Tse-tse question

Hi Neilly,

Here is what I have for the 10 March 1944.

During the course of the Second World War a number of German and Japanese submarines carried vital war materials and exchanged information on weapons, engines and aircraft designs. One such Japanese submarine was I-29, which left Singapore for occupied France on 16 December 1943. The submarine, code named Matsu (Pine), was the fourth Japanese submarine to undertake this type of mission. She carried on board 16 passengers, which consisted of Naval officers, Engineers and specialists.

Allied code breakers had deciphered a signal that indicated I-29s final destination. Plans were put in motion to intercept the submarine in the Bay of Biscay. On 13 February I-29 was being refuelled from U-488, a ‘Milch Cow’, when she was spotted by an aircraft. She escaped any damage. While off Cape Finisterre I-29 was caught on the surface at night by an aircraft carrying a Leigh Light. Again the submarine escaped undamaged. I-29 finally arrived at the Bay of Biscay on 9 March.

Allied Intelligence was informed of the submarines presence in the Bay. Two Tse-tse, HX904/E (Sqn Ldr Philips/Fly Off Thomson) and MM425/L (Fly Off Turner/Fly Off Curtis) with an escort of four FB VIs (HJ828/R, HP922/U, MM431/Z and LR349/Y) from 248 Squadron set out to attack the submarine on the 10th. With a cloud base of 1,500ft and visibility at 8-10 miles the vessel was finally spotted off Cape Penas just before 0920hrs with an escort of two German destroyers, Z-23 and ZH-1, and two torpedo boats, T-27 and T-29. Overhead there were eight Ju88C-6s from III/ZG 1 circling the ships down below. The Mosquitoes initially approached from the North before circling around to the west and then further still to come in from out of the sun. The four FB VIs went for the Junkers in an attempt to draw them off the Tse-tses. Flt Sgt Tongue, LR349/Y, claimed one of the Junkers shot down and Fly Off Forest claimed hits on another, as did Flt Lt Jeffreys.

Of his attack on the Junkers Flt Sgt Tongue wrote:

‘ As we dived through the clouds I was in line astern of Fly Off Forrest Z/248. Three Ju88’s were in line astern ahead of us at about 1500ft and as we came in the last one broke off to port and turned to make cloud cover. Fly Off Forrest turned after it and I followed the other two which had started a climbing turn to starboard, still holding formation. At between 400 and 500 yards range and angle off 30 degrees I fired a two second burst and the second e/a and although no hits were observed it swung to port and turned back to starboard almost immediately. Again I fired a two second burst and saw hits on the port engine and the port side of the cockpit. Smoke began to stream from the engine and the e/a started to lose height and tried to turn into the convoy, either for covering fire or with the intention of ditching. Following him down we experienced erratic return fire from the position in the rear of the cockpit. A final burst brought a sheet of flame from the starboard engine of the e/a and another larger one from where the trailing edge of the port wing joined the fuselage. The e/a broke up and disappeared in the water leaving only a column of black smoke. No survivors or wreckage were seen on the surface.’

Despite the flak coming up from the escorts the Tse-tse dived in to attack. Sqn Ldr Philips carried out four separate attacks and Fly Off Turner made two. A total of six hits were claimed on the submarine, although reports seem to indicate that the submarine suffered no actual damage. It would appear that a destroyer was also damaged during the attack as well. Sqn Ldr Phillips tangled with one of the Ju88s and claimed to have hit it after firing four shells from his Molins gun. The port engine was reportedly knocked out of the Junkers. According to German records 7/ZG 1 lost one Ju88 at 0924hrs. Sqn Ldr Phillips’ aircraft, HX904/E, suffered category ‘B’ damage during this mission. A repair team from De Havillands arrived on the 14th to carry out the repair and the Mosquito was back in service by the 15th.

Later in the day at approximately 1700hrs a further wave of ten aircraft attacked the I-29 and her escorts. Again the submarine would appeared to have escaped any damage. Ju88s from ZG 1 were in the air again providing an air umbrella for the Japanese submarine. This time they lost one of their number, Ju88C-6 Wrk Nr 750965 2N+AA of Stab/ZG 1 to a 157 Squadron Mosquito.

The I-29 arrived safely at Lorient. For the journey home to Japan she was loaded with a HWK 509A-1 rocket motor, as used on the Me163 Comet, plus a Jumo 004B engine, as used on the Me262. She also carried plans for Isotta-Fraschini torpedo boat engine, a V-1 ‘Buzz bomb’ fuselage, TMC acoustic mines, bauxite and reportedly mercury-radium amalgam. During the journey home the American submarine USS Sawfish torpedoed and sank the I-29 on 26th July 1944.

