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Cub Driver wrote:
I wasn't thinking the anger of the French people would be directed at the UK. Why ever not, it has been for the last thousand years or so. I've been watching the CBS Video History of WWII. Last night was Torch, the invasion of North Africa. The U.S. troops landed first because the Allies believed that the French would be less likely to fire on them than the British, because of the "hatred" (Walter Cronkite's word) they bore for the Brits. That's not that surprising since the French had been under RN guns about two years previously[*] and relations between the UK and the Vichy government were never good with the French harrassing Gibraltar airspace and interning the crew of a damaged RN vessel. Probably there are complaints on the French side. [*]http://www.angelfire.com/ia/totalwar/MersElKebir.html -- Iain Rae Tel:01316505202 Computing Officer JCMB:2418 School of Informatics The University of Edinburgh |
#2
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![]() "Iain Rae" wrote in message ... Cub Driver wrote: (Snip) That's not that surprising since the French had been under RN guns about two years previously[*] and relations between the UK and the Vichy government were never good with the French harrassing Gibraltar airspace ... I don't recall hearing or reading anything about the French harassing Gibraltar airspace. How did they manage that? Out of Algeria or Morocco? What was the Spanish reaction to such incursions? Did the RAF have a presence in Gibraltar at the time? George Z. |
#3
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![]() "George Z. Bush" wrote in message ... "Iain Rae" wrote in message ... Cub Driver wrote: (Snip) That's not that surprising since the French had been under RN guns about two years previously[*] and relations between the UK and the Vichy government were never good with the French harrassing Gibraltar airspace .... I don't recall hearing or reading anything about the French harassing Gibraltar airspace. How did they manage that? Out of Algeria or Morocco? What was the Spanish reaction to such incursions? Did the RAF have a presence in Gibraltar at the time? The Vichy French bombed Gibraltar. 4 July 1940 near Gibraltar 3 French Hawks attacked a Sunderland of coastal command. 1 Hawk downed, 1 damaged. In the first air combat of the IIWW between Britain and France, victory to the porcupine. After the British action against the french fleet Gibraltar was bombed in retaliation. The most serious raids were however mounted during the Battle of Britain. 24th September 1940 - 64 aircraft from Oran and Tafaroui in Algeria, and Merknes, Mediouna and Kenitra in Morocco. Fighters were also deployed. D520s of GCII/3 from Mediouna, Hawks from GCII/5 from Casablanca, and GC I/5 from Rabat. 41 tonnes of bombs dropped and no loss. The following day 83 bombers deployed, no fighter cover, again no fighter response. 56 tonnes of bombs dropped. 1 LeO 451 shot down by flak. It was the largest bomber raid mounted by the French since the war began. Probably the largest mounted by the French during the entire war. Peter |
#4
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![]() 4 July 1940 near Gibraltar 3 French Hawks attacked a Sunderland of coastal command. 1 Hawk downed, 1 damaged. The French in North Africa also flew the Hawk H-75s (P-36 types) against U.S. Navy Wildcats during Operation Torch. I think some DB-9? (A-20 type) light bombers were also used. I don't remember the exact outcome, but the French got the worst of it. I believe that was the only instance in WWII where American pilots had to fight against American-built planes, though of course the Russo-Finnish Continuation War saw instances of Brewster Buffaloes in combat against Lend-Lease P-40s and perhaps P-39s. all the best -- Dan Ford email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9 see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com |
#5
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"George Z. Bush" wrote in message ...
airspace. How did they manage that? Out of Algeria or Morocco? What was the Spanish reaction to such incursions? Did the RAF have a presence in Gibraltar I don't think the Spanish would mind. The regime there was Franco's fascists, who had come to power with military support from the German Condor Legion a few years earlier in the Spanish civil war. Rob |
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