Operation Paula
Encyclopedia
Unternehmen Paula is the German
codename given for the Second World War Luftwaffe
offensive operation
to destroy the remaining units of the Armée de l'Air (ALA), or French Air Force during the Battle of France
in 1940. On 10 May the German armed forces (Wehrmacht
) began its invasion of Western Europe
. By 3 June, the British Army
had withdrawn from Dunkirk and the continent in Operation Dynamo
, the Netherlands
and Belgium
had surrendered and most of the formations of the French Army
were disbanded or destroyed. To complete the defeat of France, the Germans undertook a second phase operation, Fall Rot (Case Red), to conquer the remaining regions of France. In order to do this, air supremacy
was required. The Luftwaffe was ordered to destroy the French Air Forces and still provide support to the German Army.
For the operation, the Germans committed five Corps
formations to the attack, comprising 1,100 aircraft. The operation was launched on the 3 June 1940. However, British
intelligence had warned the French
of the impending attack. The operation failed to achieve the strategic results desired by the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
(High Command of the Air Force). Fortunately for the Luftwaffe, the plight of the French ground and air forces at this stage meant the failure of the operation would not impede the defeat of France.
by the United Kingdom and France
, in the aftermath of the German invasion of Poland, nine months of stalemate took place along the Western Front
named the Phoney War. The only military action was the French Army
's Saar Offensive
which was terminated in controversial circumstances. After the Polish Campaign, in October 1939, the planners of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
(Luftwaffe High Command) and the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
(Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) turned their attentions to Western Europe
.
The Western Allies
had surrendered the initiative and the Germans would take the offensive in 1940. Several plans were toyed with by the German General Staff
. General
Franz Halder
, the chief of staff of the Army, presented the first plan for Fall Gelb ("Case Yellow") on 19 October 1939. The plan's German code was Aufmarschanweisung N°1, Fall Gelb, or "Deployment Instruction No. 1, Case Yellow". The operation was a limited operation in which Luxembourg
and the Low Countries
were to be conquered in order to provide a base for further operations against France at a later date and amounted to a less ambitious re-run of the infamous Schlieffen Plan
which failed during the First World War in 1914. It was rejected by Adolf Hitler
and at the turn of the year, Heinz Guderian
's chief of staff, Erich von Manstein
secured Hitler's attentionwith a modified version. An ambitious thrust through the Ardennes
was suggested by von Manstein. This main attack would use up the majority of the motorised and tank divisions (Panzer Division
s) in a drive to the English Channel
. A diversion operation in Belgium
and the Netherlands
would precede this thrust, to lure the Allied Armies, including the British Expeditionary Force
, into a trap.
Launched on 10 May 1940, the revised version of Unternehmen Gelb (Operation Yellow), also known as the Manstein Plan
, succeeded. Unfortunately for the Germans, the British Army
escaped during the Battle of Dunkirk
. Nevertheless, the Belgian Army
, Dutch Army and most of the elite French forces were destroyed in the encirclement. This left just second rate French units to combat the entire German Army. The Luftwaffe had played an integeral part in disrupting Allied operations in this early phase. The Luftwaffe's participation was particularly crucial during the Battle of Sedan
which enabled the German Army to carry out Operation Yellow. By early June the Dunkirk siege was over, and on 3 June, the Germans began preparations for the conquest of the rest of France under the codename Fall Rot, (Case Red). For this to be as successful, air superiority would be required first, as it had been during Operation Yellow.
Hugo Sperrle
had long planned attacks upon Paris
and on 22 May he ordered Fliegerkorps II
(Air Corps II) and Fliegerkorps V
(Air Corps V) with Kampfgeschwader 77
(Bomber Wing 77) and Generaloberst (General Colonel) Ulrich Grauert
's I Fliegerdivision
, III./Kampfgeschwader 28 (Bomber Wing 28) to bomb Paris. Bad weather had prevented the operation. However, determined to continue with his plans, Sperrle ordered Otto Hoffmann von Waldau
and Helmuth von Hoffman, Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) of III./KG 28, to plan out an operation named Paula the following day, on 23 May 1940.
The objectives of the operation was broad in its scope. Among the elimination of French airfields and aircraft factories around Paris
, in von Waldau's words, the bombing was to "achieve a desirable influence on the morale of the capital". German reconnaissance aircraft reported 1,244 aircraft on airfields in and around Paris, including 550–650 single engine aircraft. This force of French air power was to be destroyed along with the aviation factories in the area. French anti aircraft artillery
(AAA) defences were mapped from the tactical to operational level and intelligence of French ground defences was therefore good. The operation was due to be carried out on 30 May, but again, bad weather prevented it.
