May 1944

2 May 1944 (Page 34)

At 18.00 hours German Summer Time on 2 May, the Operations Section of Nahkampfkorps Süd sent out orders for the coming night. The addressees included Oblt. Martini of 1./NSG 9 at Marcigliana and Maj. Frost of the same Staffel at Tarquinia. The information in Ghost Bombers was drawn from a summarised version of this message and was mistaken as to its timing since the decrypt was issued to Allied Commands on the morning of 5 May.

The full message leaves room for doubt about whether the 1./NSG 9 was split between two aerodromes or just that the two officers were in different places that day. It is also noteworthy that Martini was at the front while his own 2. Staffel was in the process of conversion.

4–12 May 1944 (pages 35 & 36)

Dr. Walter Stremmel was not replaced as quickly as NSG 9 might have wished:

CX/MSS/R. 187 (B)

GAF Medical Abt. with GAF General Central Italy, to Luftflotte M.O. Luftflotte 2, on 15/5:

Request urgently replacements for M.O. of Mixed (Roman) I/37 [Flak unit], who has died, and for M.O. of NSG 9 who has been killed. It is urgently requested that places on establishment with 3 NAG 11 and Einsatzstab NSG 9 be filled.

It is only possible in certain cases to supply deputies in our own area for M.O.'s of the following units who are ill for a considerable time: Mixed (Roman) II/t, GAF Signals 62, Light 99, Light 851.

CX/MSS/T183/30

To NSG 9 Tuscania for Major Frost, stamped 1830/11/5 (and copy to NSG 9 Marcigliana):-

Ops order for night 11–12/5

A) (Smudge) G/A [ground attack] operation against beachhead and (half a line blotted) … 10 and 0140 hrs.

B) Order for night operation by NSG 9 on night 12 to 13/5:

All a/c two-fold operation. Take-off from Tuscana [sic]. Operation against observed gun positions on beachhead.

Times over target: 0010 and 0240 hrs. Artillery will put down bursts of fire beforehand from 2325 to 2355 hrs and from 0155 to 0225 hrs.

Army arty. and Flak will attack following gun positions: (fig smudged)539, 1470, 500, 596, 57(C%1), 532, 57(C%6)

(Rest not seen).

Notes: CX/MSS/T183/30 was a partially intercepted signal, references to "smudge" indicate the gaps. All times are GMT, local time was two hours later. "C%" means "fair indications."

Apart from the operational details, the message tells us that Rupert Frost was at a forward base with the operational elements of his unit.

22/23 May 1944 (Pages 36-37)


Operations Record Book, No. 244 Wing RAF
Venafro, Italy	23 May 1944	In the early hours of the morning a mixed bag of Ju 88s and 87s stooged overhead, but though bombs were dropped in adjacent valleys, none were near us.
Note: if accurate, this entry documents a hitherto unknown operation by 1./NSG 9, at least six of whose Ju 87s had been withdrawn from Tuscania a week earlier. The only operations known from ULTRA to have been planned that night were as follows: KV 4857 Bombing operations against Fondi and Itri at about 02.30 hours [local time]. Approach and return flight overland. Marking of front line absolutely essential. KV 4863 Flak warning. Bomber formation returning to Udine at 04.30 hours [local time]. Bombers returning to Udine were far more likely have been Ju 88s (possibly of KG 76) than Ju 87s. When in the north, NSG 9's aircraft used Caselle-Torino as their base.

29/30 and 30/31 May (Pages 37–39)

TELEPRINTER MESSAGE

HEADQUARTERS MEDITERRANEAN ALLIED AIR FORCE

276 WING FOR D.I.3.

FROM

HEADQUARTERS M.A.A.F.

AI. 361

1 June.

Confidential.

Night 29/30 Four to six Ju-87 bombed and strafed Anzio area. Fifteen other aircraft over west battle area of which four as far as Capri.

0100 31st. Ten to twelve Anzio area low level. 0126 Six Terracina Velletri area.

IMPORTANT

J. Robertson,
Flight Lieutenant,
for Group Captain,
Senior Intelligence Officer,
M.A.A.F.

NOT FOR TRANSMISSION.

2 Message Centre.

1 File MAAF/S.6836/Int.

1 Static File.

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