Gentlemen
As you will be aware from the newspapers, Germany launched its offensive on western Europe ten days ago on May 10th. German bombers hit allied air bases in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands, destroying large numbers of allied planes on the ground and severely damaging Allied air defences. German paratroopers were dropped onto fortified points along the front, neutralizing key elements of the French defensive line.
On the ground, German forces advanced through the Netherlands and northern Belgium (where we expected) and so we and the French sent the bulk of our troops into Belgium.
During the first couple of days of the attack, the Germans made slow progress toward Brussels and The Hague as the Dutch forces fought back formidably. However, on 14 May, the Luftwaffe, unleashed a massive bombing attack on central Rotterdam; it is estimated that over 800 civilians have been killed and the Netherlands surrendered the same day.
As we prepared to make a stand at a line of forts between the cities of Antwerp and Liege a second German offensive to the south emerged from the Ardennes Forest.
The current situation is far from clear but it appears that the German army has driven a wedge into the allied forces from the Ardennes to Amiens on to the coast at Abbeville and back up to Arras just south of Dunkirk.
The Germans have stuck there necks out too far and the intention is to attack the base of this wedge with the BEF from the north and General De Gaulle’s Heavy Armoured Divisions from the south.
Air Situation
It appears the Germans have made extensive and devastating use of dive bombers and low level strafing in support of their ground forces and this must not be allowed to continue if the counter attack is to succeed.
In addition they have used heavier bombers to attack as far west as Paris focusing on Allied air assets on the ground. If the RAF is to continue to survive as an effective force in France this too must be prevented.
Whilst the Prime Minister has stated that he will not allow further RAF units, particularly Spitfire Sqns to be moved to France, the enemy has now advance so far that he can be engaged by those Sqns based in the 11Gp area in England.
En Air
All Fighter units and dive bomber units appear to be using forward airfields as their armies overrun them. There is little coherent intelligence as to where they are operating from at this point in time.
Maltloaf
Sqn Ldr Ops
RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
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- Maltloaf
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- Location: Salisbury Plain, birthplace of British military aviation.
RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
"I have never once lost my gratitude for those who were the sentinels and held the line between tyranny and civilisation"
Re: RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
Do you have a final verdict from RAF command as to the types of spitfire 64 and 610 have available? I've been rattling cages this last week.Maltloaf wrote:Gentlemen
As you will be aware from the newspapers, Germany launched its offensive on western Europe ten days ago on May 10th. German bombers hit allied air bases in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands, destroying large numbers of allied planes on the ground and severely damaging Allied air defences. German paratroopers were dropped onto fortified points along the front, neutralizing key elements of the French defensive line.
On the ground, German forces advanced through the Netherlands and northern Belgium (where we expected) and so we and the French sent the bulk of our troops into Belgium.
During the first couple of days of the attack, the Germans made slow progress toward Brussels and The Hague as the Dutch forces fought back formidably. However, on 14 May, the Luftwaffe, unleashed a massive bombing attack on central Rotterdam; it is estimated that over 800 civilians have been killed and the Netherlands surrendered the same day.
As we prepared to make a stand at a line of forts between the cities of Antwerp and Liege a second German offensive to the south emerged from the Ardennes Forest.
The current situation is far from clear but it appears that the German army has driven a wedge into the allied forces from the Ardennes to Amiens on to the coast at Abbeville and back up to Arras just south of Dunkirk.
The Germans have stuck there necks out too far and the intention is to attack the base of this wedge with the BEF from the north and General De Gaulle’s Heavy Armoured Divisions from the south.
Air Situation
It appears the Germans have made extensive and devastating use of dive bombers and low level strafing in support of their ground forces and this must not be allowed to continue if the counter attack is to succeed.
In addition they have used heavier bombers to attack as far west as Paris focusing on Allied air assets on the ground. If the RAF is to continue to survive as an effective force in France this too must be prevented.
Whilst the Prime Minister has stated that he will not allow further RAF units, particularly Spitfire Sqns to be moved to France, the enemy has now advance so far that he can be engaged by those Sqns based in the 11Gp area in England.
En Air
All Fighter units and dive bomber units appear to be using forward airfields as their armies overrun them. There is little coherent intelligence as to where they are operating from at this point in time.
Maltloaf
Sqn Ldr Ops
OC 64
Gromic
32 Squadron / USAAF 84 Squadron
- Maltloaf
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Re: RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
1a
"I have never once lost my gratitude for those who were the sentinels and held the line between tyranny and civilisation"
Re: RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
87 or 100 oct as was the historical case?
32 Squadron / USAAF 84 Squadron
- Maltloaf
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Re: RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
100 after March
"I have never once lost my gratitude for those who were the sentinels and held the line between tyranny and civilisation"
Re: RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
Hi Malt,
Thank you. PM inbound.
Thank you. PM inbound.
32 Squadron / USAAF 84 Squadron
- Maltloaf
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- Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:07 pm
- Location: Salisbury Plain, birthplace of British military aviation.
Re: RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
All,
RAF briefing is now up in the DB
Malt
RAF briefing is now up in the DB
Malt
"I have never once lost my gratitude for those who were the sentinels and held the line between tyranny and civilisation"
- Maltloaf
- Posts: 1809
- Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:07 pm
- Location: Salisbury Plain, birthplace of British military aviation.
Re: RAF Inital Briefing Scenario for Fall Gelb, 19 May 1940
note 64 are now at Littlestone
"I have never once lost my gratitude for those who were the sentinels and held the line between tyranny and civilisation"