The operation was compromised by poor staff work and excessive confidence in the "invulnerable" Enigma machine
. The British intelligence, namely Ultra, who had been reading the German codes, forewarned the French. On 30 May ULTRA intercepted a message sent by Grauert discussing the arrangements he was making for his Corps. Adding to this leak, the units involved received incomplete orders for the assault. Oberst
Johann-Volkmar Fisser, Geschwaderkommodore
(Wing Commander
) of KG 77, was given incomplete orders about the target and complained. He asked the Headquarters of VIII Fliegerkorps
only to be told it was "Paris". Sperrle responded to his request by removing KG 77 from the order of battle
. The British intercepted Frisser's request to VIII Fliegerkorps, who then passed it to the French. The French had intercepted similar messages and in response they doubled their aircraft strength to 120 fighters.
and Luftflotte 3
(Air Fleet 1 and 2) were made available for the operation. Kampfgeschwader
(Bomber Wings) and Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wings) with aircraft from Lehrgeschwader 1
, (LG 1), Kampfgeschwader 1
(KG 1), Kampfgeschwader 2
(KG 2), Kampfgeschwader 3
(KG 3), Kampfgeschwader 4
(KG 4), Kampfgeschwader 54
(KG 54) and Kampfgeschwader 55
(KG 55), escorted by fighter aircraft
from Jagdgeschwader 2
(JG 2), Jagdgeschwader 26
(JG 26), Jagdgeschwader 27
(JG 27), Jagdgeschwader 53
(JG 53), Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2) and Zerstörergeschwader 76
(ZG 76) were to carry out the attack.
KG 1, ZG 76 and LG 1 were under the command of I. Fliegerkorps
. ZG 2, KG 3 and II./KG 2 were under the command of II. Fliegerkorps
. KG 55 and III./KG 54 were under IV. Fliegerkorps
. KG 51 served under V. Fliegerkorps
. KG 4 and JG 26 were under the command of the IX. Fliegerdivision
. JG 2 and JG 27 were under the command of VIII. Fliegerkorps
. Jagdfliegerführer 3
lent JG 53 for the operation.
Stab. and I./KG 2 moved to Trier-Euren for assault. I./KG 2 operated from Wengerohr, III./KG 2 meanwhile was to operate from Kirchenburg. Stab. KG 55 operated from Schwabisch. I., II., III./KG 55 operated from Reims
, Heilbronn
and Eutingen respectively. KG 3's, I., II., and III., Gruppe were based at Aschaffenburg
, Schweinfurt
and Würzburg
. These units were based at unknown French bases by the 3 June. KG 4 and its units were based at Gütersloh
, Fassberg
and Delmenhorst
. It is likely that some of KG 3's units moved to bases near Lille
, for the attack. KG 1's I., II., III., Gruppe were based at Giessen, Kirtorf
and Ettinghausen
. It likely that some of these units moved into captured French airfields by the 3 June. It is possible they were based at Rosières-en-Santerre
. Only I./KG 54 took part in the raid from the Geschwader (Wing). KG 54 was probably located in somewhere in northern France on 3 June. It was originally based at Köln-Ostheim
. The fighter units were based at the following airfields: Abbeville
(ZG 76); Darmstadt
, Neufchâteau, Freiburg
(ZG 2); Le Touquet, La Capelle
, Etaples
(JG 26); Couvron, Oulchy-le-Chateau
, (JG 2); Guise
(JG 27); Epernay
, Douzy
, Charleville-Mézières
, La Selve
(JG 53).
KG 2 put up 99 bombers for the raid and KG 55 committed 66 bombers from their three Gruppen. Altogether the Luftwaffe fielded 640 bombers 460 fighters in total from the above units.
fighters were based at Dreux
. G.C. I/1 with Bloch MB.152
s were based at Chantilly
-Les Aigles. G.C. II/1 Bloch 152s were deployed to Brétigny-sur-Orge
airfield. G.C. II/10 Bloch 152s were located at Bernay-en-Ponthieu
, while G.C. III/10 Bloch 152s were based at Deauville
. More fighter units operating the Dewoitine D.520
are also listed on the order of battle: G.C. I/3 at Meaux
–Esbly
, G.C. II/3 at La Ferté-sur-Chiers
–Gaucher, G.C. III/3 with the D.520 and Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
at Illiers-l'Évêque
. Further units were located along the line. G.C. I/4 with Curtiss H-75s at Evreux-Fauville, G.C. II/4 Curtiss H-75 at Orconte, G.C. I/6 Morane 406s at Lognes
-Emerainville
, G.C. III/7 (Morane 406s) at Coulommiers
, G.C. I/8 Bloch 152s at Claye-Souilly
, and G.C. II/9 Bloch 152s at Connantre
. These units were supported by night fighter
units, (Groupement de Chasse de Nuit, Night Hunting Group), E.C.M.J. 1/16, E.C.N. 1/13, 2/13, 3/13 and 4/13 equipped with the Potez 631
. All in all, these groups totalled 240 aircraft. Only 120 fighters were made available to counter German attacks.
