Lancaster Bomber 514 Squadron

In Rökker's Chronik I Gruppe Nachtjagdgeschader 2
There are pictures of Strassner, Hahn and Pareidt. It also states that Strassner flew Ju88 G-1 (code 4R+AK)on July 28th 1944. There are two pictures of this aircraft (although they are not identified on the book) You can recognise Strasser + crew + the same code + the famous "Nashorn" (rhinoceros) weapon which was mounted on the front of the cockpit.

 

03 August 1944: 36 B-26 Mitchells from 391st BG bombed an amno dump at Maintenon, 50km west of Chateaudun.
06 August 1944: B-26 Mitchells from 391st BG bombed a bridge at Yerre, near Courtelain

 

it is debatebale that Straßner flew this exact AK with the single SM weapon on the July date, most likely a test piece and then removed due to noise and vibration of the weapon in the spot used by the Bördfunker.

the negation of the SM sight would be evident as the two leading crewmembers could easily see the strikes of the cannon into the lower parts of the RAF heavy, but think about the internal dimensions and the possibly destruction within the G-1 cockpit due to dampning effects and reloading of the weapon during combat ops ......... really a silly notion

 

Erich, I agree with the fact that the Nashorn may not not have been fitted for combat operations on 4R-AK. However I believe Stassner flew this aircraft on July 28th (probably without this extra weapon). NJG2 could not afford to fit test weapons on aircrafts just for display, so I guess they took pictures, made a few tests flights and took the gun off. I can find only two of his claims with this aircraft, but July 28/29th must have been one of them. Strassner flew 4R-AK at least until August 8th (abbschuss of a Lanc near Le Havre).Did you find anything about about the Mitchell raids around July 31th? I'm having a hard time and I don't think the the two I mentionned are the one,as Mr Campbell mentions a probable attack on the town of Chateaudun. I have found a note from H Rökker witnessing a daylight attack on the water tower, among other targets, but these must have been fighters not bombers.

 

Good Morning,

Erich and Skipper, following your conversation it appears that this vertical firing canon never got beyond the experimental stage and was not actually used - is that correct?
I see at this site:
http://hsfeatures.com/features04/ju88g672jf_1.htm
that some JU88s were fitted with upward firing machine guns mid-fuselage. Was Strassner's JU88 equipped with these?

 

Further to the attack of July 28, Dad recalls that the shells seemed to come from below and behind. This is based on seeing several elongated holes appear in the port wing rupturing the metal upwards and forwards.
He also mentions that later, after July 28, it became known that the night fighters were able to track the Allied bombers "Visible Monica" radar. They were suspicious that this was the case, but on July 28 they were still using Monica.

 

Yes they were equipped with a "Shräge Musik" weapon behind the cockpit orientated at 60/80° . An inspector from NJG2 suggested trying these in the front, but we were discussing with Erich that this must have been experimental only.Both Rökker and Strassner used the original Shräge Musik on July 28th. Monica must not have been an issue for Strassner, it was such a clear night that he could see the aircrafts when they flew over Chateaudun.
I'll be going to Normandy and Northern France in an hour and won't be back before Sunday, so don't worry if I don't answer immediately.

 

I'll just briefly .....

yes Straßner flew 4R+AK but with twin Schrägwaffen in my opinion just like nearly all of the equipped G-1's at the date in NJG 2.

there were actually multiple options for the SM weapons, especially in the Ju 88G-6 variant even with a single 2cm weapon or twins in the inline position the experimentation began with the G-1 series and field modifications to find the best suitable spot along the fuselage

 

Could somebody help me with the following :
Rökker usually flew 4R+CK but on july he flew 4R+KK (werk 621313) . Does somebody know the werknumber of Röker's 4R+CK and Strassner's 4R+CK?

Mr Campbell I will try to get back to the translations of the letters today

 

sorry I mispelled the codes . I meant :

Rökker 4R+CK , but 4R+KK on July 28th 1944
Strassner 4R+AK

 

the 621313 is a 88G-6 you are looking for a G-1 model with prefix 71**** Rökker did not fly a Ju 88G-6 in July of 44 as none were available till early Novmeber 44 to his gruppe nor that NJG2 as a whole

of note if the crews Ju's were in shop as often the case they flew craft that were available

 

Thanks Erich , I didn't know this was a specific prefix for the G6 . I will check for the 71.... werks for the three aircrafts mentionned earlier (AK KK and CK). By the way, Strassner's Nashorn G1 is also pictured in Waffen Arsenal S-56 (Special NachtJäger).

 

This is the translation of another letter from marcel Liger (4469jpg)

Unfortunately you must not be in Toronto at the moment , but with the help of your family, you will get this letter . As to me , I left the little village where I used to stay in order to get back to Paris, where I have ties. My wife and my little daughter (who will go to school) are also with me. The French friends where you stayed , Jean, the Big Arthur and Madame Marie, send their warmest regards. Before I go, my dear Campbell, I would be very happy I you could send me one of your pictures. I hope to get some good news from you soon. My wife and my daughter are joining me and send you our most sincere greetings. M Liger.
Ps: Sorry for writing in french. here is my address : Marcel liger 2, rue Rouget de Lisle, Courbevoie, Seine , France .

