lampedusa and then forgotten, a buoy tender close to the reform, a tugboat whose smoke would not be enough to hide the coast from any attacker, and three dainty little yachts duly requisitioned. Each one carries two to six 20 or 25 mm AA guns, either single or twinned. At the end of October, manoeuvres were conducted to ensure communication with the artillery and their detection and lighting equipment.
The result is as expected, since five He 111s are shot down (an unprecedented score). The boats of the flotilla then comb the area for survivors. The night fighters strike another success off the Algerian coast - but neither of the two Glenns sent to the coast of Perpignan return.
As the observer and the radio sent to Perpignan stopped their transmissions, tracked by the Abwehr and (much more reluctantly) by the French police, it was not until two weeks that the reason for this disappearance would be known: four Bf 110 night fighters are now policing the outskirts of Perpignan during the return of the bombers.
However, given the extent of its losses, the Luftwaffe decides to stop the operation.
On the other hand, all winter, sporadic attacks will still take place on Tunisia, including by nights without moon but with a favorable weather*. This is why the two groups of night fighters present in Tunisia will be maintained until December 1942, whereas the Algiers night fighter group is reduced to one group (still based in Blida), the other GCN, with Karel Kuttelwascher at its head, leaving to reinforce the defense of the Aegean islands.
* The guidance is then done by radio signals, emitted from Sicily, Pantelleria and Sardinia. This technique, already used against England, was quickly defeated.
3027
November 7th, 1941
Washington, D.C. - President Roosevelt asks his Cabinet members if they thought the American people "would support an attack on Japan" if that country were to attack French Indochina, British Malaya or Dutch Indonesia.
The unanimous opinion of the Cabinet is that the country's support would be forthcoming.
On the same day, a Gallup poll is published in the American press showing broad support for a war against Japan if that country were to attack Indochina. Many observers consider it very significant that this poll was taken less than a month after the publication of Bloody Corsica, John Steinbeck's book report on the battle of Corsica in February-March, illustrated with photographs by Robert Capa. We estimate today that the books, articles or speeches of numerous American intellectuals on the struggle pursued by France and Great Britain have played a great role in the creation of an emotional context in the United States that was highly favorable to the country's entry into the war.
Washington, D.C. - President Roosevelt asks his Cabinet members if they thought the American people "would support an attack on Japan" if that country were to attack French Indochina, British Malaya or Dutch Indonesia.
The unanimous opinion of the Cabinet is that the country's support would be forthcoming.
On the same day, a Gallup poll is published in the American press showing broad support for a war against Japan if that country were to attack Indochina. Many observers consider it very significant that this poll was taken less than a month after the publication of Bloody Corsica, John Steinbeck's book report on the battle of Corsica in February-March, illustrated with photographs by Robert Capa. We estimate today that the books, articles or speeches of numerous American intellectuals on the struggle pursued by France and Great Britain have played a great role in the creation of an emotional context in the United States that was highly favorable to the country's entry into the war.
3028
November 7th, 1941
Rhodes, "RAF-Maritsa airfield", 07:00 - As every day since the 2nd, the Consolidated 32 Sainte Odile of Major Kohler takes off first from Maritsa. But this time, its holds are full of 250 kg bombs. Earlier, Kohler had announced that today would be the day. The target: the rail and road hotspot of Lamia, near the eastern coast of Greece, where most of the Axis supplies pass through, coming from the north by land. Incidentally, the region is best known for hosting the site of Thermopylae. "I will carry out the whole mission myself, in agreement with commander de Grézins, of the I/60. Commander Prenz will accompany me as usual on board the Sainte Odile to evaluate the results of the experiment. Any questions?"
As usual, no one comes forward.
- Perfect," Kohler concludes. I'll pass you over to Captain Lorier, who will give you your navigation bag, and then to Sub-Lieutenant Braîche-Luhard. Don't worry, the weather will be fine on the Aegean Sea. A damsel's weather. Take-off in half an hour.
07:15 - Navigator to pilot", says Captain Mendès-France, "follow our leader on a heading 345. I repeat 345.
- Roger that, navigator. To 345.
09:05 - All hands, battle stations", order the captains.
09:20 - If the command had really hoped that the Italo-Germans would be surprised by the use of the Consolidated 32 during the day, they were mistaken. The radar operators and ground watchmen worked well. As soon as the 25 aircraft cross the coast of the Aegean Sea, the alarm is given.
The formation of I/60 and II/60 is greeted by a flak whose power had escaped the reconnaissance flights and the special services of the Allies. The Germans have surrounded the hills overlooking Lamia, the road and the railroad with 88 mm tubes. There are also 90 mm Vickers and Schneiders captured in Belgium and France in the spring of 1940 and which were given to the Italians. Two 32s are shot down and a third damaged while the bombs rain down. For what result? The examination of the photos made after the mission will be more reliable than the impressions of the moment...
09:28 - The German command has gathered in the region about thirty Bf 109 and as many Bf 110 which hook the 32 on the way back.
09:34 - The Ville de Louviers is attacked by several Bf 109s (three, maybe even four) who brave the crossfire of the B-24s. The shells and bullets shred the aluminum sheets of the fuselage and ravage the Plexiglas.
- I got one," shouts Petty Officer Créourc'h into the intercom. "Fucked, the bastard! I got him...
He doesn't finish.
09:35 - The Bf 109s all clear, heading south, mit echte deutsche Disziplin: Heraklion has sent Marylands on the roadstead of Volos, very close to there.
The Bf 110s insist, their exhaust pipes belching white smoke that showed they use water and ethanol injection to increase the power of their DB-601. It is only at about 09h40 that they give up.
Petty Officer Créourc'h no longer responds.
09:41 - Staff Sergeant Di Messina switches off engine n° 3 of the Ville de Louviers. His eyes do not leave the tachometer and the thermometers of the n° 4. The other aircraft of the 60th EB are not flying faster than him, that's the main thing. Corporal Larmor, sent to the rear by Mendès-France, finds petty officer Créourc'h inanimate, the tube of his oxygen mask severed by a bullet. Larmor remains calm: "Machine gunner back to chief officer. Créourc'h, he has no more oxy, he's passed out. We have to go down."
- Chief pilot to pilot. Emergency descent to 3,500 meters.
- Slow down the bass, chief pilot!" replies Hinh. "I'm driving an iron. If I prick too much, I blow up the plans. Besides, I'm all alone at the handle, D'Etoilies has been battered, he's not in great shape.
- Attention all", resumes Larmor, in a hoarser tone. "It's not worth it. Créourc'h, he also took a bullet in the heart too. He doesn't need us to go down anymore.
- Captain to pilot. Counter-order. To back gunner. Return to your post.
10:20 - Major Kohler calls Major de Grézins: "Marceau leader to Kléber leader!"
- Kléber leader listens to you, Marceau.
- I've got my gauges in a panic, Kléber. I will never go home like this. I'll try to get to Naxos. Replace me in command of the formation.
- Roger, Marceau leader. All Marceau and Kleber, I'm taking over.
- Marceau leader to captain Marceau 4.
- Captain Mendes-France replies, "Captain Marceau 4 is listening.
- Give me a course. Lorier has been wounded. He's in the soup.
- One second, Marceau leader, I'm calculating... here we go... vector 185. I repeat 185. If your gonio still works, remember that the Naxos beacon transmits for five seconds ABABAB every minute for 121 meters.
- All right, Marceau 4, and thank you. I will turn to 185. That's it for me.
- Roger that, Marceau leader.
PMF takes a breath and says, "See you later, sir. Good luck."
- We'll need luck, too," mutters Captain Hinh, increasingly concerned about his co-pilot's condition.
The GB II/60 loses one of its 32 on the target, two others are shot down by the Messerschmitt, and nobody knows if the Sainte Odile will arrive at Naxos. The GB I/60 is similarly tested with three planes shot down. The 60th EB returns to Rhodes with 18 planes out of 25 - a 28% loss rate, the staff strategists would say - and most of the survivors from both groups are more or less damaged.
11:35 - The ritual, by its very nature, must be respected and the show must go on, whatever the circumstances, according to the RAF adage. Captain Hinh announces: "Everyone, I'm going to take the train. Let's go, chorus!"
Obediently, even if his heart isn't quite in it, Radio Van de Kerke, who has the finest tenor of the crew, intones: "Long live the aviators, mother!" And all those who can
including Captain Mendès-France: "Long live the aviators! They have the handle near the engine, long live the aviators!" Other verses follow, just as bawdy.
11:40 - The Ville de Louviers lands on the runway of Maritsa. The doctor and the nurses carefully take down the first sergeant d'Étoilies des Escoyères, hit in the head and the thorax, and Corporal Guénec, less seriously hit in the arm, before taking out the body of Quentin Créourc'h.