signal when it was radioed from the Eiffel Tower
and some were caught on the ground. In the end, only 80 took off to intercept the incoming German formations. German progress was monitored by shadowing Potez 631s, one of which was shot down. The Germans would copy this tactic when intercepting United States Army Air Force (USAAF) heavy bomber
s during the Defence of the Reich campaign. Along with French AAA defences, the fighters shot down 10 German aircraft, including four bombers. One of these machines was piloted by Geschwaderkommodore of KG 51, Josef Kammhuber
, who was wounded in action
and then taken as a prisoner of war
. Kammhuber would be released after the French surrender. He was replaced as Geschwaderkommodore of KG 51 by Fisser, commander of KG 77. Fisser was killed two months later leading KG 51 during the Battle of Britain
, inadvertently saving Kammhuber's life. Jagdfliegerführer 3
(Fighter Flying Leader 3) Oberst
Gerd von Massow was also shot down. He was replaced by Oberst Werner Junck
, until the formers release by German forces on 12 June 1940. German formations attacked 28 railways and Marshalling yard centres. All damage inflicted was light. None were out of action for more than 24 hours.
Most of the German bombers had passed over and had an altitude advantage over French fighters trying to gain height to intercept. Skirmishes were few and far between, but some French units suffered heavy losses. For the attack, the Germans had used the new C-250 Flammbombe (Flame Bomb) which had only been cleared for use 24 hours earlier. The incendiary bomb did some damage to hangars and parked aircraft.
of over 4:1 in the air and 16:1 on the ground. Six of the 16 airfields hit reported serious damage, while 15 factories reported slight damage. French casualties on the ground were heavy. French casualties included 254 dead and 652 injured. The French shot down 10 German aircraft, including four bombers. They claimed 16, suggesting mutual over claiming. A further 21 vehicles were destroyed. All the French airfields were back in operation 48 hours later.
Although the operation failed to achieve its goals, the first phase of the German invasion, Operation Yellow, had stripped the French Army
of its finest formations. The French forces holding the Somme
line were mostly reserve divisions of poorer quality and unsupported by heavy artillery
, tanks or motorised infantry. The failure of the German air operation did not prevent the German Army (Heer
) from defeating the French in June 1940, or the Luftwaffe in gaining air supremacy
at the beginning of Fall Rot. The main reason for German superiority in the air was the poor state of French air units' operational readiness. The Luftwaffe had a smaller margin of numerical superiority over the ALA at the start of Fall Rot as the French aviation industry was starting to reach full potential in production. Some 2,000 French aircraft were available despite the loss of 787 aircraft (473 fighters, 120 bombers and 194 reconnaissance aircraft). The French had 2,086 machines available on 5 June 1940, the first day of Fall Rot. Unfortunately component production did not match the production of airframes. It was slow and poor, and as a result only 599 aircraft (340 fighters and 170 bombers) were serviceable; a rate of just 29 percent. After the opening of the offensive, the Luftwaffe "ran riot" over French air space. Such was the superiority of the Luftwaffe at that point, some units were sent home to Germany to refit. The French collapsed altogether just 22 days later, and on 25 June France capitulated.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
codename given for the Second World War Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
offensive operation
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
to destroy the remaining units of the Armée de l'Air (ALA), or French Air Force during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940. On 10 May the German armed forces (Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
) began its invasion of Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. By 3 June, the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
had withdrawn from Dunkirk and the continent in Operation Dynamo
Operation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
had surrendered and most of the formations of the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
were disbanded or destroyed. To complete the defeat of France, the Germans undertook a second phase operation, Fall Rot (Case Red), to conquer the remaining regions of France. In order to do this, air supremacy
Air supremacy
Air supremacy is the complete dominance of the air power of one side's air forces over the other side's, during a military campaign. It is the most favorable state of control of the air...
was required. The Luftwaffe was ordered to destroy the French Air Forces and still provide support to the German Army.
For the operation, the Germans committed five Corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
formations to the attack, comprising 1,100 aircraft. The operation was launched on the 3 June 1940. However, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
intelligence had warned the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
of the impending attack. The operation failed to achieve the strategic results desired by the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe was the air force High Command of the Third Reich.Air Force Commanders-in-Chief* Reich Marshal Hermann Göring * Field Marshal Robert Ritter von Greim -History:...
(High Command of the Air Force). Fortunately for the Luftwaffe, the plight of the French ground and air forces at this stage meant the failure of the operation would not impede the defeat of France.
Background
After the declaration of war on Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
by the United Kingdom and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in the aftermath of the German invasion of Poland, nine months of stalemate took place along the Western Front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
named the Phoney War. The only military action was the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
's Saar Offensive
Saar Offensive
The Saar Offensive was a French operation into Saarland on the German 1st Army defence sector in the early stages of World War II. The purpose of the attack was to assist Poland, which was then under attack...
which was terminated in controversial circumstances. After the Polish Campaign, in October 1939, the planners of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe was the air force High Command of the Third Reich.Air Force Commanders-in-Chief* Reich Marshal Hermann Göring * Field Marshal Robert Ritter von Greim -History:...
(Luftwaffe High Command) and the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
(Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) turned their attentions to Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
.
