RAF/Commonwealth operations over Romania, recce, night bombings, targets, losses

More pictures from Tancabesti. Below a close up for the cemetery fountain. Courtesy Dan Melinte.

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Wellington from 142sq under maintenance at Foggia. ( from Aeronautica magazine)


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Hello Droop and thanks for your interest and help. Please post here any other message on this subject.

It would be very interesting if you could share with us fragments of your father log book or the story of a british mission over Romania.

Thanks again and hope to here from you soon.

Barbosu

I am a brit, married to a romanian since 1970 and living and working in Bucharest for several years. I have done modest research into the RAF aircrew in the British cemetery and have made contact with relatives of Stanley Clarke, pilot of the plane downed over Comana and believe that they will come to the Remembrance Day service that we will hold at Tincabesti on 12 November.
The romanian army buglers sound the Last Post and Reveille every year, but are there any romanian pilots or others involved in the defence of Ploiesti who might be invited?. Barbosu, Cantacuzino and Alexkdl....would you come and stand with us ?.

I have a file from the NZ Ministry of Defence on Clive Hugh MASTERS of Wellington X MF.144/H flying from TORTORELLA and brought down over Talpa Biscoveni 60km SW of Bucharest on the night of 8th May 1944. WEPPLER an australian in the crew survived. Has anyone been to that site....Is anyone interested in going there?

We only visited the Comana area, we had special information about this one, but if you whant to visit other crash sites we could arange an expedition.

Hello Mr. Merlin

We would be very glad to participate to "The Remembrance Day" service at Tincabesti on 12 November.
I will try to invite some romanian vet. ( WWII pilots) Mr. Dobran Ion, Mr. Marinciu Ioan and many others. Hope that Claudiu (C2) will help us with the transport for them.

Dan.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on September 21, 2006 11:11 pm

Yes, it's also OK for me to arrange with Cip (cipiamon) an expedition to Talpa Bascoveni.
I will check the map.


Dan.

Dear Mr. Cantacuzino,
TINCABESTI - 12th November

Thank you for the fast reply. I would be very happy to help arrange transport to and from the Cemetery as we always have plenty of car space. We are usually invited back to the Ambassador's house afterwards......and that means ALL of us !!.

We will talk more about the arrangements, but please inform those that you feel should be there and I will inform the Embassy as a matter of courtesy of what we are planning to do.

Military Attaches from EU and Commonwealth countries come to lay wreaths every year, but to see little old men lay flowers for former adversaries........that is what it is all about for me.

Talk to you soon.

Talpa Bascoveni.. I know that it is very close to Videle

When would be good to go there. I have transport..... a good 4 wheel drive that I am in the process of selling....so one last mission. Mid week ? Depending whether you guys can get time off. We could do one quick recce and then go back later as need be.

Peter.

Hi Peter,

I spoked at the phone with Cip and we agree that next week will be good for both but starting from friday ( to sunday ) depending on the weather.
I will let you know for sure by PM message.


Dan.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on September 24, 2006 05:07 am

Dan,
Looking forward to hearing from you and Cip.

Cip
May I borrow your book to brush up my french language. I promise to look after it well.

Peter.

Is Cantacuzino's book , anyway, can't wait for the trip!

This post has been edited by cipiamon on September 26, 2006 08:25 pm

I'm doing right now trying to finish my article about the fightings on the lower Danube in August and September 1944. (Kampfgruppe Zieb and others.)
Thanks to the following link I can even add a chapter about the Operation Gardening (aerial mining the Danube):
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=5806
Also I have gained one more source about the counter-measures of the German Danube Flottilla. (even a squadron Ju 52 MS "Mausi" (mine-clearing aircrafts) was stationed alongside the Danube!!).


MfG Michi

PS:
I will be thankfull on any informations about the fights alongside the Danube (air - sea - land) from 23rd August 1944 till 01st October 1944.

29 august'44 -romanian recco Blenheim from "Escadrila 1 recunoastere" (pilot Lt av Alexandrescu Schmeling) took off for a mission over Danube. The crew observed german ships attacks Becket village.

30 august '44 - Five romanian Heinkel 111 ("Escadrila 78" ) at 09.00 took off from Craiova airfield for bombing (german ships) mission near Turnul Severin.

The five He 111 crews were:
1. Crew of Cpt. Sima Octavian -observer, pilot Lt Virgil Stanculesu.
2. Crew of Lt. Stefanov Emanuel- observer, pilot Lt.Alexandru Paun.
3 Crew of Slt. Valentin Conovici -observer, pilot Adj.stg. Aldea
4 . Crew of Lt. Danaila -observer, pilot Adj. stg. Zlate.
5 . Crew of Lt. Oancea - observer, pilot Adj. stg.Anghel

The escort was provided by 4 x Bf 109 G6 (leader Lt.Ioan Dobran) from Popesti -Leordeni airfield.

One He 111 was lost and crashed near Vanju Mare village ( 4 KIA ) only the pilot Sgt Aldea bailed out.