The mechanics, as if by game, count thirty-seven impacts on the fuselage, the wings and the engines of the plane. The n° 3, perhaps irreparable, will have, in any case, to be removed and replaced. All the canopies are to be changed and it will be necessary, step by step, to check one after the other, the tanks and then the fuel lines. The hydraulic circuit hoses will also have to be checked. "In what state they put it, the bastards!" Di Messina rages.
Captain Roy warmly welcomes PMF: "You are miraculously lucky, my dear!" He could say the same. Forbidden to fly for a week because of a bout of malaria, Jules Roy did not take part in the Lamia mission. Second Lieutenant Corbell, a Catalan from Lerida who had been exiled to France at the age of seventeen and who had arrived eight days earlier from Lartigue, replaced him in the cockpit of his Consolidated 32, Djurdjura. But Djurdjura did not return.
Rhodes, "RAF-Maritsa airfield", 07:00 - As every day since the 2nd, the Consolidated 32 Sainte Odile of Major Kohler takes off first from Maritsa. But this time, its holds are full of 250 kg bombs. Earlier, Kohler had announced that today would be the day. The target: the rail and road hotspot of Lamia, near the eastern coast of Greece, where most of the Axis supplies pass through, coming from the north by land. Incidentally, the region is best known for hosting the site of Thermopylae. "I will carry out the whole mission myself, in agreement with commander de Grézins, of the I/60. Commander Prenz will accompany me as usual on board the Sainte Odile to evaluate the results of the experiment. Any questions?"
As usual, no one comes forward.
- Perfect," Kohler concludes. I'll pass you over to Captain Lorier, who will give you your navigation bag, and then to Sub-Lieutenant Braîche-Luhard. Don't worry, the weather will be fine on the Aegean Sea. A damsel's weather. Take-off in half an hour.
07:15 - Navigator to pilot", says Captain Mendès-France, "follow our leader on a heading 345. I repeat 345.
- Roger that, navigator. To 345.
09:05 - All hands, battle stations", order the captains.
09:20 - If the command had really hoped that the Italo-Germans would be surprised by the use of the Consolidated 32 during the day, they were mistaken. The radar operators and ground watchmen worked well. As soon as the 25 aircraft cross the coast of the Aegean Sea, the alarm is given.
The formation of I/60 and II/60 is greeted by a flak whose power had escaped the reconnaissance flights and the special services of the Allies. The Germans have surrounded the hills overlooking Lamia, the road and the railroad with 88 mm tubes. There are also 90 mm Vickers and Schneiders captured in Belgium and France in the spring of 1940 and which were given to the Italians. Two 32s are shot down and a third damaged while the bombs rain down. For what result? The examination of the photos made after the mission will be more reliable than the impressions of the moment...
09:28 - The German command has gathered in the region about thirty Bf 109 and as many Bf 110 which hook the 32 on the way back.
09:34 - The Ville de Louviers is attacked by several Bf 109s (three, maybe even four) who brave the crossfire of the B-24s. The shells and bullets shred the aluminum sheets of the fuselage and ravage the Plexiglas.
- I got one," shouts Petty Officer Créourc'h into the intercom. "Fucked, the bastard! I got him...
He doesn't finish.
09:35 - The Bf 109s all clear, heading south, mit echte deutsche Disziplin: Heraklion has sent Marylands on the roadstead of Volos, very close to there.
The Bf 110s insist, their exhaust pipes belching white smoke that showed they use water and ethanol injection to increase the power of their DB-601. It is only at about 09h40 that they give up.
Petty Officer Créourc'h no longer responds.
09:41 - Staff Sergeant Di Messina switches off engine n° 3 of the Ville de Louviers. His eyes do not leave the tachometer and the thermometers of the n° 4. The other aircraft of the 60th EB are not flying faster than him, that's the main thing. Corporal Larmor, sent to the rear by Mendès-France, finds petty officer Créourc'h inanimate, the tube of his oxygen mask severed by a bullet. Larmor remains calm: "Machine gunner back to chief officer. Créourc'h, he has no more oxy, he's passed out. We have to go down."
- Chief pilot to pilot. Emergency descent to 3,500 meters.
- Slow down the bass, chief pilot!" replies Hinh. "I'm driving an iron. If I prick too much, I blow up the plans. Besides, I'm all alone at the handle, D'Etoilies has been battered, he's not in great shape.
- Attention all", resumes Larmor, in a hoarser tone. "It's not worth it. Créourc'h, he also took a bullet in the heart too. He doesn't need us to go down anymore.
- Captain to pilot. Counter-order. To back gunner. Return to your post.
10:20 - Major Kohler calls Major de Grézins: "Marceau leader to Kléber leader!"
- Kléber leader listens to you, Marceau.
- I've got my gauges in a panic, Kléber. I will never go home like this. I'll try to get to Naxos. Replace me in command of the formation.
- Roger, Marceau leader. All Marceau and Kleber, I'm taking over.
- Marceau leader to captain Marceau 4.
- Captain Mendes-France replies, "Captain Marceau 4 is listening.
- Give me a course. Lorier has been wounded. He's in the soup.
- One second, Marceau leader, I'm calculating... here we go... vector 185. I repeat 185. If your gonio still works, remember that the Naxos beacon transmits for five seconds ABABAB every minute for 121 meters.
- All right, Marceau 4, and thank you. I will turn to 185. That's it for me.
- Roger that, Marceau leader.
PMF takes a breath and says, "See you later, sir. Good luck."
- We'll need luck, too," mutters Captain Hinh, increasingly concerned about his co-pilot's condition.
The GB II/60 loses one of its 32 on the target, two others are shot down by the Messerschmitt, and nobody knows if the Sainte Odile will arrive at Naxos. The GB I/60 is similarly tested with three planes shot down. The 60th EB returns to Rhodes with 18 planes out of 25 - a 28% loss rate, the staff strategists would say - and most of the survivors from both groups are more or less damaged.
11:35 - The ritual, by its very nature, must be respected and the show must go on, whatever the circumstances, according to the RAF adage. Captain Hinh announces: "Everyone, I'm going to take the train. Let's go, chorus!"
Obediently, even if his heart isn't quite in it, Radio Van de Kerke, who has the finest tenor of the crew, intones: "Long live the aviators, mother!" And all those who can
including Captain Mendès-France: "Long live the aviators! They have the handle near the engine, long live the aviators!" Other verses follow, just as bawdy.
11:40 - The Ville de Louviers lands on the runway of Maritsa. The doctor and the nurses carefully take down the first sergeant d'Étoilies des Escoyères, hit in the head and the thorax, and Corporal Guénec, less seriously hit in the arm, before taking out the body of Quentin Créourc'h.
The mechanics, as if by game, count thirty-seven impacts on the fuselage, the wings and the engines of the plane. The n° 3, perhaps irreparable, will have, in any case, to be removed and replaced. All the canopies are to be changed and it will be necessary, step by step, to check one after the other, the tanks and then the fuel lines. The hydraulic circuit hoses will also have to be checked. "In what state they put it, the bastards!" Di Messina rages.
Captain Roy warmly welcomes PMF: "You are miraculously lucky, my dear!" He could say the same. Forbidden to fly for a week because of a bout of malaria, Jules Roy did not take part in the Lamia mission. Second Lieutenant Corbell, a Catalan from Lerida who had been exiled to France at the age of seventeen and who had arrived eight days earlier from Lartigue, replaced him in the cockpit of his Consolidated 32, Djurdjura. But Djurdjura did not return.
3029
November 7th, 1941
Western Mediterranean - Under the command of Admiral Somerville, the four aircraft carriers and their escorts complete a two-day training sortie west of Gibraltar to improve air traffic control procedures and to give the pilots and deck officers the time necessary to obtain certain modifications.
Leaving Gibraltar, fighter pilots from the naval air groups train to intercept waves of Hurricanes and Marylands based on land. Naval and Air Force pilots are also working on common procedures and techniques.
Western Mediterranean - Under the command of Admiral Somerville, the four aircraft carriers and their escorts complete a two-day training sortie west of Gibraltar to improve air traffic control procedures and to give the pilots and deck officers the time necessary to obtain certain modifications.
Leaving Gibraltar, fighter pilots from the naval air groups train to intercept waves of Hurricanes and Marylands based on land. Naval and Air Force pilots are also working on common procedures and techniques.
3030
November 8th, 1941
Gibraltar - Arrival of the "Long Spear" convoy, 12 fast transports to Singapore, loaded with aircraft and equipment for the Commonwealth forces in Malaya.
This convoy is one of the first to be accompanied in the Atlantic by an escort carrier, HMS Audacity. This former German merchant ship (ex Hannover) was captured in March 1940 in the Caribbean. In June 1941, she was put back into service after a hasty conversion into an aircraft carrier, consisting of a simple levelling of the superstructures with
installation of a flight deck.