The Western Allies
Western Allies
The Western Allies were a political and geographic grouping among the Allied Powers of the Second World War. It generally includes the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, the United States, France and various other European and Latin American countries, but excludes China, the Soviet Union,...
had surrendered the initiative and the Germans would take the offensive in 1940. Several plans were toyed with by the German General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
. General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Franz Halder
Franz Halder
Franz Halder was a German General and the head of the Army General Staff from 1938 until September, 1942, when he was dismissed after frequent disagreements with Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
, the chief of staff of the Army, presented the first plan for Fall Gelb ("Case Yellow") on 19 October 1939. The plan's German code was Aufmarschanweisung N°1, Fall Gelb, or "Deployment Instruction No. 1, Case Yellow". The operation was a limited operation in which Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
and the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
were to be conquered in order to provide a base for further operations against France at a later date and amounted to a less ambitious re-run of the infamous Schlieffen Plan
Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff's early 20th century overall strategic plan for victory in a possible future war in which the German Empire might find itself fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east...
which failed during the First World War in 1914. It was rejected by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and at the turn of the year, Heinz Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
's chief of staff, Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
secured Hitler's attentionwith a modified version. An ambitious thrust through the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
was suggested by von Manstein. This main attack would use up the majority of the motorised and tank divisions (Panzer Division
Panzer Division
A panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II....
s) in a drive to the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. A diversion operation in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
would precede this thrust, to lure the Allied Armies, including the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
, into a trap.
Launched on 10 May 1940, the revised version of Unternehmen Gelb (Operation Yellow), also known as the Manstein Plan
Manstein Plan
The Manstein Plan was the primary war plan of the German Army during the Battle of France in 1940.-Overview of the Plan:Developed by German Generalleutnant Erich von Manstein, the plan greatly modified the original 1939 versions by Franz Halder of the invasion plan known as Fall Gelb...
, succeeded. Unfortunately for the Germans, the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
escaped during the Battle of Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
. Nevertheless, the Belgian Army
Belgian Army
The Land Component is organised using the concept of capacities, whereby units are gathered together according to their function and material. Within this framework, there are five capacities: the command capacity, the combat capacity, the support capacity, the services capacity and the training...
, Dutch Army and most of the elite French forces were destroyed in the encirclement. This left just second rate French units to combat the entire German Army. The Luftwaffe had played an integeral part in disrupting Allied operations in this early phase. The Luftwaffe's participation was particularly crucial during the Battle of Sedan
Battle of Sedan (1940)
The Battle of Sedan or Second Battle of Sedan was a Second World War battle fought during the French Campaign. The battle was part of the German Wehrmacht's operational plan codenamed Fall Gelb , to encircle the Allied armies in Belgium and north-eastern France...
which enabled the German Army to carry out Operation Yellow. By early June the Dunkirk siege was over, and on 3 June, the Germans began preparations for the conquest of the rest of France under the codename Fall Rot, (Case Red). For this to be as successful, air superiority would be required first, as it had been during Operation Yellow.
Luftwaffe plans
Hugo Sperrle
Hugo Sperrle was a German field marshal of the Luftwaffe during World War II. His forces were deployed solely on the Western Front and the Mediterranean throughout the war...
had long planned attacks upon Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and on 22 May he ordered Fliegerkorps II
2nd Air Corps (Germany)
II. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Frankfurt am Main from the 2. Flieger-Division. The Corps was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations on 15 November 1941...
(Air Corps II) and Fliegerkorps V
2nd Air Corps (Germany)
II. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Frankfurt am Main from the 2. Flieger-Division. The Corps was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations on 15 November 1941...
(Air Corps V) with Kampfgeschwader 77
Kampfgeschwader 77
Kampfgeschwader 77 was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II.Its units participated on all of the major fronts in the European Theatre until its dissolution in 1944...
(Bomber Wing 77) and Generaloberst (General Colonel) Ulrich Grauert
Ulrich Grauert
Ulrich Grauert was a German World War II Luftwaffe general and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross....
's I Fliegerdivision
1st Air Division (Germany)
1. Flieger-Division was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II.-Commanding officers:*Oberst Hugo Sperrle, 1 April 1934*Generalleutnant Ulrich Grauert, 1 July 1938 – 24 October 1939...
, III./Kampfgeschwader 28 (Bomber Wing 28) to bomb Paris. Bad weather had prevented the operation. However, determined to continue with his plans, Sperrle ordered Otto Hoffmann von Waldau
Otto Hoffmann von Waldau
Otto Hoffmann von Waldau was a World War II Luftwaffe general and was killed in an air crash on 17 May 1943.-Awards:* Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class* Wound Badge in Badge...
and Helmuth von Hoffman, Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) of III./KG 28, to plan out an operation named Paula the following day, on 23 May 1940.
