II./St.G. 2 (11. Jan 41) Mediterranean

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Peter
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II./St.G. 2 (11. Jan 41) Mediterranean

#1

Post by Peter » 05 Jun 2016, 15:54

I believe 11 or 12 Stuka's of II./St.G. 2 bombed HMS Southampton on 11 Jan 41, resulting in its loss. I'd appreciate confirmation of the unit, I have seen it given as 2. Staffel in one source and as II. Gruppe in another, etc, and it would be useful to know. Please can anybody name the Gruppekdr. and any of the pilots ? thanks

Andrew Arthy
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Re: II./St.G. 2 (11. Jan 41) Mediterranean

#2

Post by Andrew Arthy » 11 Jun 2016, 03:49

Hi,

German records note that at 15:20 on 11 January 1941 St.G. 3 bombed 9,100 ton cruiser Southampton and sank it with one SD 250 160 km south-east of Sicily: "1 Treffer auf Heck des Kreuzers". A note was included next to the claim: "Brit. Admiralitaet gab am 16.1. die Selbstversenkung des Kreuzers 'Southampton' bekannt. Hervorgerufen durch Stuka-Angriff brach Feuer an Bord aus, das nicht mehr gelöscht worden konnte."

A report on the mission itself noted that at 15:20 there was a Stuka attack under escort from Zerstörer aircraft around 160-200 kilometres south-east of Sicily. One cruiser was hit by an SD 250. Then, at 15:35, there was an attack on an enemy convoy around 300 kilometres south-east of Sicily [this was by bomber aircraft, presumably of L.G. 1 - AA]. No hits were recorded. In total, 11 SD 1000 and 27 SD 250 were dropped, with 39 bomber and dive-bomber aircraft employed.

Units under St.G. 3 were I./St.G. 1 (Major Paul-Werner Hozzel) and II./St.G. 2 (Major Walter Enneccerus).

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com


Larry D.
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Re: II./St.G. 2 (11. Jan 41) Mediterranean

#3

Post by Larry D. » 11 Jun 2016, 14:34

Peter -


The German Kriegsmarine SKL account says:

"11.1.: Force B verläßt Malta wieder und gerät dabei in neue Luftangriffe. Ju 87 der II./StG.2 erzielen einen Treffer auf Gloucester (Blindgänger) und beschädigen Southampton so schwer, daß sie am Abend aufgegeben werden muß, das Schiff wird vom Kreuzer Orion mit 2 Torpedos versenkt. —Force H erreicht Gibraltar."
[Source: http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/41-01.htm ]

You may be able to find some additional information here:
Holger Nauroth’s Stukageschwader 2 Immelmann: Eine Dokumentation über das erfolgreichste deutsche Stukageschwader (Preussisch Oldendorf: Verlag K.W. Schütz, 1988)

L.

Peter
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Re: II./St.G. 2 (11. Jan 41) Mediterranean

#4

Post by Peter » 11 Jun 2016, 15:47

Excellent, thank you.

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