The ship can embark up to eight Grumman Martlet fighters, but can only operate a maximum of six, as it does not have a hangar. The choice of the Martlet instead of the Swordfish is explained by the fact that the Admiralty considers that the most important threat to Allied ships in the area is posed by the Fw 200 Condor, a long-range Luftwaffe aircraft. These large four-engine aircraft are considered a greater danger than the submarines, because they guide the latter towards the convoys. This choice, which will be criticized later, is however judicious, because several Condors are shot down by the Audacity's hunters. Moreover, the Martlet can also carry depth charges.
The convoy leavs Gibraltar the next day for Oran, where it arrives on November 12th under the protection of the joint RN-MN anti-submarine group operating from Gibraltar.
Gibraltar - Arrival of the "Long Spear" convoy, 12 fast transports to Singapore, loaded with aircraft and equipment for the Commonwealth forces in Malaya.
This convoy is one of the first to be accompanied in the Atlantic by an escort carrier, HMS Audacity. This former German merchant ship (ex Hannover) was captured in March 1940 in the Caribbean. In June 1941, she was put back into service after a hasty conversion into an aircraft carrier, consisting of a simple levelling of the superstructures with
installation of a flight deck.
The ship can embark up to eight Grumman Martlet fighters, but can only operate a maximum of six, as it does not have a hangar. The choice of the Martlet instead of the Swordfish is explained by the fact that the Admiralty considers that the most important threat to Allied ships in the area is posed by the Fw 200 Condor, a long-range Luftwaffe aircraft. These large four-engine aircraft are considered a greater danger than the submarines, because they guide the latter towards the convoys. This choice, which will be criticized later, is however judicious, because several Condors are shot down by the Audacity's hunters. Moreover, the Martlet can also carry depth charges.
The convoy leavs Gibraltar the next day for Oran, where it arrives on November 12th under the protection of the joint RN-MN anti-submarine group operating from Gibraltar.
3031
November 8th, 1941
Rhodes, "RAF-Maritsa airfield" - Major Kohler and his crew are reported missing. The Sainte Odile never arrived in Naxos.
It is up to Major de Grézins and, for the II/60, to Captain Mendès-France to draw the conclusions of the raid on Lamia in a report requested, without further ado, by the command of the Armée de l'Air in Algiers. They do not dip their pen in holy water: "Without a strong escort of fighters (to be proportioned to the foreseeable enemy opposition), it is necessary, definitively, to give up sending Consolidated 32s on daytime bombing missions, even in relatively large numbers. Even so, our losses could have been higher if our adversaries had not arrived in small groups - it is unlikely they will make the same mistake again.
The photos taken during the raid by the navigators and the co-pilots let us foresee poor results. It also seems that the bombing officers and NCOs are less proficient than one would wish due to the complexity of the aiming at high altitude, even during the day. Training on this point should be reviewed from start to finish.
We agree that a loss rate of seven planes out of twenty-five is unbearable, even if our gunners claimed two Bf 109s and two Bf 110s (unfortunately, we know the propensity of gunners to exaggerate the number of their victories). Of the 18 survivors, only three are intact. It must be considered that the 60th EB could no longer be considered as a combat unit worthy of the name until the damaged aircraft are repaired, new aircraft are delivered and the replenishment of personnel from all airborne specialties is done (It will take some time to bring the newcomers on board).
.........
"Algiers transmitted this report without changing a single line to Colonel Zachary B. Cox, a former member of the La Fayette in 14-18 and military attaché (air) at the U.S. Embassy. Although Colonel Cox reads French perfectly, the report was accompanied by an excellent translation in English seasoned with American expressions. In fact, the translation had been written by Major Curtis LeMay, USAAC, who had been engaged for a few months in the Foreign Legion "Air" under the pseudonym Cedric Lavril.
LeMay had enlisted on the orders of his superiors, who seem to have chosen him because of, among other things, his Quebec ancestry. Serving in a medium bomber unit with the rank of commander, he had nevertheless followed the preparation of the 60th EB raid, had flown to Rhodes on November 8th and had worked with Grézins and Mendès-France on writing the report.
Nevertheless, wherever the USAAC and then the USAAF controlled all of its operations, this report was initially ignored: the Americans considered that only their doctrine responded to the spirit of the theories of Douhet, the (Italian!) theorist of strategic bombing."
(La Guerre Aérienne - 1939-1945, by Patrick Falcon, op. cit.)
Rhodes, "RAF-Maritsa airfield" - Major Kohler and his crew are reported missing. The Sainte Odile never arrived in Naxos.
It is up to Major de Grézins and, for the II/60, to Captain Mendès-France to draw the conclusions of the raid on Lamia in a report requested, without further ado, by the command of the Armée de l'Air in Algiers. They do not dip their pen in holy water: "Without a strong escort of fighters (to be proportioned to the foreseeable enemy opposition), it is necessary, definitively, to give up sending Consolidated 32s on daytime bombing missions, even in relatively large numbers. Even so, our losses could have been higher if our adversaries had not arrived in small groups - it is unlikely they will make the same mistake again.
The photos taken during the raid by the navigators and the co-pilots let us foresee poor results. It also seems that the bombing officers and NCOs are less proficient than one would wish due to the complexity of the aiming at high altitude, even during the day. Training on this point should be reviewed from start to finish.
We agree that a loss rate of seven planes out of twenty-five is unbearable, even if our gunners claimed two Bf 109s and two Bf 110s (unfortunately, we know the propensity of gunners to exaggerate the number of their victories). Of the 18 survivors, only three are intact. It must be considered that the 60th EB could no longer be considered as a combat unit worthy of the name until the damaged aircraft are repaired, new aircraft are delivered and the replenishment of personnel from all airborne specialties is done (It will take some time to bring the newcomers on board).
.........
"Algiers transmitted this report without changing a single line to Colonel Zachary B. Cox, a former member of the La Fayette in 14-18 and military attaché (air) at the U.S. Embassy. Although Colonel Cox reads French perfectly, the report was accompanied by an excellent translation in English seasoned with American expressions. In fact, the translation had been written by Major Curtis LeMay, USAAC, who had been engaged for a few months in the Foreign Legion "Air" under the pseudonym Cedric Lavril.
LeMay had enlisted on the orders of his superiors, who seem to have chosen him because of, among other things, his Quebec ancestry. Serving in a medium bomber unit with the rank of commander, he had nevertheless followed the preparation of the 60th EB raid, had flown to Rhodes on November 8th and had worked with Grézins and Mendès-France on writing the report.
Nevertheless, wherever the USAAC and then the USAAF controlled all of its operations, this report was initially ignored: the Americans considered that only their doctrine responded to the spirit of the theories of Douhet, the (Italian!) theorist of strategic bombing."
(La Guerre Aérienne - 1939-1945, by Patrick Falcon, op. cit.)
3032
November 8th, 1941
Corsica - During the night of the 7th to the 8th, the French submarines Monge and Fresnel, belonging to the special submarine operations flotilla, drop off 27 commandos and nearly two tons of weapons for the Resistance movement. This movement developed rapidly since the spring evacuation. It is partly led by soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers of the regular army, who had not been able, or sometimes did not want, to reach the embarkation points at the end of the battle of Corsica. In spite of the risks, they received help from the local population, who fed them and informed them about the movements of the Italian occupation troops. Among the weapons left behind that night and transported on the backs of men in the mountains are 60 and 81 mm mortars, the very first heavy weapons received by the Corsican resistance fighters.
Corsica - During the night of the 7th to the 8th, the French submarines Monge and Fresnel, belonging to the special submarine operations flotilla, drop off 27 commandos and nearly two tons of weapons for the Resistance movement. This movement developed rapidly since the spring evacuation. It is partly led by soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers of the regular army, who had not been able, or sometimes did not want, to reach the embarkation points at the end of the battle of Corsica. In spite of the risks, they received help from the local population, who fed them and informed them about the movements of the Italian occupation troops. Among the weapons left behind that night and transported on the backs of men in the mountains are 60 and 81 mm mortars, the very first heavy weapons received by the Corsican resistance fighters.
3033
November 8th, 1941
Rhodes - Within the 54th EBA, preparations are made for a major mission, involving the 1st and 3rd Groups together with the whole 12th EB, based in Crete. Objective: Salonika.
Apart from being a diversionary operation for Retribution, an unstated goal of EMGA is to coordinate an attack with different planes operating at different altitudes, in order to bother the German defense, whose fighters are masters of the skies in the absence of allied escort fighters with a long enough range. But for this, it is necessary that the schedules are respected. The rather similar speeds of the twin-engines should allow it, at least that's how the high ranking officials see it. For the squadron leaders, nothing is less sure, and it took a quick link between the two airfields the day before, in a gloomy weather to explain and refine the calculations.
The necessity to fly low over the water to avoid radar detection, the different times taken to climb to the bombing altitudes (6,000 m for the LeO-458, 1,500 m for the M-167F), all of this imposes a serious headache to the navigators, without counting dissimilar routes. It had been suggested to the crews to gather on Ikaria in order to make a common flight. Except that the LeOs, having to climb higher, will have to start their climb before the Glenn, which makes a regrouping useless, even if the axis of approach of the bombers will be similar, the LeOs having to go around Athens and the nearby islands.