The objectives of the operation was broad in its scope. Among the elimination of French airfields and aircraft factories around Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, in von Waldau's words, the bombing was to "achieve a desirable influence on the morale of the capital". German reconnaissance aircraft reported 1,244 aircraft on airfields in and around Paris, including 550–650 single engine aircraft. This force of French air power was to be destroyed along with the aviation factories in the area. French anti aircraft artillery
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
(AAA) defences were mapped from the tactical to operational level and intelligence of French ground defences was therefore good. The operation was due to be carried out on 30 May, but again, bad weather prevented it.
The operation was compromised by poor staff work and excessive confidence in the "invulnerable" Enigma machine
Enigma machine
An Enigma machine is any of a family of related electro-mechanical rotor cipher machines used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages. Enigma was invented by German engineer Arthur Scherbius at the end of World War I...
. The British intelligence, namely Ultra, who had been reading the German codes, forewarned the French. On 30 May ULTRA intercepted a message sent by Grauert discussing the arrangements he was making for his Corps. Adding to this leak, the units involved received incomplete orders for the assault. Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Johann-Volkmar Fisser, Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
(Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
) of KG 77, was given incomplete orders about the target and complained. He asked the Headquarters of VIII Fliegerkorps
8th Air Corps (Germany)
VIII. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 19 July 1939 in Oppeln as Fliegerführer z.b.V. The abbreviation z.b.V. is German and stands for zur besonderen Verwendung . Fliegerführer z.b.V was renamed to VIII. Fliegerkorps on 10 November 1939...
only to be told it was "Paris". Sperrle responded to his request by removing KG 77 from the order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
. The British intercepted Frisser's request to VIII Fliegerkorps, who then passed it to the French. The French had intercepted similar messages and in response they doubled their aircraft strength to 120 fighters.
German
Units from both Luftflotte 2Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
and Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on September 26, 1944...
(Air Fleet 1 and 2) were made available for the operation. Kampfgeschwader
Kampfgeschwader
Kampfgeschwader were specialized bomber units in the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I and the Luftwaffe during World War II.- In World War I :...
(Bomber Wings) and Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wings) with aircraft from Lehrgeschwader 1
Lehrgeschwader 1
Lehrgeschwader 1 formerly Lehrgeschwader Greifswald was a Luftwaffe multi-purpose unit during World War II, operating fighter, bomber and dive-bomber Gruppen. The unit was formed in July 1936...
, (LG 1), Kampfgeschwader 1
Kampfgeschwader 1
Kampfgeschwader 1 was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during the Second World War. Heinkel He 111 and later Heinkel He 177 bombers.-History:...
(KG 1), Kampfgeschwader 2
Kampfgeschwader 2
Kampfgeschwader 2 " Holzhammer " was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during the Second World War. The unit was formed in May 1939. The unit operated the Dornier Do 17 light bomber, Dornier Do 217 and Junkers Ju 188 heavy bombers....
(KG 2), Kampfgeschwader 3
Kampfgeschwader 3
Kampfgeschwader 3 "Blitz" was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II .Its units participated on all of the fronts in the European Theatre until it was disbanded in September-October 1944...
(KG 3), Kampfgeschwader 4
Kampfgeschwader 4
Kampfgeschwader 4 "General Wever" was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during World War II. The unit was formed in May 1939. The unit operated the Dornier Do 17, Junkers Ju 88 and Heinkel He 111 medium bombers, with later service on the Heinkel He 177 heavy bomber...
(KG 4), Kampfgeschwader 54
Kampfgeschwader 54
Kampfgeschwader 54 "Totenkopf" was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II .Its units participated on all of the fronts in the European Theatre until it was disbanded in May 1945. It operated two of the major German bomber types; the Heinkel He 111 and the Junkers Ju 88...
(KG 54) and Kampfgeschwader 55
Kampfgeschwader 55
Kampfgeschwader 55 "Greif" was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during World War II. The unit was one of the most famous in the Luftwaffe. The Heinkel He111 medium bomber was the standard bomber for this unit from its conception through to the last days of the war.- History :On 1 April 1934 a unit called...
(KG 55), escorted by fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
from Jagdgeschwader 2
Jagdgeschwader 2
Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" was a World War II Luftwaffe wing. It was named after World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen.-History:...
(JG 2), Jagdgeschwader 26
Jagdgeschwader 26
Jagdgeschwader 26 Schlageter was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated mainly in Western Europe against Great Britain, France the United States but also saw service against Russia. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran and Freikorps member arrested and...
(JG 26), Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika was a World War II Luftwaffe Geschwader. It was most famous for service in the North African Campaign, supporting the Deutsches Afrikakorps.- Formation:...
(JG 27), Jagdgeschwader 53
Jagdgeschwader 53
Jagdgeschwader 53 Pik-As was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated in Western Europe and in the Mediterranean.Jagdgeschwader 53 - or as it was better known, the "Pik As" Geschwader - was one of the oldest German fighter units of World War II with its origins going back to 1937...
(JG 53), Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2) and Zerstörergeschwader 76
Zerstörergeschwader 76
Zerstörergeschwader 76 or ZG 76 was a Luftwaffe heavy/destroyer Fighter Aircraft-wing of World War II.-History:...
