What was the tactic used by Coastal Command for anti-shipping attacks, 1941 - 1942?

[Milosh]

For more on this please read Flames in the Sky by Pierre Clostermann, the Free French air ace. You might also locate online the wartime exploits of Sydney or Shaul Shulemson, the decorated Canadian Coastal Command pilot; some of the strike squadrons were RCAF.

Canadian Squadrons of Coastal Command in the Appendix list all the ships sunk.

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

As others have noted Bomber Command were part of operation Channel Stop, both day and night but they are counted as bombing operations, meaning you need the raid sheets to come up with a count. Areas called beats were patrolled.

British Archives AIR 15/313 Unfortunately the Coastal Command Anti shipping, Fighter and Recce patrol sorties are combined in the summary,
Year Sorties Hours A/C missing and combat losses
1939 3,400 11,381 1
1940 15,997 53,891 132 (Including FAA 392 sorties, 1,111 hours)
1941 10,976 42,852 152 (Including FAA 225 sorties, 774 hours)
1942 6,292 26,776 153 (Including FAA 212 sorties, 636 hours, Bomber Command 40 and 336, USA 41 and 330)
1943 6,850 28,494 102 (Including FAA 136 sorties, 489 hours, USA 33 and 298)
1944 16,278 55,320 162 (Including FAA 1,805 sorties, 4,681 hours, USA 3 and 17)
1945 5,710 25,755 100 (Including FAA 496 sorties, 1,322 hours, USA 1 and 5)
Total 65,503 244,469 802 (Including FAA 3,296 sorties, 9,013 hours, BC 40 and 336, USA 78 and 650)

Mining and bombing sorties
Year Sorties Hours A/C missing and combat losses
1940 478 1,404 59
1941 1,306 4,245 29
1942 370 1,582 17
1943 56 270 3
Total 2,210 7,501 108

AIR 15/773 are the Despatches on War Operations. Firstly ACM Bowhill, September 1939 to June 1941. Anti shipping means attacks on warships as well as merchant shipping.

Hague rules for attacks on merchant shipping observed in the early months, "not until June 1940 that attacks on enemy merchant vessels by our aircraft became an accepted practice." Hudsons available at the start of the war, Blenheims from late 1939 or early 1940, Beauforts available from April 1940 when not grounded due to engine problems.

First torpedo attack was on 11 September 1940, off Ostend against three merchant ships, one hit claimed, 38 torpedo attacks done to end 1940, claiming 55 ships attacked, 10 hit, torpedoes dropped from an average height of 68 feet, average range 670 yards. June to December 1940 141 bombing attacks on merchant ships, 30 ships hit (16 by Hudson, 13 by Blenheim, 1 by Anson). Originally 250 pound A.S. bombs used, which gave way to 250 pound G.P. About half the hits were scored from attack heights of 500 to 1,000 feet. Originally "medium" altitude attacks were done.

Bombing raids against harbours and other land targets started on 28 May 1940. First minelaying sorties on 15/16 April 1940. Coastal Command to do the Ems and Jade-Weser estuaries. 815 Squadron FAA began minelaying sorties on 22/23 April 1940, and stayed with Coastal Command to end May 1940. The minelaying areas were extended to include occupied Dutch waters, and later french and Belgian ones, 812 squadron FAA joined Coastal Command mid May 1940.

Minelaying between Flushing and Cherbourg was suspended from mid September.

To end January 1941, Bomber Command had dropped 798 mines, Coastal Command 436. Coastal Command had 3 Beaufort, 8 Blenheim (including fighter) and 6 Hudson squadrons.

Beaufighters arrived in April 1941 as part of a general upgrade of Command equipment, 252 squadron, sent to intercept FW200 operating off Ireland.

Secondly ACM De La Ferte, June 1941 to February 1943.

Late summer 1941 Coastal Command main anti shipping operations off Norway, most Blenheims replaced by Hudsons. In July 1941 Bomber Command was assigned anti shipping operations between Cherbourg to Texel, Coastal Command anywhere else. Bombing attack altitudes decreased, 18 out of the 20 ships hit July to AUgust 1940 were attacked from below 500 feet. An attempt to interdict shipping from Spain, Liberators were the only aircraft available, trial discontinued after one badly shot up.

To autumn 1941 torpedoes were restricted to attacking ships of 6,000 tons or over, due to a lack of torpedoes and trained crews, in October this was reduced to 4,000 tons but in waters of 60 feet by day and 78 fleet at night.

Official establshment was 4 long range fighter, 4 bomber and 4 torpedo squadrons, because Beaufighters were sent overseas the long range fighters effectively remained Blenheims. The fourth Beaufort squadron was completed in May 1941 but by the end of the year only 42 and 86 aquadrons were at full strength, 217 was about a flight and 22 squadron was overseas. Requests for Hampdens and Mosquitoes were turned down in 1941.

Beauforts laid 202 mines from 238 sorties January to June 1941.

On 24 February 1942 Hudsons were temporarily removed from anti shipping operations due to their shortage of supply. Bomber Command had effectively ceased anti shipping operations in mid November 1941 due to heavy losses.

End April 1942 four Hampden squadrons were forming (415 and 489) or transferred from Bomber Command (144 and 415) but 217 Beaufort squadron had been sent overseas.

May 1942 was the peak of low level bombing attacks with many to most at night, in nautical twilight or by moonlight. Hudsons of 53, 59, 320 and 407 squadrons. Problems of navigation by both reconnaissance and strike aircraft meant only 35% of strike aircraft sighted the target April to June 1942, this then rose to 60%. Short range A.S.V (2.5 miles) was used, longer range A.S.V on the way.

Low level bombing attacks stopped in July 1942 due to losses. The merchant ship to escort ratio had gone from 1 merchant ship to 1 to 2 escorts to 1 to 4 or 5 and there was an increase in the size and AA capability of the escorts.

The plan became to form strike wings, 10 Beaufighter squadrons, 5 able to drop torpedoes, by April 1943. The first wing made its first strike in November 1942. This left the Hampden units out, as they were too slow, they were used in small formations trying for surprise and did score successes. On 4 September 1942, 32 Hampdens of 144 and 455 squadrons were sent to Northern Russia, 23 arrived, 2 force landed, 1 shot down by Red Air Force, 6 crashed in Norway or Sweden. Aircrews returned to UK in October, aircraft left behind.

1942 minelaying activity was 170 sorties, 6 by Hampdens, rest by FAA Swordfish.

In January 1942 S-boat attacks switched from torpedoes to mines, Hoden patrols were initiated by A.S.V. aircraft to track the S-boats, patrols discontinued during summer. S-boats were minelaying near Portsmouth in July and Lyme Bay in August.