While refining the route on the map, it is decided to branch off and east of Skiros towards Thasos, to turn there at heading 270 towards Thessaloniki, flying over Stavros and the lake of Limni Volvi, between the mountains, to exit from the back of the port. The ideal would be to arrive at the port simultaneously: the two Glenn-Canons at daisy level, the other M-167Fs at 1,500m and the LeOs at 6,000 meters, but of course we know how the hazards of a mission often lead to a scenario very different from the one imagined...
.........
09:00, Crete - Departure after formation of 49 LeO-458 of the three groups of the 12th EB, accompanied by a dozen Glenn fighters from the 13th EC, a symbolic escort, which obliges to hope that one will not meet too many 109 F!
09:14, Rhodes - It is the turn of the M-167F of the 54th EBA to fly low over the water towards Ikaria, their first navigation point. The time difference is calculated according to the greater distance that the LeOs have to cover (about 50 km) and their longer climb time (four times as long, which is only 7 minutes!). The German or Italian observers detached in the islands will be surprised to see passing two groups of twin-engine planes at so little interval...
10:46, south of Thasos - On the commander's command, the LeOs and their escort climb west in a beautiful set. On the ground, the lookout posts signal what seems to be an attack towards Kaválla, before realizing that the course of the bombers bends more than expected. Small panic among the radio operators of the Axis, whose communications became entangled in the greatest disorder.
10:50 - On the grounds of Sedes (formerly civilian) and Trilofo, near Thessaloniki, the alert is however given, without the instructions being clear, especially since the stations of Agios Eustratios, Limnos and Athos report a second group of aircraft which seem to go towards Thasos or Salonika, according to the versions! Come what may, the planes on alert take off while the other pilots rush towards their cockpits, the information will be given by radio once in the air.
10:53 - Except for the two aircraft equipped with guns that change course at sea level, the Glenn-Martin of the 54th EBA begin their turn to climb to 1,500 m by turning, following with their eyes the LeOs they see in the distance, slipping through the scattered clouds. As announced by the weather forecasters, the weather is mixed over the region, without rainfall but quite covered with cumulus and stratocumulus, which is rather convenient for the French, ready to take refuge in the cottony bits, illusory and often ephemeral protection but oh so reassuring.
11:06 - The clouds located between 2 000 and 4 000 meters prevent the first German fighters from spotting the LeOs, so it is the M-167Fs of the 54th at 1,500 m that take the first hits. But the battle remains head-on in the gully formed by the mountains on both sides of Stavros: the Glenns, in a tight formation, go full throttle through the center while spitting from their machine-guns. In this little game, it is important to keep its cool and trajectory so as not to offer the flank to the adversary; it also requires strong nerves and an unfailing willpower for the pilots. And when the other pilot has the same level of nerve, it can lead to a collision, like the one that led to the death of the leader of the German squadron, too sure of himself, and the crew of second lieutenant Chevallet (captain Fontaine, bombardier/flight leader, and Chief Warrant Officer Lamour, machine gunner). The wing of the 109 smashes between the fuselage and the right engine after a last attempt of half-roll to dodge. The two aircraft, one inside the other in a spray of flames, crash on the west side of the lake of Limni Volvi, among fishermen's boats already surprised by the (very) low and very fast passage of the two Glenn-Canon a few seconds earlier, the two two-engine aircraft had to make a detour to return to Thessaloniki because of the relief of the Chortiatis.
The Teutons focus logically enough on the Glenn of the middle group without seeing the LeO. Wanting to keep his course without dodging, commander Petitguillaume calls the Glenn fighters of the 13th EC to the rescue. The group leader dispatches four of them, which come out of the clouds in the back of the Messerschmitt, which are still few in number. Not enough to engage a spinning duel that would be harmful to them, but there is always a way to destabilize the single-seater pilots by surprising them with tracer trajectories, or even to cause them some damage, like on this straggler who doesn't watch his back. The time to turn on the arrivals, it is as much gained for the bombers which rush on their objective, the port, whose bay can be seen beyond the rocky bar of the mountains.
Above Thessaloniki, the clouds are absent, which allows the last German fighters to see the LeOs, high in the sky. Of course, they climb towards a visible target, leaving behind the Glenns, already pursued, but by few people, who can therefore approach more easily than if they had to endure a new wave of attackers. Despite the presence of compatriots, the flak begins to break loose. This is good for Menant and Thannberg, in command of the two Glenn-Canons, who are able to see the shooting starts and orient themselves towards the batteries in question, spraying them with all their weapons before throwing the small stock of anti-personnel bombs on the way, over the docks and ships in the harbor.
On the ground, the artillerymen do not know which way to turn. Bombers at about 6,000 m, twin-engine planes passing in radada while firing, and now the observers report others on a converging course from the south-east, but lower than the first ones! What to do?
The French had planned a simultaneous release of the bombs, the difference in height compensating for the similar speeds. But of course, there is a time lag, impossible to do otherwise. Fortunately, it is in the right direction: the Glenn 167Fs drop their eggs first, soon followed by the LeOs. The opposite would have been unfortunate, but the bombers of the SNCASE had been instructed to check the position of their colleagues before the drop. Fortunately, they had time, their arrival having been camouflaged for a long time by the cloud system. Well, we can now see the Messerschmitt climbing like flies towards 6,000 m, but after the drop, we grab the control of the American 12.7 which is now sitting in the tip of the plexiglass nose, and we are going to wait for the Boche.
These are a little lost between the various messages on the radio, indicating different directions and different heights. The hesitation is felt, and it takes the calm and the grip of some leaders to take control of their patrols and to consult each other. Nevertheless, this remains, as usual in any aerial combat, a joyful fair where the trajectories cross and intertwine, drawing graceful wakes in the sky, trails of condensation or plumes of smoke of various colors, betraying the engines in breakdown or those pushed to the extreme limit of their overpower. With sometimes an abrupt change, when the light black of overly rich gases gives way to the blue or thick black of oil, or even the white of vaporizing glycol.
Then, as usual, everything stops. The drivers of the single-seaters find themselves alone in a space that suddenly becomes much too big for them. So we stabilize the machine horizontally, we find our bearings. Tracks over there, towards the south-east. Enemies, but they are already far away, and their planes fast enough for a pursuit to last an infinite time... The lassitude seizes the body bruised by the straps of the parachute, attacked by the tight maneuvers, drained of all energy. One then seeks the field, towards which one makes the plane slide, engine reduced, in a hurry to feel again the wheels on the ground, to get out of the overheated cockpit, so cold however just now. To find the calm of the mess.
There, in the twin-engines, it is the slow return towards the base. Once the last moments of combat are over, when we realize that there are no more fighters on the lookout, we stabilize tthe engines at cruising speed, listening to all the noises coming from them, hoping not to hear the distinct sounds of the coming breakdown. Hold on. All this distance to cover to, the same gestures, the same sighs of relief when the engines stop in the park and we can go for a drink, a bite to eat or a shower... If the pilot remains tense until the last moment, there is a break for the bomber, who is now content with his role of navigator. The gunner can also rest, but he remains vigilant, you never know.
The tension remains at its peak when there are casualties, men or machines. The wait is interminable when nothing can be done. The smallness of the Glenn's fuselage prevents to go and see, but the LeO's barely larger width does not bring much... For the mechanics, we can only pray that the whole thing holds together.
On the ground, it's time to take stock. If the result of the bombing will be known only after a photo reconnaissance mission, we can already count the number of missing and wounded. To discuss the tactics used, we will have to meet a little later.
Rhodes - Within the 54th EBA, preparations are made for a major mission, involving the 1st and 3rd Groups together with the whole 12th EB, based in Crete. Objective: Salonika.
Apart from being a diversionary operation for Retribution, an unstated goal of EMGA is to coordinate an attack with different planes operating at different altitudes, in order to bother the German defense, whose fighters are masters of the skies in the absence of allied escort fighters with a long enough range. But for this, it is necessary that the schedules are respected. The rather similar speeds of the twin-engines should allow it, at least that's how the high ranking officials see it. For the squadron leaders, nothing is less sure, and it took a quick link between the two airfields the day before, in a gloomy weather to explain and refine the calculations.
The necessity to fly low over the water to avoid radar detection, the different times taken to climb to the bombing altitudes (6,000 m for the LeO-458, 1,500 m for the M-167F), all of this imposes a serious headache to the navigators, without counting dissimilar routes. It had been suggested to the crews to gather on Ikaria in order to make a common flight. Except that the LeOs, having to climb higher, will have to start their climb before the Glenn, which makes a regrouping useless, even if the axis of approach of the bombers will be similar, the LeOs having to go around Athens and the nearby islands.