(ZG 76) were to carry out the attack.
KG 1, ZG 76 and LG 1 were under the command of I. Fliegerkorps
1st Air Corps (Germany)
I. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Cologne from the 1. Flieger-Division. The Corps was also known as Luftwaffenkommando Don between 26 August 1942 until 17 February 1943. It was transformed to the 18...
. ZG 2, KG 3 and II./KG 2 were under the command of II. Fliegerkorps
2nd Air Corps (Germany)
II. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Frankfurt am Main from the 2. Flieger-Division. The Corps was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations on 15 November 1941...
. KG 55 and III./KG 54 were under IV. Fliegerkorps
4th Air Corps (Germany)
IV. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Düsseldorf from the 4. Flieger-Division...
. KG 51 served under V. Fliegerkorps
5th Air Corps (Germany)
V. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Gersthofen from the 5. Flieger-Division. The Corps was transferred to Brussels on 30 November 1941 with the intention to transform it into a mine laying corps...
. KG 4 and JG 26 were under the command of the IX. Fliegerdivision
9th Air Division (Germany)
9. Flieger-Division was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. The division was founded on 1 February 1940 in Jever and initially subordinated to the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe . On 23 May 1940 the division was subordinated to the Luftflotte 2 and transferred to...
. JG 2 and JG 27 were under the command of VIII. Fliegerkorps
8th Air Corps (Germany)
VIII. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 19 July 1939 in Oppeln as Fliegerführer z.b.V. The abbreviation z.b.V. is German and stands for zur besonderen Verwendung . Fliegerführer z.b.V was renamed to VIII. Fliegerkorps on 10 November 1939...
. Jagdfliegerführer 3
Jagdfliegerführer 3
Jagdfliegerführer 3 was formed December 21, 1939 in Wiesbaden. On September 6, 1943 redesignated Jagdfliegerführer 5, reformed again on December 27, 1943, but was disbanded in January 1944...
lent JG 53 for the operation.
Stab. and I./KG 2 moved to Trier-Euren for assault. I./KG 2 operated from Wengerohr, III./KG 2 meanwhile was to operate from Kirchenburg. Stab. KG 55 operated from Schwabisch. I., II., III./KG 55 operated from Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
and Eutingen respectively. KG 3's, I., II., and III., Gruppe were based at Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is a city in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not considered part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is the administrative seat.Aschaffenburg is known as the Tor zum Spessart or "gate to the Spessart"...
, Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
and Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
. These units were based at unknown French bases by the 3 June. KG 4 and its units were based at Gütersloh
Gütersloh
Gütersloh is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a district of the same name and has a population of 96,320 people.- Geography :...
, Fassberg
Faßberg Air Base
Faßberg Air Base is located 2 km northeast of the municipality of Faßberg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The air base is jointly used by the German Army and the German Air Force . Its main user is the German Army Aviation Corps.- History :An airfield was established in 1934...
and Delmenhorst
Delmenhorst
Delmenhorst is an urban district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of 74,500 and is located 10 km/6 miles west of downtown Bremen with which it forms a contiguous urban area, whereas the city of Oldenburg is 25 km/15 miles to the northwest. The city has a total area of 62.36 km²...
. It is likely that some of KG 3's units moved to bases near Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, for the attack. KG 1's I., II., III., Gruppe were based at Giessen, Kirtorf
Kirtorf
Kirtorf is a town in the northern Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, Germany. Through the town runs the Deutsche Märchenstraße, or German Fairytale Road, a touristic route joining many of the places commonly associated with the Brothers Grimm's tales.-Geography:...
and Ettinghausen
Ettinghausen, Germany
Ettinghausen is an Ortsgemeinde – a community belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde – in the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.-Location:The community lies in the Westerwald between Montabaur and Hachenburg...
. It likely that some of these units moved into captured French airfields by the 3 June. It is possible they were based at Rosières-en-Santerre
Rosières-en-Santerre
Rosières-en-Santerre is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated some southeast of Amiens, at the junction of the D28 and D329 roadsnext to the Mcdonalds-Population:-Places of interest:...
. Only I./KG 54 took part in the raid from the Geschwader (Wing). KG 54 was probably located in somewhere in northern France on 3 June. It was originally based at Köln-Ostheim
KOLN
KOLN, digital channel 10, is the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. It operates a satellite station, KGIN, on digital channel 11 in Grand Island. KGIN repeats all KOLN programming, but airs separate commercials...
. The fighter units were based at the following airfields: Abbeville
Abbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
(ZG 76); Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Neufchâteau, Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
(ZG 2); Le Touquet, La Capelle
La Capelle
La Capelle is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Etaples
Étaples
Étaples or Étaples-sur-Mer is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is a fishing and leisure port on the Canche river.There is a separate commune named Staple, Nord.-History:...
(JG 26); Couvron, Oulchy-le-Chateau
Oulchy-le-Château
Oulchy-le-Château is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Geography:The town is located about from Paris, between Soissons to the north and Château-Thierry to the south. It is directly accessible by highway.-History:...
