The official AHF WW2 in Africa & the Med quiz thread

[Polar bear]

hi,

two German E-boat COs (rank: Oberleutnant zur See) each sank (or participated in the sinking of) two Allied destroyers in the Med.

Name at least one of them.

greetings, the pb

[David W]

Do you want the names of the E-boats, or the Destroyers?

[Polar bear]

hello, David,

actually, the question aims at the names of the E-boats' commanding officers.

If you have the E-boats' numbers or the destroyer names, it's simply a matter of looking them up, e.g. in the "Chronik des Seekriegs".

greetings, the pb

[David W]

I see clearly now!

[Polar bear]

hi,

one week later, hint # 1
The first victim was RN, the second (in which both participated) was RN, too, the third was a USN ship

greetings, the pb

[Polar bear]

hi,

another week later, hint # 2

The first sinking just before Summer 42, the third just before Fall 1943

greetings, the pb

[gttf]

Hello, I'm afraid to have only partial answers.
The three destroyers sunk by German S-Boote were:
Hasty (RN), sunk by S55, CO Oblt.z.S. Horst Weber, N of Apollonia (Libya), 15/06/1942 (operations against Vigorous)
Lightning (RN), sunk again by S55, CO Oblt.z.S. Weber, RK, N of Bizerte (Tunisia), 12/03/1943 (another source gives S158)
Rowan (USN), sunk by S151, S155, S158 (7. S-Flottille), off Salerno (op. Avalanche), 11/09/1943: no name of commanding officer available

regards

Fabrizio

[Polar bear]

hi, Fabrizio,

that's just fine ! thank you for your timely answer as I'll be off in the next week

The second boat was, indeed, S 158, commanded (in both sinkings) by OLtzS Claus Schultze-Jena

over to you!

greetings, the pb

[Graham Clayton]

As Fabrizio has not posted a question, I'll post a question.

Whose graves are these?

[Graham Clayton]

Hint #1 - they are South African personnel.

[Urmel]

Maryland crew?

[Graham Clayton]

Urmel,

Not from a Maryland - they are from a Blenheim squadron.

[Graham Clayton]

As there have been no replies, I'll give the answer.

The graves belong to crew members of 15 Squadron, SAAF, who perished on a training flight from Kufra in May 1942:

http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol122jc.html

A very sad story.

The forum is open to anyone who wants to post a question.

[David W]

Can you name the two anti aircraft cruisers involved in operation hats?

[Polar bear]

hi,

CALCUTTA and COVENTRY (departing from (!) Malta)

greetings, the pb