While refining the route on the map, it is decided to branch off and east of Skiros towards Thasos, to turn there at heading 270 towards Thessaloniki, flying over Stavros and the lake of Limni Volvi, between the mountains, to exit from the back of the port. The ideal would be to arrive at the port simultaneously: the two Glenn-Canons at daisy level, the other M-167Fs at 1,500m and the LeOs at 6,000 meters, but of course we know how the hazards of a mission often lead to a scenario very different from the one imagined...
.........
09:00, Crete - Departure after formation of 49 LeO-458 of the three groups of the 12th EB, accompanied by a dozen Glenn fighters from the 13th EC, a symbolic escort, which obliges to hope that one will not meet too many 109 F!
09:14, Rhodes - It is the turn of the M-167F of the 54th EBA to fly low over the water towards Ikaria, their first navigation point. The time difference is calculated according to the greater distance that the LeOs have to cover (about 50 km) and their longer climb time (four times as long, which is only 7 minutes!). The German or Italian observers detached in the islands will be surprised to see passing two groups of twin-engine planes at so little interval...
10:46, south of Thasos - On the commander's command, the LeOs and their escort climb west in a beautiful set. On the ground, the lookout posts signal what seems to be an attack towards Kaválla, before realizing that the course of the bombers bends more than expected. Small panic among the radio operators of the Axis, whose communications became entangled in the greatest disorder.
10:50 - On the grounds of Sedes (formerly civilian) and Trilofo, near Thessaloniki, the alert is however given, without the instructions being clear, especially since the stations of Agios Eustratios, Limnos and Athos report a second group of aircraft which seem to go towards Thasos or Salonika, according to the versions! Come what may, the planes on alert take off while the other pilots rush towards their cockpits, the information will be given by radio once in the air.
10:53 - Except for the two aircraft equipped with guns that change course at sea level, the Glenn-Martin of the 54th EBA begin their turn to climb to 1,500 m by turning, following with their eyes the LeOs they see in the distance, slipping through the scattered clouds. As announced by the weather forecasters, the weather is mixed over the region, without rainfall but quite covered with cumulus and stratocumulus, which is rather convenient for the French, ready to take refuge in the cottony bits, illusory and often ephemeral protection but oh so reassuring.
11:06 - The clouds located between 2 000 and 4 000 meters prevent the first German fighters from spotting the LeOs, so it is the M-167Fs of the 54th at 1,500 m that take the first hits. But the battle remains head-on in the gully formed by the mountains on both sides of Stavros: the Glenns, in a tight formation, go full throttle through the center while spitting from their machine-guns. In this little game, it is important to keep its cool and trajectory so as not to offer the flank to the adversary; it also requires strong nerves and an unfailing willpower for the pilots. And when the other pilot has the same level of nerve, it can lead to a collision, like the one that led to the death of the leader of the German squadron, too sure of himself, and the crew of second lieutenant Chevallet (captain Fontaine, bombardier/flight leader, and Chief Warrant Officer Lamour, machine gunner). The wing of the 109 smashes between the fuselage and the right engine after a last attempt of half-roll to dodge. The two aircraft, one inside the other in a spray of flames, crash on the west side of the lake of Limni Volvi, among fishermen's boats already surprised by the (very) low and very fast passage of the two Glenn-Canon a few seconds earlier, the two two-engine aircraft had to make a detour to return to Thessaloniki because of the relief of the Chortiatis.
The Teutons focus logically enough on the Glenn of the middle group without seeing the LeO. Wanting to keep his course without dodging, commander Petitguillaume calls the Glenn fighters of the 13th EC to the rescue. The group leader dispatches four of them, which come out of the clouds in the back of the Messerschmitt, which are still few in number. Not enough to engage a spinning duel that would be harmful to them, but there is always a way to destabilize the single-seater pilots by surprising them with tracer trajectories, or even to cause them some damage, like on this straggler who doesn't watch his back. The time to turn on the arrivals, it is as much gained for the bombers which rush on their objective, the port, whose bay can be seen beyond the rocky bar of the mountains.
Above Thessaloniki, the clouds are absent, which allows the last German fighters to see the LeOs, high in the sky. Of course, they climb towards a visible target, leaving behind the Glenns, already pursued, but by few people, who can therefore approach more easily than if they had to endure a new wave of attackers. Despite the presence of compatriots, the flak begins to break loose. This is good for Menant and Thannberg, in command of the two Glenn-Canons, who are able to see the shooting starts and orient themselves towards the batteries in question, spraying them with all their weapons before throwing the small stock of anti-personnel bombs on the way, over the docks and ships in the harbor.
On the ground, the artillerymen do not know which way to turn. Bombers at about 6,000 m, twin-engine planes passing in radada while firing, and now the observers report others on a converging course from the south-east, but lower than the first ones! What to do?
The French had planned a simultaneous release of the bombs, the difference in height compensating for the similar speeds. But of course, there is a time lag, impossible to do otherwise. Fortunately, it is in the right direction: the Glenn 167Fs drop their eggs first, soon followed by the LeOs. The opposite would have been unfortunate, but the bombers of the SNCASE had been instructed to check the position of their colleagues before the drop. Fortunately, they had time, their arrival having been camouflaged for a long time by the cloud system. Well, we can now see the Messerschmitt climbing like flies towards 6,000 m, but after the drop, we grab the control of the American 12.7 which is now sitting in the tip of the plexiglass nose, and we are going to wait for the Boche.
These are a little lost between the various messages on the radio, indicating different directions and different heights. The hesitation is felt, and it takes the calm and the grip of some leaders to take control of their patrols and to consult each other. Nevertheless, this remains, as usual in any aerial combat, a joyful fair where the trajectories cross and intertwine, drawing graceful wakes in the sky, trails of condensation or plumes of smoke of various colors, betraying the engines in breakdown or those pushed to the extreme limit of their overpower. With sometimes an abrupt change, when the light black of overly rich gases gives way to the blue or thick black of oil, or even the white of vaporizing glycol.
Then, as usual, everything stops. The drivers of the single-seaters find themselves alone in a space that suddenly becomes much too big for them. So we stabilize the machine horizontally, we find our bearings. Tracks over there, towards the south-east. Enemies, but they are already far away, and their planes fast enough for a pursuit to last an infinite time... The lassitude seizes the body bruised by the straps of the parachute, attacked by the tight maneuvers, drained of all energy. One then seeks the field, towards which one makes the plane slide, engine reduced, in a hurry to feel again the wheels on the ground, to get out of the overheated cockpit, so cold however just now. To find the calm of the mess.
There, in the twin-engines, it is the slow return towards the base. Once the last moments of combat are over, when we realize that there are no more fighters on the lookout, we stabilize tthe engines at cruising speed, listening to all the noises coming from them, hoping not to hear the distinct sounds of the coming breakdown. Hold on. All this distance to cover to, the same gestures, the same sighs of relief when the engines stop in the park and we can go for a drink, a bite to eat or a shower... If the pilot remains tense until the last moment, there is a break for the bomber, who is now content with his role of navigator. The gunner can also rest, but he remains vigilant, you never know.
The tension remains at its peak when there are casualties, men or machines. The wait is interminable when nothing can be done. The smallness of the Glenn's fuselage prevents to go and see, but the LeO's barely larger width does not bring much... For the mechanics, we can only pray that the whole thing holds together.
On the ground, it's time to take stock. If the result of the bombing will be known only after a photo reconnaissance mission, we can already count the number of missing and wounded. To discuss the tactics used, we will have to meet a little later.
3034
November 9th, 1941
Alger, 11:30 - François Coulet reports to Paul Reynaud on his mission to the United States, accompanied by Georges Mandel and Charles de Gaulle, surrounded by their respective directors of staff. He is asked to meet with Albert Lebrun in the early afternoon for the same purpose.
Apart from its important diplomatic consequences, the affair will earn "Touchet-Coulet" (as he will soon be nicknamed) to be retained by De Gaulle, who must replace his aide-de-camp. The latter, Lieutenant Geoffroy Chodron de Courcel, had indeed asked to be replaced, after eighteen months of good and loyal service, to join a combat unit - a favor that De Gaulle could not refuse him. Courcel becomes a captain on this occasion.
Alger, 11:30 - François Coulet reports to Paul Reynaud on his mission to the United States, accompanied by Georges Mandel and Charles de Gaulle, surrounded by their respective directors of staff. He is asked to meet with Albert Lebrun in the early afternoon for the same purpose.
Apart from its important diplomatic consequences, the affair will earn "Touchet-Coulet" (as he will soon be nicknamed) to be retained by De Gaulle, who must replace his aide-de-camp. The latter, Lieutenant Geoffroy Chodron de Courcel, had indeed asked to be replaced, after eighteen months of good and loyal service, to join a combat unit - a favor that De Gaulle could not refuse him. Courcel becomes a captain on this occasion.
