TheDigger
21-02-2008, 11:53
The Scourge of the Kreigsmarine in Norway
The Germans occupied Norway in 1940 and at the last stages of war was one of the last stands for Hitler’s once large submarine fleet. As headquarters for the 11. U-Bootflotille, the town of Bergen could be suitably nicknamed the "Submarine town".
To the Germans Bergen was a very important strategic port, located as it was and is along the long and scarred Norwegian west coast, with good connection to eastern Norway via a railway. Bergen also compromised many large shipyards and a huge submarine shelter, the Bunker Bruno.
After D-Day the allied forces gradually captured the large German
submarine bases in France. In advance the German HQ had ordered most of the boats to sail for Norway. But such a mission was a dangerous one - and many a submarine was sunk, or damaged on their way to Festung Norwegen, or the Fortress of Norway as the Germans called it. Also submarines going to, or returning from their operational areas in the oceans were sunk in increasing numbers.
Nevertheless, the submarine movements to and from their repair facitilities and home harbour Bergen were steadily increasing - as was the German convoy traffic with iron ore from northern Norway, as well as the supply ships following the same route to and from Germany.
The allied HQ was very well aware of all this - and after the invasion of France it was able to deploy aircraft and men from other duties, such as cutting off the German transportation lines along the Norwegian coast.
As targets the submarines were first priority, then came other Kriegsmarine surface vessels, and last but not the least the convoys of supply and ore ships. To the Germans these convoys were essential, and as such heavily defended by the Vorpostenbooten, as the Germans called their escort and guard vessels.
These vessels, packed with all sorts of weapons, were by the RAF officially called T.T.A`s or Trawler Type Auxiliaries - but the aircrews of the Coastal Command soon learned to call them Flakships, owing to their terrible fire power and determined gun crews.
The typical Vorpostenboot, or Flakship, intended for escort duties was a captured whaler, about 250 tons or larger, rebuilt, strengthened - and filled up with a large number of automatic AA guns, ranging from 20 mm., through 37 and 40 mm., up to 88 mm. In addition machine guns, both heavy and light, depth charges and some were equipped with a "secret" weapon, the RAG, or Raketen Geschuss. As the name indicates this was a rocket - with a wire fastened to it, and a small parachute at the end of the wire. The intension of the weapon was to shoot it up in front of attacking planes - so that the hanging wires would cut off a wing or in other way damage the attacking plane. The Vorpostenboot was almost like a floating arsenal - and had up to 60 crew members, most of them gun crews.
To counter this buildup and shipping Coastal Command set up an airfield in Banff Scotland and was manned by aircraft of 18 Group.
THE Banff Strike Wing enjoyed a spectacular success during its brief life on the exposed north-facing coast of the Moray Firth. Six squadrons joined forces to create an effective multi-national unit, which denied Germany many thousands of tons of vital iron ore and other supplies during operations from September 1944 to May 1945.
The Group was equipped with Mosquitoes and Beaufighters and concentrated attacks on German surface vessels and U-boats in the North Sea and along the Norwegian coastline. Often penetrating deep into heavily defended fjords to reach their anchored supply ship targets, which only dared venture to sea under cover of darkness; the Strike Wing crews ran the gauntlet of formidable anti-aircraft fire to achieve their goal.
Although their reputation was built on the outstanding capabilities of both the Beaufighter MK. 10 and the Mosquito FB.VI, it was undoubtedly the latter, which became synonymous with the Strike Wing and eventually equipped the RAF Banff based squadrons. Armed with a deadly mixture of cannon and rockets the Wing’s aircraft inflicted heavy damage on shipping.
The unit was unique because of the presence of 333 Sqn Royal Norwegian Air Force as part of the Strike Wing. Their skills in the air and ability to locate targets concealed in mountain-fringed fjords became one of the RAF Banff unit’s great strengths and helped the joint RAF, Norwegian and Commonwealth aircrews who made up the unit achieve outstanding success in the destruction of supply ships, flak ships and U-boats, the cost was high and 80 RAF Banff Strike Wing aircrew died on operations. Typically ships in the range of 5000 plus tons were sunk on regular occurrences.
The Banff Strike Wing which operated from RAF Banff in the closing months of World War II, often jointly with the nearby RAF Dallachy Strike Wing Beaufighter force, made a significant contribution to the defeat of Germany by denying them vital raw materials routed along the Norwegian coastline.
