85 Squadron

Recent Articles

• Heavy losses as Coastal Command attacks Prinz Eugen

  May 17, 2012 in 1942, May 1942

  The first force was unable to locate the cruiser, but part of the second force, which consisted of 52 aircraft, including 27 torpedo-carrying Beauforts, carried out an attack. Two possible hits with torpedoes are claimed. Considerable enemy fighter opp…

• Day 990 May 17, 1942

  May 17, 2012 in Uncategorized

  Battle of Kharkov. German 1st Panzer Army attacks into the base of the Izium salient, aiming to halt the Soviet offensive and encircle their Armies. After a 90 minute artillery barrage, tanks of Kleist’s 3rd Panzer Corps attack with air support and cru…

• SS discuss the use of mobile gassing vans

  May 16, 2012 in 1942, May 1942

  I ordered the vans of group D to be camouflaged as house trailers by putting one set of window shutters on each side of the small van and two on each side of the large vans, such as one often sees on farm houses in the country. The vans became so well …

• Day 989 May 16, 1942

  May 16, 2012 in Uncategorized

  Gulf of Mexico. At midnight, U-507 sinks Honduran SS Amapala (1 killed, 56 survivors). At 11 AM off the Mississippi Delta, Louisiana, U-506 badly damages US tankers MV Sun and MV William C. McTarnahan. MV Sun reaches New Orleans for repairs under her o…

• The sinking of HMS Trinidad

  May 15, 2012 in 1942, May 1942

  At one time when we were bomb-dodging I spotted torpedo bombers dropping torpedos a couple of miles away. I kept a good eye in that direction and duly reported “TORPEDO TRACKS”. Leaving the torpedoes to look after themselves, the skipper calmly assesse…