3036
November 9th, 1941
Gibraltar, 08:00 - The "Retribution" squadron, formed mainly from Admiral Somerville's Force H and the Force de Raid of Admiral Duplat, raises anchor. It aligns the aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal, Furious, Victorious and Formidable, the battlecruisers and fast battleships HMS Repulse and Renown, MN Dunkerque and Strasbourg, the cruisers HMS Kenya, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool, the AA cruisers Euryalus and Phoebe.
The screen of destroyers consists of HMS Antelope, Bedouin, Escapade, Ithuriel, Icarus, Maori, Marne, Matabele, Nestor, Onslow, Partridge, Somali, Westcott, Wishart, Wrestler and Zulu.
Gibraltar, 08:00 - The "Retribution" squadron, formed mainly from Admiral Somerville's Force H and the Force de Raid of Admiral Duplat, raises anchor. It aligns the aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal, Furious, Victorious and Formidable, the battlecruisers and fast battleships HMS Repulse and Renown, MN Dunkerque and Strasbourg, the cruisers HMS Kenya, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool, the AA cruisers Euryalus and Phoebe.
The screen of destroyers consists of HMS Antelope, Bedouin, Escapade, Ithuriel, Icarus, Maori, Marne, Matabele, Nestor, Onslow, Partridge, Somali, Westcott, Wishart, Wrestler and Zulu.
3037
November 9th, 1941
Rhodes and Heraklion - It is the turn of the 19th EB, equipped with Douglas DB-73, to participate in the diversions of Retribution, with a mission on Kaválla in cooperation with the GBA II/54 and the two Glenn-Canon of the 54th, following a pattern very similar to the one of the day before. The Glenn will be at ground level and at 1,500 m, the Douglas at 4,500 m. The crossing points are identical too, in order to make the Germans believe that it was a repetition of the previous mission, as they know how to do it, and to make them wait for the bombers above Salonika. The difference will be over the island of Thasos, where the twin-engines will make only a light turn towards Kaválla. One hundred and thirty kilometers separate this city from Thessaloniki: this should give the French a respite of about a quarter of an hour, enough to empty the hatches and start the return journey.
.........
11:01 - The sky is very clear and free of clouds, which does not give the 53 aircraft of the 19th EB the same hiding place as their colleagues of the "Twelve". Warned by the observers, the artillerymen of the Flak prepare themselves to receive the Tricolors with dignity.
Orders are given to the commanders of the posts to assign them a firing height, in order to perfect a screen of fire and steel. One uncertainty remained, that of the altitude of the Douglas.
The reports of the day before indicate 6,000 m, but it seems that they are lower...The first salvos will give a good indication.
On board the DB-73s, the vigilant gunners give the alert: four black spots to the west, probably an advanced patrol. The Glenns of the 13th EC then courageously go to meet them : the important thing for them is to disorganize the attack against the bombers.
The Germans, mistaking these twin-engine planes for bombers, engage them before realizing that the main part of the troop did not change course and rushes towards Kaválla.
Too late, only the Flak can oppose the bombardments, which it does with its usual efficiency. Three direct hits on the target, others damaging more or less seriously six other planes. Even the Glenn-Canons are hit, as they cannot hide. They retaliate by sinking two small boats that left the harbour by firing at them.
As soon as the bombs are dropped, the two groups of twin-engines, perfectly synchronized this time, turn to the right to take the road back, passing by the east of Thasos. It is possible that the Italian fighters of Limnos are on the way, but the biplanes won't do much. The concern comes from the west, where one starts to see many points on the horizon. The Messerschmitt can still attack the squadron and give battle over Limnos, where they could land if they ran out of fuel. The four of the first patrol has to turn back - either because of lack of ammunition or damage inflicted by the pilots of the "Thirteen", who still know how to use their aircraft to good effect. Moreover, those whose aircraft are in good condition group together to give an efficient rearguard to the bombers. The most affected join the crippled ones of the raid, so much to create a compact mass in front of the attackers who will not fail to throw themselves on these slower machines.
As feared by the French crews, it is above Limnos that the German fighters - about fifteen - manage to join them, some twenty minutes after the beginning of the attack. As expected, the Italian Fiat CR.42 are not dangerous, at least for the bombers in good condition. They will try to deal with the stragglers, who chose to go further east, offshore, towards Turkey. With the same self-sacrificing attitude, the pilots of the 13th EC go to the front of the Bf 109Fs, more to dislocate their formation than to obtain a victory. However, one of them, more fortunate, manages to hit one of the Friedrich which falls in torch in the Thracian sea, leaving some debris and oil trails as a crown.
But once the bombers are caught, it is not easy for the pilots of the 109 to make a score. The light aircraft are fast and go into a slight dive while keeping a tight formation, which helps the gunners coordinate their fire on the attackers. If a Douglas is going to join the fishes, shot down by the German leader, two of his teammates turn around while smoking and go to land on the Moudros field.
The return fire of the machine gunners and the aggressiveness of the Glenn fighters disconcerts the German pilots.
Of course, they could hope to catch one more, but at what cost? Landing at sea or parachuting overhead is never pleasant... And the gasoline used to wait over Thessaloniki is starting to run out. As we know only too well what the Italian one is worth, we might as well go back.
To the great pleasure and satisfaction of the surviving crews, who can breathe a sigh of relief, at least as long as their machines allow them to do so...
We will have to wait until the next day to form a tangible opinion on this cooperation.
When summoned, the squadron leaders feel that it brought them little security. The first raid on Salonika showed a concentration of the fighters on the 54th EBA, more visible. The second raid did not prove to be effective against the Flak. All agree to say that the surprise effect played a role, and that it was the fact of having a greater number of aircraft that dispersed the enemy's fighters, rather than a difference in altitude.
Rhodes and Heraklion - It is the turn of the 19th EB, equipped with Douglas DB-73, to participate in the diversions of Retribution, with a mission on Kaválla in cooperation with the GBA II/54 and the two Glenn-Canon of the 54th, following a pattern very similar to the one of the day before. The Glenn will be at ground level and at 1,500 m, the Douglas at 4,500 m. The crossing points are identical too, in order to make the Germans believe that it was a repetition of the previous mission, as they know how to do it, and to make them wait for the bombers above Salonika. The difference will be over the island of Thasos, where the twin-engines will make only a light turn towards Kaválla. One hundred and thirty kilometers separate this city from Thessaloniki: this should give the French a respite of about a quarter of an hour, enough to empty the hatches and start the return journey.
.........
11:01 - The sky is very clear and free of clouds, which does not give the 53 aircraft of the 19th EB the same hiding place as their colleagues of the "Twelve". Warned by the observers, the artillerymen of the Flak prepare themselves to receive the Tricolors with dignity.
Orders are given to the commanders of the posts to assign them a firing height, in order to perfect a screen of fire and steel. One uncertainty remained, that of the altitude of the Douglas.
The reports of the day before indicate 6,000 m, but it seems that they are lower...The first salvos will give a good indication.
On board the DB-73s, the vigilant gunners give the alert: four black spots to the west, probably an advanced patrol. The Glenns of the 13th EC then courageously go to meet them : the important thing for them is to disorganize the attack against the bombers.
The Germans, mistaking these twin-engine planes for bombers, engage them before realizing that the main part of the troop did not change course and rushes towards Kaválla.
Too late, only the Flak can oppose the bombardments, which it does with its usual efficiency. Three direct hits on the target, others damaging more or less seriously six other planes. Even the Glenn-Canons are hit, as they cannot hide. They retaliate by sinking two small boats that left the harbour by firing at them.
As soon as the bombs are dropped, the two groups of twin-engines, perfectly synchronized this time, turn to the right to take the road back, passing by the east of Thasos. It is possible that the Italian fighters of Limnos are on the way, but the biplanes won't do much. The concern comes from the west, where one starts to see many points on the horizon. The Messerschmitt can still attack the squadron and give battle over Limnos, where they could land if they ran out of fuel. The four of the first patrol has to turn back - either because of lack of ammunition or damage inflicted by the pilots of the "Thirteen", who still know how to use their aircraft to good effect. Moreover, those whose aircraft are in good condition group together to give an efficient rearguard to the bombers. The most affected join the crippled ones of the raid, so much to create a compact mass in front of the attackers who will not fail to throw themselves on these slower machines.
As feared by the French crews, it is above Limnos that the German fighters - about fifteen - manage to join them, some twenty minutes after the beginning of the attack. As expected, the Italian Fiat CR.42 are not dangerous, at least for the bombers in good condition. They will try to deal with the stragglers, who chose to go further east, offshore, towards Turkey. With the same self-sacrificing attitude, the pilots of the 13th EC go to the front of the Bf 109Fs, more to dislocate their formation than to obtain a victory. However, one of them, more fortunate, manages to hit one of the Friedrich which falls in torch in the Thracian sea, leaving some debris and oil trails as a crown.
But once the bombers are caught, it is not easy for the pilots of the 109 to make a score. The light aircraft are fast and go into a slight dive while keeping a tight formation, which helps the gunners coordinate their fire on the attackers. If a Douglas is going to join the fishes, shot down by the German leader, two of his teammates turn around while smoking and go to land on the Moudros field.