 

Sorry to be so tardy with my reply.I have been off for a while for some necessary repairs.Thanks to Skipper67 and Erich for the interesting input. After reading the translations over I'm sure it was Marcel who hid me in the grain storage barn and then escorted me to the Arthur's safe house. Re the Visual Monica we had been in cloud all the way until seconds before the attack began. Ben had reported the positions of more than one possible fighter following us. Could it be that the JU88 I saw just for a moment on our starboard beam was acting as a decoy? Possibly flown by Roekker?
The Arthur's place had a small orchard out by the road. They also had chickens. Apparently I did not manage to reply to Marcel's last letter, pity.
Best regards all- Skipper "C Charlie" Alex Campbell

 

Hello Alex, This weekend I had a barbecue with a nephew of Thomas Crane from 101 Squadron (SRV2 crash from july 29th 1944). I have received no answer from the Chateaudun Resistance Association so far. If there is no answer from them, I may drive to Saint Cloud in mid-July. With the indications you gave me, I might be able to find the farm (or at least where it used to be). I believe Rökker headed east immediately after taking off. He was north west of Orleans, (which is 50 miles away from Saint Cloud) only a few minutes later. However it is not impossible that others helped Strassner. It is very logical that several fighters were seen near Chateaudun as part of the Stream flew exactly over Chateaudun when the fighters took off! Besides fighter contollers told fighter crews to fly towards Stuttgart. There is an interesting article about July 28/29th 1944 in Peter Hinchliffe's "The other Battle" (ISBN 0 78581418 3) on page 292-293. It mentions the final fight above Stuttgart, not the earlier ones above France, but it will give you an idea on how contollers helped the fighters to locate targets.

 

Steven I can add a little to your queries about Delacour. Bert was more experienced than I was at that time.He was one of the chaps advisinging me to no longer carry the Smith and Wesson .38 revolver. He pointed out the possible cosequences If I was seen to be armed while descending by parachute. I took that advice after our second or third op. Another chap in agreement with Delacour,also an Aussie,was Austin Woods. By June 30th they would both be gone.
I've been unable to contact you by PM. Not much info but will keep trying. Cheers- EA Campbell

 

Dear Mr Campbell,

Thank you very much for your information. It is very much appreciated. I have mailed a picture of a crewmember of P/O Millar's crew and a page from his logbook to your son. Maybe it will contain something familiar. It is regarding the Millar crew that crashed a week before you did and lies now buried in Hunsel, the Netherlands.

I am astounded that all the names that have come up in this thread of air crew were all lost in a few short weeks in the summer of 1944...

thank you for all the infomration. I appreciate it very much.

Stevin

 

Hello All,

I see the French high resolution maps and images site is working - http://www.geoportail.fr/
Select the "France Continentale" box on the map. Enter "Freteval" into the "Aller A Ma Commune" box, click "OK" then select "Freteval 41-Loir-Et-Cher and a highly detailed image of the community of Freteval appears, zoom back using the + and - buttons and a forest appears in the upper left. Skipper, is this Freteval Forest?
The images are excellent, zooming in on the forest shows incredible detail. Do you know where the monument is located?

E.W. Campbell

 

Hello, the monument is situated in the northern part of the forest, on the edge, near a village caled Villebout. It was inaugurated in june 1967 and is shaped like and aircraft with one wing left. Several Freteval evaders returned there , Cliff Hallett in 1967, Stan Lawrence in 1988, Bill Kaplan in the nineties etc..

 

Hi all, Dad passed this along to me as an e-mail and asked me to post it on the board. He has had some trouble copying and pasting text documents.
July 28'th has always been an anniversary for Dad and the crew of his Lancaster. Today is July 28.
E.W. Campbell

This posting deals with events after my parachute landing in Occupied France. The anniversary of this drama is coming up shortly
as it took place 62 years ago at midnight on July 28/44.
Some 30 minutes after landing I was being questioned in the kitchen of a nearby farmhouse. Then the sound of an approaching motorcycle
was heard and, as before, it was followed by a loud knocking at the door. In scant seconds I had been ushered through a door into an adjoining
area then hurried along a passageway behind three horses. Next I was thrust down beside a feed box with my back against what felt like a stone
wall. The farmer then grabbed a many pronged fork and deftly covered me under a heap of straw and chaff. I then heard him lean the fork against
the wall beside me.
The knock was answered and a conversation ensued. It wasn't long till the door was opened and I could make out the sound of two people moving
along the passage. The horses shuffled and grunted as I suspect the mangers were being checked. The footsteps went on some distance past me
then began returning. Directly in front of my hiding place they stopped. I'm sure they could hear my heart pounding as I envisioned myself being
pierced by those horrible prongs standing so close by. To add to my anxiety the thought came to mind "What if I had to sneeze"? Sure enough
that terrible urge came over me. I dare not move a muscle to stifle that impending sneeze. After an eternity of lung bursting tension I realized the
footsteps had resumed and were receding, the crisis had passed.
The kitchen door was closed and more talk could be heard from the room.. Eventually the motorcycle started up and drove away. The visitors were
likely a Luftwaffe Officer and driver who must have been located nearby, indicated by their prompt arrival.
After a rather lengthy wait I was returned to the kitchen for more questioning.I don't think I told them that while under the straw I suddenly realized I had
in my battledress pocket a "Captains of Aircraft" map. This showed the entire route from our base, to the target and back to base. With another 6 hours till our scheduled return it would have been most valuable to the enemy. Having no appetite to swallow it I managed to get it out and under the feed box. It may still
be there. A Concerned look was noted when they learned we were carrying a number of long delay bombs. One of the listeners was then seen to depart rather quickly. I later learned that two or three boys had been seriously injured a few days before by one such explosion.
I often wonder what thoughts flashed through that farmers mind during those tense moments while in the stable. He, along with so many other unknown,
unnamed and unrewarded souls helped save my life, many paying with their own.
EA Campbell Skipper of Lancaster C Charlie