, (JG 2); Guise
Guise
Guise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
(JG 27); Epernay
Épernay
Épernay is a commune in the Marne department in northern France. Épernay is located some 130 km north-east of Paris on the main line of the Eastern railway to Strasbourg...
, Douzy
Douzy
Douzy is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:...
, Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...
, La Selve
La Selve, Aisne
La Selve is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-References:*...
(JG 53).
KG 2 put up 99 bombers for the raid and KG 55 committed 66 bombers from their three Gruppen. Altogether the Luftwaffe fielded 640 bombers 460 fighters in total from the above units.
French
Tasked with the defence of the greater Paris area, the Zone d'Opérations Aériennes Nord or Z.O.A.N (Northern Zone of Air Operations). Groupe de Chasse (C.G) I/145 (Polish) armed with Caudron C.714Caudron C.714
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Belcarz, Bartłomiej. GC 1/145 in France 1940. Sandomierz, Poland/Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2002. ISBN 83-917178-1-X....
fighters were based at Dreux
Dreux
Dreux is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-History:Dreux was known in ancient times as Durocassium, the capital of the Durocasses Celtic tribe. Despite the legend, its name was not related with Druids. The Romans established here a fortified camp known as Castrum...
. G.C. I/1 with Bloch MB.152
Bloch MB.150
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Belcarz, Bartłomiej. Morane MS 406C1, Caudron Cyclone CR 714C1, Bloch MB 151/152 , Sandomierz, Poland: Stratus, 2004. ISBN 83-89450-21-6. About the use of the MB.151/152 by Polish Pilots of the Armée de l'Air.* Breffort, Dominique and André Jouineau...
s were based at Chantilly
Chantilly, Oise
Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
-Les Aigles. G.C. II/1 Bloch 152s were deployed to Brétigny-sur-Orge
Brétigny-sur-Orge
Brétigny-sur-Orge is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Transport:Brétigny-sur-Orge is served by Brétigny station on Paris RER line C.Inhabitants of Brétigny-sur-Orge are known as Brétignolais....
airfield. G.C. II/10 Bloch 152s were located at Bernay-en-Ponthieu
Bernay-en-Ponthieu
Bernay-en-Ponthieu is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated on the N1 road, next to the A16 autoroute, some north of Abbeville.-Population:-External links:* *...
, while G.C. III/10 Bloch 152s were based at Deauville
Deauville
Deauville is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.With its racecourse, harbour, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and...
. More fighter units operating the Dewoitine D.520
Dewoitine D.520
The Dewoitine D.520 was a French fighter aircraft that entered service in early 1940, shortly after the opening of World War II. Unlike the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, which was at that time the Armée de l'Airs most numerous fighter, the Dewoitine D.520 came close to being a match for the latest...
are also listed on the order of battle: G.C. I/3 at Meaux
Meaux
Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located east-northeast from the center of Paris. Meaux is a sub-prefecture of the department and the seat of an arondissement...
–Esbly
Esbly
Esbly is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
, G.C. II/3 at La Ferté-sur-Chiers
La Ferté-sur-Chiers
La Ferté-sur-Chiers is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
–Gaucher, G.C. III/3 with the D.520 and Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
The M.S.406 was a French Armée de l'Air fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II....
at Illiers-l'Évêque
Illiers-l'Évêque
Illiers-l'Évêque is a commune in the Eure department in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
. Further units were located along the line. G.C. I/4 with Curtiss H-75s at Evreux-Fauville, G.C. II/4 Curtiss H-75 at Orconte, G.C. I/6 Morane 406s at Lognes
Lognes
Lognes is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France from the center of Paris....
-Emerainville
Émerainville
Émerainville is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne département in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:** * *...
, G.C. III/7 (Morane 406s) at Coulommiers
Coulommiers
Coulommiers is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is also the name of a cheese of the Brie family produced in and around that city.-Twin towns:Coulommiers was twinned with Leighton Buzzard in 1958...
, G.C. I/8 Bloch 152s at Claye-Souilly
Claye-Souilly
Claye-Souilly is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-People:*Jules de Poliganc was born here in 1745. He was the husband of Madame de Polignac, friend of Marie Antoinette*Mancini family...
, and G.C. II/9 Bloch 152s at Connantre
Connantre
Connantre is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France....
. These units were supported by night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
units, (Groupement de Chasse de Nuit, Night Hunting Group), E.C.M.J. 1/16, E.C.N. 1/13, 2/13, 3/13 and 4/13 equipped with the Potez 631
Potez 630
The Potez 630 and its derivatives were a family of twin-engined aircraft developed for the Armée de l'Air in the late 1930s. The design was a contemporary of the British Bristol Blenheim and the German Messerschmitt Bf 110.-Design and development :...
. All in all, these groups totalled 240 aircraft. Only 120 fighters were made available to counter German attacks.