The return fire of the machine gunners and the aggressiveness of the Glenn fighters disconcerts the German pilots.
Of course, they could hope to catch one more, but at what cost? Landing at sea or parachuting overhead is never pleasant... And the gasoline used to wait over Thessaloniki is starting to run out. As we know only too well what the Italian one is worth, we might as well go back.
To the great pleasure and satisfaction of the surviving crews, who can breathe a sigh of relief, at least as long as their machines allow them to do so...
We will have to wait until the next day to form a tangible opinion on this cooperation.
When summoned, the squadron leaders feel that it brought them little security. The first raid on Salonika showed a concentration of the fighters on the 54th EBA, more visible. The second raid did not prove to be effective against the Flak. All agree to say that the surprise effect played a role, and that it was the fact of having a greater number of aircraft that dispersed the enemy's fighters, rather than a difference in altitude.
3038 - Battle of the Abrolhos Islnds
November 10th, 1941
Off the coast of Western Australia - Extract from the official report transmitted to the Allied Admiralty
The course of events described below is still unclear. Indeed, they have been for the most part reconstructed by the officers of HMAS Sydney after the interrogation of the French and German survivors.
On November 10th, 1941, at noon, in fine weather, the aviso D'Iberville and the auxiliary cruiser Aramis detected a ship sailing on course 260 at 15 knots in the central strait of the Abrolhos Islands. The two French vessels separated to encircle the suspect vessel, which identified itself as the Dutch Straat Malakka. The D'Iberville ordered the suspect to stop. After a moment of confusion on the radio, the ship turns to 250° and breaks down. The D'Iberville sent a message, received by the high power radio station of Canberra HMAS Harman, indicating that they had intercepted a suspect vessel. This message is picked up by the Sydney, which accelerated to 30 knots to reach the interception zone as quickly as possible. The D'Iberville remained in front of the bow of the suspect vessel while the Aramis, more heavily armed, circled around it to get a better view of the alleged Straat Malakka.
13:14 - The Aramis stops to starboard of the suspect, in accordance with the instructions of the British Admiralty concerning the interception of a possible raider (these instructions had been communicated to the French ships during their stopover in Singapore and Darwin). This position, to starboard and slightly astern, is considered safe. The mate of the D'Iberville sees the Aramis turn 10° or 20° to starboard before stopping to launch a boat to leeward to launch a boat to board the suspect.
13:17 - It seems that no one sees the vessel bringing the Dutch flag down when a violent explosion shakes the Aramis, which starts to burn. The suspect vessel then opens fire withguns ranging from 150 mm to 20 mm on both the Aramis and the D'Iberville.
It is assumed that the suspect ship, now identified as the German KMS Kormoran, was equipped with a submarine torpedo tube set at 135° on each beam. The Aramis is put out of action by the torpedo, even if some of its 138.6 mm guns can open fire, but without reaching the Kormoran.
Multiple 20 mm shells hit the bridge of the D'Iberville, killing the commander, while the aviso is also hit by several 150 mm shells. However, its three 138.6 guns ar ready. They immediately open fire at short range (less than 1,200 metres), firing at least six and possibly eight shells before the two front guns are destroyed. At this point, the gunnery officer directing the fire from the rear gun can clearly see the German ensign on the enemy ship.
13:21 - Another explosion is seen on the Aramis, where the fires seem to be out of control. At this time, the auxiliary cruiser is listing at least 15°.
However, fires were also raging on the German raider. It received at least two other 138.6 shells in the hull, below deck, and a dazzling explosion is seen, possibly caused by ammunition lockers.
The D'Iberville is then hit in rapid succession by several 150 mm shells and most of its officers are now killed or wounded. According to the survivors, "on the bridge, it was a real butchery". All radio equipment is destroyed. A young midshipman manages to steer the aviso to the south, increasing the distance, while the German raider slowly moves away to the north, continuing to burn.
13:31 - The smoke of the battle is seen from the bridge of HMAS Sydney. Captain Burnett, who is in command, is unable to reach the two French ships that he knew to be on patrol, orders the battle stations to be taken.
13:43 - Seeing two columns of smoke on the horizon, Burnett changes course to launch his Supermarine Walrus seaplane.
At this moment, the Kormoran stops firing on the D'Iberville, which manages to give 8 knots on its diesel, despite a violent fire. The Aramis sinks by the bow, probably at this time, with heavy losses.
14:10 - The observer of the Walrus reports to Sydney that he sees a severely damaged warship resembling a French or Dutch aviso, at heading 170, south of the Abrolhos Islands.
14:22 - The German raider, also heading north and burning, is seen. Burnett asks Fremantle to send two escorts to help the damaged ship, which he identified as the Bougainville (it is of course the D'Iberville), because he wants to catch up with the raider before nightfall. The Walrus begins to circle above the German ship, obviously trying to stay out of range of possible anti-aircraft fire.
15:15 - The raider stops and the fires seem to gain in intensity.
15:30 - The observer of the Walrus can report that he sees the German crew evacuating the ship. From the deck of the ship, the smoke of the Sydney can be seen, which is approaching rapidly.
15:54 - The gunnery officer of the cruiser aims at the privateer, but two minutes later, a very violent explosion shakes the Kormoran, which sinks very quickly, before the Sydney has started to fire. The German survivors attribute the last explosion to mines carried by their ship.
While the Walrus continues to turn, the Sydney returns to help the D'Iberville. The French aviso stops, as the fire makes the engine room untenable. While approaching, the Sydney establishes contact by optical signal. The D'Iberville asked her to search for survivors from the Aramis and Burnett is happy to do so.
18:00 - The HMAS Sydney has recovered most of the Kormoran's crew, but only 35 men from the Aramis, six of whom will die from their burns.
18:30 - The crew of the D'Iberville succeeds in controlling the fires and the diesel is restarted. The injured vessel isdragged at 6 knots to Geraldton, escorted by the Sydney, with more than 130 dead and wounded out of 183 crew members.
French Auxiliary Cruiser MN Aramis, Battle of the Abrolhos Islands, 1941
Off the coast of Western Australia - Extract from the official report transmitted to the Allied Admiralty
The course of events described below is still unclear. Indeed, they have been for the most part reconstructed by the officers of HMAS Sydney after the interrogation of the French and German survivors.
On November 10th, 1941, at noon, in fine weather, the aviso D'Iberville and the auxiliary cruiser Aramis detected a ship sailing on course 260 at 15 knots in the central strait of the Abrolhos Islands. The two French vessels separated to encircle the suspect vessel, which identified itself as the Dutch Straat Malakka. The D'Iberville ordered the suspect to stop. After a moment of confusion on the radio, the ship turns to 250° and breaks down. The D'Iberville sent a message, received by the high power radio station of Canberra HMAS Harman, indicating that they had intercepted a suspect vessel. This message is picked up by the Sydney, which accelerated to 30 knots to reach the interception zone as quickly as possible. The D'Iberville remained in front of the bow of the suspect vessel while the Aramis, more heavily armed, circled around it to get a better view of the alleged Straat Malakka.
13:14 - The Aramis stops to starboard of the suspect, in accordance with the instructions of the British Admiralty concerning the interception of a possible raider (these instructions had been communicated to the French ships during their stopover in Singapore and Darwin). This position, to starboard and slightly astern, is considered safe. The mate of the D'Iberville sees the Aramis turn 10° or 20° to starboard before stopping to launch a boat to leeward to launch a boat to board the suspect.
13:17 - It seems that no one sees the vessel bringing the Dutch flag down when a violent explosion shakes the Aramis, which starts to burn. The suspect vessel then opens fire withguns ranging from 150 mm to 20 mm on both the Aramis and the D'Iberville.
It is assumed that the suspect ship, now identified as the German KMS Kormoran, was equipped with a submarine torpedo tube set at 135° on each beam. The Aramis is put out of action by the torpedo, even if some of its 138.6 mm guns can open fire, but without reaching the Kormoran.
Multiple 20 mm shells hit the bridge of the D'Iberville, killing the commander, while the aviso is also hit by several 150 mm shells. However, its three 138.6 guns ar ready. They immediately open fire at short range (less than 1,200 metres), firing at least six and possibly eight shells before the two front guns are destroyed. At this point, the gunnery officer directing the fire from the rear gun can clearly see the German ensign on the enemy ship.
13:21 - Another explosion is seen on the Aramis, where the fires seem to be out of control. At this time, the auxiliary cruiser is listing at least 15°.
However, fires were also raging on the German raider. It received at least two other 138.6 shells in the hull, below deck, and a dazzling explosion is seen, possibly caused by ammunition lockers.
The D'Iberville is then hit in rapid succession by several 150 mm shells and most of its officers are now killed or wounded. According to the survivors, "on the bridge, it was a real butchery". All radio equipment is destroyed. A young midshipman manages to steer the aviso to the south, increasing the distance, while the German raider slowly moves away to the north, continuing to burn.
