I'm wondering if anyone can help with German (or Italian?) sources on an attack by British Wellington bombers of 37 Squadron R.A.F. on Heraklion airfield, Crete, on 28 April 1942.
My understanding is that I./LG 1 were based there in April 1942.
The British reported (AIR27/390/7):
I would be interested to see whether the Germans reported suffering any losses.28 April 1942
OPERATIONS – HERAKLION.
On the night 28/29th April, thirteen aircraft were ordered for operations. The task was to destroy, by bombing, dispersed aircraft on HERAKLION Aerodrome.
The aircraft took off as ordered, and all aircraft located and bombed the target. The runways and dispersal areas were the main objectives, and several fires and explosions resulted. S/Ldr. Macfarlane, P/O. Birmingham and F/Sgt. Wickens dropped their bombs on the runway, the latter’s bombs being seen to cause a terrific explosion with bluish fire. The bombs dropped by P/O Downer, P/O. Mains-Smith, P/O. Scard and P/O. Pilley all started fires and explosions, and P/O. Scard reported that after bombing he observed twenty four to thirty explosions in the target area, which he believed to be more than those of incendiaries. W/O. Ellison made two attacks, the first against HERAKLION, and the second against TYMBAKI: the only result observed was a small explosion at TYMBAKI. Sgt. Temple also attacked TYMBAKI, dropping his bombs in one stick on a heading 130° from the sea across the road at the Southern end of the landing ground: as a result a fire was started.
The opposition encountered was not intense, although the heavy flak was quite accurate. There were no searchlights in operation.
The weather throughout the operation was very good, and the visibility was excellent.
All the aircraft returned safely to base.
Regards
Tom