Prompted by Moggy’s 11am thread http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=62179 and David Layne’s query re. BCWD online http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=62265 with a link in that thread to the Lost Bomber’s website http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/ I’m wondering what was the Allied airforces’ first combat engagement in WWII? I note on the Lost Bombers’ website that four Blenheims from 107 Squadron were lost in a raid on Wilhelmshaven on the afternoon of 3 September. That’s not very long after the declaration of war at 11:00am that day! Perhaps that was the first engagement.
But were there other engagements, perhaps by French or Belgian or other air-forces. Or perhaps even naval or army engagements somewhere?
BTW – I mean other than Polish actions which obviously would have been ongoing at that time.
By: Smith - 6th September 2006 at 01:43
Hence the term “paper war” ?
By: super sioux - 5th September 2006 at 17:12
In ‘RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War- The Hardest Victory’ by Denis Richards on page ONE he quotes from 139 Squadron Operations Book, 3/9/1939 the following. A Blenheim that had been waiting at Wyton, crewed by pilot Flying Officer A McPherson. Naval observer, Commander Thompson and wireless operator/air-gunner Corporal V Arrowsmith took off just after midday and from 24000 feet photo’d German Naval facilities. Because the wireless went U/S, only after they landed could a force of 15 Hampdens and 9 Wellingtons be sent that evening. They failed to see any ships! As they returned they were passed by 10 Whitleys of 51 and 58 Squadrons who succesfully bombed the Ruhr and northern Germany with thirteen and a half tons of leaflets!
Ray
By: 25deg south - 5th September 2006 at 16:05
…..and finally he ended up getting stuffed by the U.K. establishment over his attitude.
One of my Heroes.
By: JDK - 5th September 2006 at 14:32
Cotton was also doing these types of missions long before hostilities broke out. An Australian of course 🙂
But of course! Point I was trying to make is there’s a big difference between flying over (and out of – last…) Germany in peacetime, however tense; and flying over a hostile country in an unarmed civillian aircraft registered to a combatant nation.
Then there’s the whole Mid East stuff he got into. Very sticky…
By: 25deg south - 5th September 2006 at 14:03
I believe Sidney Cotton flew (very early after the declaration of war) in a civil registered Lockheed over Germany to get pictures the Blenheim’s couldn’t.
Cotton was also doing these types of missions long before hostilities broke out. An Australian of course 🙂
By: JDK - 5th September 2006 at 09:33
There was a false alarm over London of an air raid within minutes of the declaration of war…
The first Spitfire kill was a Hurricane – Battle of Barking Creek, Sept 6th. 🙁
The submarine HMS Oxley is sunk by mistake by the submarine HMS Triton off the coast of Norway and becomes the Royal Navy’s first loss in the Second World War Sept 9th.
I wasn’t looking for those, they just came to hand!
I believe Sidney Cotton flew (very early after the declaration of war) in a civil registered Lockheed over Germany to get pictures the Blenheim’s couldn’t.
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September 5, 2006 at 2:16 am