An aerial victory for a German destroyer...

Soderbaum · 10 August 2002, 07:59 AM

Hi all

On 17 May 1916 an unknown German destroyer did shot down a French canon Voisin over the Norh Sea...

I wonder if anyone can identify the German ship...?

TIA
Gunnar

Regulus · 11 August 2002, 12:25 PM

Hi Gunnar,

Aerial victory is very doubtfull if not non existing. The KTB of the seegoing units of the Marinekorps Flandern states that the destroyer V67 left the shipyard at Oostende that day after reparations and did some trials at sea and then went to Zeebrugge harbour. If was foggy and during this trip the V67 was attacked by a French plane which fired at the destroyer with a 3.7 cm gun. The V67 received 2 hits, nobody got wounded. It's very probably that she reposted, however nothing is mentioned on her shooting down the plane.

Best from Regulus

Regulus · 11 August 2002, 12:35 PM

Hi again,

V67 and V47 destroyers were also active on the North Sea on the 6th of May 1918. They had orders to destroy some barrels that were laid there by the British near the Thornton Bank. While returning they captured a British Short that was forced to land due to engine trouble. The plane was taken to Zeebrugge. This was the crew of Short 184 from Dover RNAS base Flight Sub Lt ATM Cowley and Lt. RM Inge. They were taken prisoner by one of the destroyers and not by a sub as mentioned in

TSTB.

Possibly both incidents got mixed up in the material you found.

Best from Regulus

Soderbaum · 13 August 2002, 10:48 AM

Hi Regulus

It is definitely not the same action...
...The French crew from Esc VC 116 were both recorded as MIAs according to the new book "The French Air Service War Chronicle"...

...it is indeed strange that the German destroyer did not report the outcome of this action...perhaps they were "unable" to save the French crew and did it not find worthy to report....?

Many thanks for your assistance

Gunnar

Regulus · 13 August 2002, 11:56 AM

Hi Gunnar,

It was not usual for the Germans to let go of such a victory. Knowing the numerous examples of trying to pick up Allied planes that were shot down and their personnel by the Flandern Flottilles, and that were quite a lot believe me I even have several photo's of such actions, it doesn't seem logical.
It is however logical that they will have opened fire on the attacker. However as I said there was a lot of fog that day. It is very good possible that they never knew that they did shoot it down.
Also the following days there is no mentioning in the KTB that they found a French plane or that French officers washed ashore.
I bet they never knew it, otherwise it would have been mentioned as everything else worth mentioning concerning aerial warfare above the sea is.

Best from Regulus

Very interesting for me as well as I just am finishing my photobook on the torpedoboats and destroyers of the Marinekorps Flandern

Thanks !