The Germans occupied Norway in 1940 and at the last stages of war was one of the last stands for Hitler’s once large submarine fleet. As headquarters for the 11. U-Bootflotille, the town of Bergen could be suitably nicknamed the "Submarine town".
To the Germans Bergen was a very important strategic port, located as it was and is along the long and scarred Norwegian west coast, with good connection to eastern Norway via a railway. Bergen also compromised many large shipyards and a huge submarine shelter, the Bunker Bruno.
After D-Day the allied forces gradually captured the large German
submarine bases in France. In advance the German HQ had ordered most of the boats to sail for Norway. But such a mission was a dangerous one - and many a submarine was sunk, or damaged on their way to Festung Norwegen, or the Fortress of Norway as the Germans called it. Also submarines going to, or returning from their operational areas in the oceans were sunk in increasing numbers.
Nevertheless, the submarine movements to and from their repair facitilities and home harbour Bergen were steadily increasing - as was the German convoy traffic with iron ore from northern Norway, as well as the supply ships following the same route to and from Germany.
The allied HQ was very well aware of all this - and after the invasion of France it was able to deploy aircraft and men from other duties, such as cutting off the German transportation lines along the Norwegian coast.
As targets the submarines were first priority, then came other Kriegsmarine surface vessels, and last but not the least the convoys of supply and ore ships. To the Germans these convoys were essential, and as such heavily defended by the Vorpostenbooten, as the Germans called their escort and guard vessels.
These vessels, packed with all sorts of weapons, were by the RAF officially called T.T.A`s or Trawler Type Auxiliaries - but the aircrews of the Coastal Command soon learned to call them Flakships, owing to their terrible fire power and determined gun crews.
The typical Vorpostenboot, or Flakship, intended for escort duties was a captured whaler, about 250 tons or larger, rebuilt, strengthened - and filled up with a large number of automatic AA guns, ranging from 20 mm., through 37 and 40 mm., up to 88 mm. In addition machine guns, both heavy and light, depth charges and some were equipped with a "secret" weapon, the RAG, or Raketen Geschuss. As the name indicates this was a rocket - with a wire fastened to it, and a small parachute at the end of the wire. The intension of the weapon was to shoot it up in front of attacking planes - so that the hanging wires would cut off a wing or in other way damage the attacking plane. The Vorpostenboot was almost like a floating arsenal - and had up to 60 crew members, most of them gun crews.
To counter this buildup and shipping Coastal Command set up an airfield in Banff Scotland and was manned by aircraft of 18 Group.
THE Banff Strike Wing enjoyed a spectacular success during its brief life on the exposed north-facing coast of the Moray Firth. Six squadrons joined forces to create an effective multi-national unit, which denied Germany many thousands of tons of vital iron ore and other supplies during operations from September 1944 to May 1945.
The Group was equipped with Mosquitoes and Beaufighters and concentrated attacks on German surface vessels and U-boats in the North Sea and along the Norwegian coastline. Often penetrating deep into heavily defended fjords to reach their anchored supply ship targets, which only dared venture to sea under cover of darkness; the Strike Wing crews ran the gauntlet of formidable anti-aircraft fire to achieve their goal.
Although their reputation was built on the outstanding capabilities of both the Beaufighter MK. 10 and the Mosquito FB.VI, it was undoubtedly the latter, which became synonymous with the Strike Wing and eventually equipped the RAF Banff based squadrons. Armed with a deadly mixture of cannon and rockets the Wing’s aircraft inflicted heavy damage on shipping.
The unit was unique because of the presence of 333 Sqn Royal Norwegian Air Force as part of the Strike Wing. Their skills in the air and ability to locate targets concealed in mountain-fringed fjords became one of the RAF Banff unit’s great strengths and helped the joint RAF, Norwegian and Commonwealth aircrews who made up the unit achieve outstanding success in the destruction of supply ships, flak ships and U-boats, the cost was high and 80 RAF Banff Strike Wing aircrew died on operations. Typically ships in the range of 5000 plus tons were sunk on regular occurrences.
The Banff Strike Wing which operated from RAF Banff in the closing months of World War II, often jointly with the nearby RAF Dallachy Strike Wing Beaufighter force, made a significant contribution to the defeat of Germany by denying them vital raw materials routed along the Norwegian coastline.