The July Circus
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustration: Antonis Karydis
Cat. No. 7474
During the Battle of Britain, Luftwaffe air raids with tens or even hundreds of bombers and fighter escorts were designed to lure Hurricanes and Spitfires into combat to destroy British fighter units. These tactics impressed RAF command so much that, in 1941, they decided to adopt and modify them. The resulting operations were named "Circus." However RAF used smaller groups of bombers, typically six to twelve, most of which were Blenheims. Over time, the number of bombers occasionally increased to as many as 24, supported by a highly complex fighter escort system involving up to 350 Spitfires and Hurricanes at various flight levels.
Despite these efforts, the Circus operations posed little threat to the Germans. The small number of bombers and the short range of British aircraft limited their ability to target strategic military or industrial sites effectively. Furthermore, the Germans often struggled to differentiate Circus missions from Sweep or Rodeo actions, which were purely fighter operations conducted over enemy territory. German fighter units, particularly JG 2 and JG 26, maintained their tactical superiority, with fewer losses, despite being numerically weaker than RAF Fighter Command units.
On July 10, 1941, the RAF conducted two raids by Blenheims, escorted by fighters from No. 10 Group, targeting Cherbourg and Le Havre. Both actions were codenamed Gudgeon but were essentially Circus operations. Fighters from No. 234, 317, and 501 RAF Squadrons claimed 5-1-2 victories against Bf 109s. Their opponents, two operational training units, claimed six victories over Spitfires, however, two of these claims were later rejected. Ultimately, the RAF lost two aircraft from No. 234 Squadron during the engagement. One pilot was killed, while the other, W/Cdr M. V. Blake DFC, survived after ditching his aircraft. Blake spent 12 hours paddling in a dinghy toward the British coast before being rescued.
Around midday, a formation of three Stirlings from No. 7 Squadron RAF, escorted by fighters from North Weald, Northolt, and Biggin Hill, launched an attack on the Kuhlman chemical plant at Chocques as part of Circus 42. Fighter pilots from the Hornchurch and Tangmere Wings provided Target Support, while the Kenley and Northolt Wings managed Rear Support.
Due to thick cloud cover, the bombers faced navigational difficulties. Near Boulogne, the aircraft piloted by F/O C. V. Fraser DFC sustained five direct hits from flak. The bomber burst into flames, and although it appeared that three crew members managed to bail out, none of the seven airmen survived.
In multiple engagements with the escort, JG 26 airmen claimed three Spitfires, while their counterparts from JG 2 were credited with eight victories. Among the victors was Hptm. Hans "Assi" Hahn, commander of III./JG 2, who achieved his 31st victory. His aircraft is depicted on Antonis Karydis' box art.
On the German side, two Bf 109 E-7s from II./JG 26 were shot down, resulting in one pilot's death. Additionally, a Bf 109 F-2 from II./JG 2 was severely damaged in combat, and Oblt. Frank Liesendahl, Kapitän of the 6th Staffel, was seriously wounded by enemy fire.
The fighter escort claimed an 11-1-3 victory against the Bf 109s. However, seven British airmen did not return from the operation, and two others escaped with badly damaged aircraft.
This aerial encounter unexpectedly provided a significant benefit to the RAF: the first virtually undamaged Messerschmitt Bf 109 F to fall into British hands. The Stirling W7433, commanded by F/O C.I. Rolfe, had been hit in the tail by a Bf 109 pilot after dropping its bombs. A lone German airman had pursued the four-engine bomber throughout its flight over the Channel. The top gunner believed he had successfully damaged the enemy fighter. Then, Sgt. Jan A. Śmigielski, flying a Hurricane from the Polish No. 306 Squadron RAF, rushed to defend the endangered bomber and forced the German pilot to land near Dover.
Surprisingly, the German aviator who had chased the bomber was a highly experienced veteran: Hptm. Rolf Pingel, the Kommandeur of I./JG 26. Pingel was a recipient of the Knight's Cross and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, with 550 combat sorties in his logbook, six victories in Spain and another 28 during World War II. His Bf 109 F-2 (WNr. 12764) had not been hit by gunfire but suffered engine trouble near Dover. While Śmigielski claimed the victory, which is duly mentioned in unit´s diary, the credit was unfortunately not officially awarded.
Pingel's "Friedrich" was quickly repaired by RAF technicians and made airworthy for extensive testing. However, by the fall of 1941, the upgraded Bf 109 F-4 had entered the battlefield, and the RAF faced a new challenge with the arrival of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A.