Tactical Strikes of World War II

[Gnomey]

Good stuff D!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yeap good stuff D.

[plan_D]

I've finally finished reading the U.S Ninth Air Force by Kenn C. Rust, and am dedicating extensive time to reading the history of 2 Group '36 - '45 by Micheal Bowyer...

I thought I would revive this thread, but not just for tactical strikes, but the tactical operations of all the air forces...

In case no one is aware, 2 Group was the tactical arm of the RAF ... it was the core of 2nd TAF, but was in combat from day one, penertrating German airspace on 3rd Sept. and making the first RAF bombing raid against Admiral Scheer on 4th Sept. 1939. I've just finished reading the 2 Group operations in support of the B.E.F and French forces from 10th May - 17th June, 1940... very interesting.

[plan_D]

We always hear about what the Luftwaffe was doing with her tactical bombers, but what about Bomber Command...? Before the Battle of France 2 Group was out mostly doing recon over Germany or attacking German warships in Wilhelmshaven or Brunsbuttel... with the odd attack on Danish airfields. They'd fly out with their Blenheim IVs (mix thoughts on these from the pilots) from East Anglia on long flights up to 4 hours ...where cold was the worst enemy, and the Luftwaffe made a few shows.

When Germany invaded France the stakes were high and 2 Group suffered. The first sorties of 10th May were from two Blenheims of 40 Sqdn. flown by Sqn. Ldr. Paddon and Flg. Off. Burns. They took off from RAF Wyton at 09.05 hours for a reconnaissance of the Hague area... they found much of the Luftwaffe and drove off a Ju 88. Burns failed to return and as Paddon touched down his Blenheims' damaged engine burst into flames.

The second mission of the day took off at 14.15 hours, it was XV Sqn. from RAF Wyton dispatching nine Blenheims to bomb Waalhaven, a Dutch airfield held by Fallschirmjager. Starting from 3000 feet the Blenheims began a shallow diving attack, they claimed hits on a dozen aircraft. Hangars were bombed and seven Ju 52s left ablaze. They also bombed a line of German AA already in action! All returned, but with damage.

Sqn. Ldr. then led 12 Blenheims from 40 Sqn. against Ypenburg airfield, craters were all over the airfield and a hangar left ablaze. Two crews failed to return.

110 Sqn. dispatched 12 Blenheim IVs from RAF Wattisham led by Sqn. Ldr. Sabine to destroy Ju 52s on a beach north of The Hague. The flight was escorted by six Blenheim IF fighters of 600 Sqn. They attacked the beach as planned and one Ju 52 was lifted off the beach from the explosions!

Finally an evening recon by two aircraft of 21 Sqn. over the Nijmegen-Rhein-Munster-Verhlk area showed the German advance to be fluid and fast.

11 May - the BEF have made line on the River Dyle and are digging in.

11 Blenheims are dispatched by 21 Sqn. at 15.10 to halt German movement toward Maastricht. They'd been at readiness since 04.30 hours but intelligence was poor as the German advance was so fast. They attacked the main bridge but only damaged it.

"...led by Scottie Pryde who chose to circle a before leading us in, with the result that when we did start running in we were in the middle of the biggest barrage I could possibly imagine. I do not know to this day how some of us ever got through it for there didn't seem an inch of sky that was not cover with flak." - Peter Sarll.

Only one Blenheim returned unscathed, one went down burning and another fell into German hands - with two of its crew becoming POWs and the third dying.

110 Sqn. also operated 11 Blenheims that day, led by Flt. Lt. Gratton who was shot down over Maastricht along with another Blenheim piloted by Sgt. Bennett. Three Blenheims returned unharmed.

[Lucky13]

Sorry for interrupting gentlemen. Still learning and all that. BUT, would they sometime use tactical bombraids to take out several airfields, to keep field and aircrews with their aircratfs grounded and busy with repairs? All this before the strategic bombers passed over somewhat safer?
As I said still learning after a few years absence....
So I guess that the bombings of those Gestapo HQ's in Norway, Denmark and was it Holland, the Phillps factory and the Amiens prisons all classifies as tactical then?

[Lucky13]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

And I can find real and good beer anywhere in the world as well, and no matter where you find your Bud in the world it is crap!

Extra Cold Guinness is GOOD beer.....!

[syscom3]

Plan_D, dont forget my ongoing thread on "this day in the war".

If you see something worth posting, please do.

[plan_D]

All those you mention are tactical strikes, Lucky. Any attack on a HQ is certainly a tactical attack. I'm not sure if any raids were made by the tactical forces against airfields to clear the sky for the strategic bombers; however there were diversions and 2 Group was used for sometime to divert the JagdWaffe back to German homeland...but that was a strategic call.
In the Channel Stop operations, the RAF dispatched Blenheims, Hurricane IIC and Spitfires to attack shipping...