The info on 248 comes from the squadron ORB, info on I-29 and German formations from other sources. Ju88 losses from Chris Goss.

From speaking to A H Hilliard the Tse-tse did not carry squadron codes only individual letters.

As always I am always on the look out for further info on Tse-tse operations.

Alex

Hi Alex,

I’ve got a listing for the 10th March 44. A 248 Sqd. Mk XVIII WR-E (don’t have a reg) shot down a JU88.

Neilly

Hi Alex,

The reference to W/c Rose is in Alec McKee’s book Mosquito Log. I’ll have a look through my list of Mosquito A2A claims & see if I can find exact date. It might take a while (just spent all bl**dy morning copying CD’s!!!), but I’ll be back (good line that!).

TTFN,
Neilly

Hi Neilly,

Can you elaborate a little on this? I have the ORB for 248 Sqn From Jan ’44 onwards. Was this in 1943? I assume it was a different Rose?

Alex

Hi Alex,

Got my combats mixed up – try Wing Commander Rose. He shot down a JU88 off Lands End, with a single shot.

Neilly

Thanks very much indeed for that. I was right – it is interesting! 😉

Hi,

Yes, the Japanese sent a number of subs to France with vital supplies for Germany. Likewise a number of U-boats made the long trip to Japan.

For the journey home to Japan I-29 was loaded with a HWK 509A-1 rocket motor, as used on the Me163 Comet, plus a Jumo 004B engine, as used on the Me262. She also carried plans for Isotta-Fraschini torpedo boat engine, a V-1 ‘Buzz bomb’ fuselage, TMC acoustic mines, bauxite and reportedly mercury-radium amalgam. During the journey home the American submarine USS Sawfish torpedoed and sank the I-29 on 26th July 1944.

Alex

Let me get this straight….they fought the Krauts aAND the Japs all in one action?

Hi,

The pilot involved was Sqn Ldr Phillips. Sqn Ldr Rose was shot down and killed on 4 November 1943. The incident occured on the 10 March 1944. Two Tse-tse with an escort of four FBVI’s from 248 Sqn were ordered to find and attack a Japanese submarine that had entered the Bay of Biscay.

They found the sub but it was being escorted by two destroyers and two torpedo boats. There were also 8 Ju88C-6s from III/ZG1 circling overhead. Sqn Ldr Phillips attacked the submarine and claimed a number of hits, he then fired on one of the destroyers. Spotting a Ju88 he fired off four 6pdr shells at it and claimed to have knocked out the port engine. The FB VI’s claimed one Ju88 shot down and another damaged. Acording to German records 7/ZG 1 lost one aircraft at 0924 hrs.

Later in the day at approx 1700hrs another Ju88 was lost to a 157 Sqn Mosquito.

This wasn’t an isolated case as on 15 January 1945 a Tse-tse fired on a FW190 over Norway and shot it down. There have been other occassions when Tse-tse pilots have fired on enemy aircraft. As well as the 6pdr the Tse-tse were armed with 2-4 machine guns, depending on the aircraft.

Alex

Do you have more details about this Ju88 incident, such as date, rough location, squadron, etc? It sounds very interesting.

The Mossie pilot was Sqd/Ldr Rose & the range was reported to be about 1 mile. One big bang & bye bye JU88!

TTFN,
Neilly

Hi

Several of these aircraft came to Australia with 618 when based at Narromine NSW and were fitted with ejection mechanisms / chutes – several entire mechanisms were collected from farms when the aircraft had rotted away and would still be in collections somewhere here in Aus – I saw at least 2 as a young “collector” in the 1970’s. These aircraft had 4 bladed props as with the other 618 squadron machines but were not configured to carry the “Bouncing Bomb” naturally. I think the theory would have been to use them to supress flak whilst the bouncing bomb versions were on their run in.

Regards
John P

Hi Alex

Not a definitive answer I’m afraid, but a suggestion for you or someone to flick through some old FlyPasts. I remember reading not all that long ago (last year or two) an article about some strikes carried out by various squadrons, in which some of the aircraft were tse-tse Mossies. There was a piece in there about the cannons and their fitment and I think it also referred to the spent casings being retained in the aircraft.

cheers Gnome