The battle
On 3 June, the French units were warned an hour before the German bombers took off, but owing to equally poor staff work, few French Squadrons heard the scrambleScrambling (military)
In military aviation scrambling or a scramble is the act of quickly getting fighter aircraft airborne to intercept hostile aircraft.-Historical use:...
signal when it was radioed from the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
and some were caught on the ground. In the end, only 80 took off to intercept the incoming German formations. German progress was monitored by shadowing Potez 631s, one of which was shot down. The Germans would copy this tactic when intercepting United States Army Air Force (USAAF) heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
s during the Defence of the Reich campaign. Along with French AAA defences, the fighters shot down 10 German aircraft, including four bombers. One of these machines was piloted by Geschwaderkommodore of KG 51, Josef Kammhuber
Josef Kammhuber
Josef Kammhuber was a Career Officer in the German Air Force, and is best known as the first General of the Night Fighters in the Luftwaffe during World War II...
, who was wounded in action
Wounded in action
Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
and then taken as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Kammhuber would be released after the French surrender. He was replaced as Geschwaderkommodore of KG 51 by Fisser, commander of KG 77. Fisser was killed two months later leading KG 51 during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, inadvertently saving Kammhuber's life. Jagdfliegerführer 3
Jagdfliegerführer 3
Jagdfliegerführer 3 was formed December 21, 1939 in Wiesbaden. On September 6, 1943 redesignated Jagdfliegerführer 5, reformed again on December 27, 1943, but was disbanded in January 1944...
(Fighter Flying Leader 3) Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Gerd von Massow was also shot down. He was replaced by Oberst Werner Junck
Werner Junck
Werner Junck was a German World War II Luftwaffe Generalleutnant and the one time commander of Fliegerführer Irak...
, until the formers release by German forces on 12 June 1940. German formations attacked 28 railways and Marshalling yard centres. All damage inflicted was light. None were out of action for more than 24 hours.
Most of the German bombers had passed over and had an altitude advantage over French fighters trying to gain height to intercept. Skirmishes were few and far between, but some French units suffered heavy losses. For the attack, the Germans had used the new C-250 Flammbombe (Flame Bomb) which had only been cleared for use 24 hours earlier. The incendiary bomb did some damage to hangars and parked aircraft.
Aftermath
The Germans believed they had struck a mortal blow against the ALA. German post-operation analysis indicated a resounding success. It suggested a long list of wrecked French factories and destroyed aircraft on the ground and in the air. The Germans claimed to have destroyed 75 French aircraft in the air and 400 on the ground. Such was the perceived success, the Luftwaffe concentrated against ports on the northern French coast thereafter. The damage inflicted by the Luftwaffe was far less than the Germans thought. Only 20 French aircraft (16 of them fighters) were destroyed on the ground and 15 of their fighters were shot down in aerial combat, a loss rate of 19 percent, suggesting German over claimingConfirmation and overclaiming of aerial victories
In aerial warfare, the term overclaiming describes a combatant that claims the destruction of more enemy aircraft than actually achieved...
of over 4:1 in the air and 16:1 on the ground. Six of the 16 airfields hit reported serious damage, while 15 factories reported slight damage. French casualties on the ground were heavy. French casualties included 254 dead and 652 injured. The French shot down 10 German aircraft, including four bombers. They claimed 16, suggesting mutual over claiming. A further 21 vehicles were destroyed. All the French airfields were back in operation 48 hours later.
Although the operation failed to achieve its goals, the first phase of the German invasion, Operation Yellow, had stripped the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
of its finest formations. The French forces holding the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
line were mostly reserve divisions of poorer quality and unsupported by heavy artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, tanks or motorised infantry. The failure of the German air operation did not prevent the German Army (Heer
Heer
Heer is German for "army". Generally, its use as "army" is not restricted to any particular country, so "das britische Heer" would mean "the British army".However, more specifically it can refer to:*An army of Germany:...
) from defeating the French in June 1940, or the Luftwaffe in gaining air supremacy
Air supremacy
Air supremacy is the complete dominance of the air power of one side's air forces over the other side's, during a military campaign. It is the most favorable state of control of the air...
at the beginning of Fall Rot. The main reason for German superiority in the air was the poor state of French air units' operational readiness. The Luftwaffe had a smaller margin of numerical superiority over the ALA at the start of Fall Rot as the French aviation industry was starting to reach full potential in production. Some 2,000 French aircraft were available despite the loss of 787 aircraft (473 fighters, 120 bombers and 194 reconnaissance aircraft). The French had 2,086 machines available on 5 June 1940, the first day of Fall Rot. Unfortunately component production did not match the production of airframes. It was slow and poor, and as a result only 599 aircraft (340 fighters and 170 bombers) were serviceable; a rate of just 29 percent. After the opening of the offensive, the Luftwaffe "ran riot" over French air space. Such was the superiority of the Luftwaffe at that point, some units were sent home to Germany to refit. The French collapsed altogether just 22 days later, and on 25 June France capitulated.