The Hurricane IICs would attack the FlaK ships to keep the AA low while the Blenheims attacked the main targets and Spitfires flew top cover; the Hurricanes were IIC because they were cannon armed and more deadly. One thing that is very rarely mentioned is the RAF assault on German shipping during 1941-1942 ... the Germans were feeling it, and were trying frantically to find ways to stop it. The cost was high for 2 Group, however...and eventually it was all handed over to Fighter and Coastal Commands. I will continue with my French "adventure" for 2 Group later...I'm in college now, just in finished my assignment on AC single phase circuits ... and I will add anythin' syscom, when if I find it.

[plan_D]

12th May, 1940 - 08.10 Hours, Wg. Cdr. B. E. Embry leads twelve Blenheims of 107 Sqdn. to the bridges at Maastricht. The Wehrmacht were already pouring over them, and bridges over Albert Canal had also been seized by aerial assault. Heavy flak was encountered fifteen miles from target; eleven aircraft were hit and Plt. Off. Thornton was shot down.
The formation then broke formation under the intense barrage and were pounced by Bf 109s that were laying in wait. Flg. Off. Rotherham was engaged and had to set down in Belgium. Flg. Off. Edwards and Plt. Off. Keedwell were shot down before the formation closed again for mutual protection. Two enemy fighters were claimed as probables, and the bridge damaged.

Next twelve aircraft of XV Sqdn. assault Maastricht to block the roads and destroy bridges over the Albert Canal. Hurricanes circled the target for protection but as the Blenheims closed on target at 09.15 they came under heavy fire and broke formation. Once again Bf 109s dived upon the formation of Hurricanes and Blenheims with deadly effect; six Blenheims were damaged and six were shot down; only two of those damaged were servicable - XV Sqdn. was practically wiped out.

110 Sqdn. were next; claiming damage to a bridge and one enemy fighter destroyed for two Blenheims destroyed, and eight damaged.

82 Sqdn. took off at 19.30 Hours to crater the road running along Albert Canal, all bombers returned and the road was damaged.

A.A.S.F Battles were also busy during the day against two bridges; but were halted by flak and fighters on all attempts.

The final raid of the day was from 21 Sqdn. Nine Blenheims bombed the road in Tongres at 20.40 hours, the target was hit but flak destroyed the tail section of Flt. Lt. Watsons' Blenheim (L8739) which crashed into the ground. The rest landed at RAF Wyton at 23.00 hours.

The day had cost 2 Group 12 Blenheims destroyed and many others unservicable.

13th May, 1940 - 2 Group flew no sorties, weather was unfavourable. The Wehrmacht crossed the Meuse at Dinant and Sedan; the French Army fell back under heavy bombardment from the Luftwaffe.

[plan_D]

14th May, 1940

The day started with an Advanced Air Striking Force assault on the Meuse crossing at Sedan. This was followed by a request from the French to attack across the fifteen mile wide front at the Meuse; it led to disaster. 40 AASF machines were destroyed out of 71 despatched, the Luftwaffe fighters had a field day.

2 Group started the day despatching 82 Sqdn. in aid of the French 7th Army. They attacked the east road of Breda and railway leading to Tilburg. Flak upset their aim but the Blenheims hit crossroads and fell houses.

Next up was 21, 107 and 110 Sqdns. to attack Sedan after the disaster by the AASF. 28 crews were despatched with fighter escort. Six Blenheims of 107 Sqdn. attacked first at low level, all were hit by flak but survived. Then twelve of 110 Sqdn. attacked but were broken up by the flak, as they split the Luftwaffe piled in to shoot down five. 21 Sqdn. then went in to attack, after bombing the squadron was bounced by Bf 109s and a Blenheim was soon going down. As the Blenheims tried to reform; the Bf 109s kept pressure on and another Blenheim was soon tumbling down.
The final two Blenheims were still under attack, and the lead went down below the clouds (it did return to England suffering extensive damage, a lot said for the ruggedness of the Blenheim). The final Blenheim was piloted by Flg. Off. Sarll.

The gunner, Lightfoot, had an explosive shell in his shoulder. The hydraulics were shot away and the Blenheim was only running on 1.5 engines. The enemy fighters turned away; and the Blenheim made a self-confessed bad landing;

"How I returned to base I shall never know, but with a 109 to Lightfoot's credit, a very bad landing to mine, we made it to the green fields of Norfolk again."

The French forces were withdrawing in the Gembloux gap now, and the BEF had to withdraw to the west of the river Dyle; destroying its bridges. The British line had held throughout the day and the withdrawal was simply to maintain the line that had collapsed in the south.