13:31 - The smoke of the battle is seen from the bridge of HMAS Sydney. Captain Burnett, who is in command, is unable to reach the two French ships that he knew to be on patrol, orders the battle stations to be taken.
13:43 - Seeing two columns of smoke on the horizon, Burnett changes course to launch his Supermarine Walrus seaplane.
At this moment, the Kormoran stops firing on the D'Iberville, which manages to give 8 knots on its diesel, despite a violent fire. The Aramis sinks by the bow, probably at this time, with heavy losses.
14:10 - The observer of the Walrus reports to Sydney that he sees a severely damaged warship resembling a French or Dutch aviso, at heading 170, south of the Abrolhos Islands.
14:22 - The German raider, also heading north and burning, is seen. Burnett asks Fremantle to send two escorts to help the damaged ship, which he identified as the Bougainville (it is of course the D'Iberville), because he wants to catch up with the raider before nightfall. The Walrus begins to circle above the German ship, obviously trying to stay out of range of possible anti-aircraft fire.
15:15 - The raider stops and the fires seem to gain in intensity.
15:30 - The observer of the Walrus can report that he sees the German crew evacuating the ship. From the deck of the ship, the smoke of the Sydney can be seen, which is approaching rapidly.
15:54 - The gunnery officer of the cruiser aims at the privateer, but two minutes later, a very violent explosion shakes the Kormoran, which sinks very quickly, before the Sydney has started to fire. The German survivors attribute the last explosion to mines carried by their ship.
While the Walrus continues to turn, the Sydney returns to help the D'Iberville. The French aviso stops, as the fire makes the engine room untenable. While approaching, the Sydney establishes contact by optical signal. The D'Iberville asked her to search for survivors from the Aramis and Burnett is happy to do so.
18:00 - The HMAS Sydney has recovered most of the Kormoran's crew, but only 35 men from the Aramis, six of whom will die from their burns.
18:30 - The crew of the D'Iberville succeeds in controlling the fires and the diesel is restarted. The injured vessel isdragged at 6 knots to Geraldton, escorted by the Sydney, with more than 130 dead and wounded out of 183 crew members.
French Auxiliary Cruiser MN Aramis, Battle of the Abrolhos Islands, 1941
3039
November 10th, 1941
Western Mediterranean, 03:00 - The "Rétribution" squadron is joined off Algiers by a French force consisting of the cruisers Colbert, Dupleix and La Galissonnière, the large destroyers Vauquelin, Cassard, Kersaint and Tartu, and the smaller destroyers Bordelais, Brestois, Forbin and Fougueux. The fleet accelerates to 25 knots, heading northeast.
Western Mediterranean, 03:00 - The "Rétribution" squadron is joined off Algiers by a French force consisting of the cruisers Colbert, Dupleix and La Galissonnière, the large destroyers Vauquelin, Cassard, Kersaint and Tartu, and the smaller destroyers Bordelais, Brestois, Forbin and Fougueux. The fleet accelerates to 25 knots, heading northeast.
3040
November 11th, 1941
Alger, 10:15 - Admiral Leahy attends the 1918 Armistice Commemorative Ceremony in front of the war memorial. His seaplane, a Boeing 314 Clipper requisitioned by the Navy, landed the day before at about 6 pm in Algiers, after a flight from Anacostia Naval Air Station, on the Potomac, via the Azores. In spite of a thirty-two hour journey,
the Admiral looks in very good shape.
Because of the circumstances, the parade is mainly attended by students from officer training schools (Saint-Cyr in Cherchell, Navale in Arzew, Salon in Meknes), non-commissioned officers and officers.
It is opened by a mounted squadron of the 1st Regiment of Algerian Spahis - with burnous and turban, they always look good. Then comes a company of the 6th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins which was reformed in Chréah after having been severely tested in Corsica and a company of the 5th Infantry Regiment being reconstituted near Constantine on a solid backbone of cadres and active soldiers evacuated during the Grand Déménagement, with young French soldiers who could be mobilized from the colonies as well as from abroad and those who had escaped from France*. Then there were two sections of the 3rd Senegalese Rifle Regiment, two sections of the Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale du Maroc and a goum of the 1er GTM. A company of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion closes the march. The motorized troops are limited to two platoons of 25 mm Renault tracked vehicles of the 6th Regiment of African Chasseurs, twelve 105 Cs from the training battery of the 35th Artillery Regiment, towed by 4 x 4 Dodge and five P 107 Unic of the Engineers. Except for the spahis, everyone wears a field dress.
The guard of honor is mounted at the foot of the monument by a section of marine fusiliers from Mers-el-Kébir and a section of the Air Infantry from Palestro. It is the clique of the main music of the Legion that plays the regulation bells.
Among those present, the insiders notice the presence of the new Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr. Angelo Roncalli**, who replaces Mgr Valerio Valeri, who was called back to the Vatican at the discreet but firm request of Paul Reynaud, who considered him too close to the former defeatists. The minister from Switzerland Walter Stucki makes his last public appearance, as he is returning to Bern. The name of his successor is not yet known, but it is hoped that he will be less sympathetic to positions of the Axis.
* About fifteen thousand young men crossed the Pyrenees during the beautiful season of 1941, despite the intensification of German patrols and the unwillingness of the Guardia Civil.
** The future John XXIII.
Alger, 10:15 - Admiral Leahy attends the 1918 Armistice Commemorative Ceremony in front of the war memorial. His seaplane, a Boeing 314 Clipper requisitioned by the Navy, landed the day before at about 6 pm in Algiers, after a flight from Anacostia Naval Air Station, on the Potomac, via the Azores. In spite of a thirty-two hour journey,
the Admiral looks in very good shape.
Because of the circumstances, the parade is mainly attended by students from officer training schools (Saint-Cyr in Cherchell, Navale in Arzew, Salon in Meknes), non-commissioned officers and officers.
It is opened by a mounted squadron of the 1st Regiment of Algerian Spahis - with burnous and turban, they always look good. Then comes a company of the 6th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins which was reformed in Chréah after having been severely tested in Corsica and a company of the 5th Infantry Regiment being reconstituted near Constantine on a solid backbone of cadres and active soldiers evacuated during the Grand Déménagement, with young French soldiers who could be mobilized from the colonies as well as from abroad and those who had escaped from France*. Then there were two sections of the 3rd Senegalese Rifle Regiment, two sections of the Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale du Maroc and a goum of the 1er GTM. A company of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion closes the march. The motorized troops are limited to two platoons of 25 mm Renault tracked vehicles of the 6th Regiment of African Chasseurs, twelve 105 Cs from the training battery of the 35th Artillery Regiment, towed by 4 x 4 Dodge and five P 107 Unic of the Engineers. Except for the spahis, everyone wears a field dress.
The guard of honor is mounted at the foot of the monument by a section of marine fusiliers from Mers-el-Kébir and a section of the Air Infantry from Palestro. It is the clique of the main music of the Legion that plays the regulation bells.
Among those present, the insiders notice the presence of the new Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr. Angelo Roncalli**, who replaces Mgr Valerio Valeri, who was called back to the Vatican at the discreet but firm request of Paul Reynaud, who considered him too close to the former defeatists. The minister from Switzerland Walter Stucki makes his last public appearance, as he is returning to Bern. The name of his successor is not yet known, but it is hoped that he will be less sympathetic to positions of the Axis.
* About fifteen thousand young men crossed the Pyrenees during the beautiful season of 1941, despite the intensification of German patrols and the unwillingness of the Guardia Civil.
** The future John XXIII.
3041
November 11th, 1941
London - It has become clear that General Denis, Belgium's Minister of Defence, can no longer perform his duties because of the brain problems that have been plaguing him more and more regularly. The November 11th ceremonies are an opportunity to thank him for his work and to relieve him of his task. He is replaced by Charles d'Aspremont-Lynden, Minister of Agriculture, who finds little use for his duties in London.
Pierlot did not appoint him without apprehension, for he is suspicious of this ultra-Leopoldist whose brother, Gobert d'Aspremont-Lynden, is deputy chief of staff to the King. However, Pierlot refuses to appoint anyone who is not already a minister, because this prerogative belongs exclusively to the King.
London - It has become clear that General Denis, Belgium's Minister of Defence, can no longer perform his duties because of the brain problems that have been plaguing him more and more regularly. The November 11th ceremonies are an opportunity to thank him for his work and to relieve him of his task. He is replaced by Charles d'Aspremont-Lynden, Minister of Agriculture, who finds little use for his duties in London.
Pierlot did not appoint him without apprehension, for he is suspicious of this ultra-Leopoldist whose brother, Gobert d'Aspremont-Lynden, is deputy chief of staff to the King. However, Pierlot refuses to appoint anyone who is not already a minister, because this prerogative belongs exclusively to the King.
- Status