Conversation with Heinz Rökke & Jack Bromfield

Conversation with Heinz Rökke & Jack Bromfield

Gives short details of participants mentioning that Heinz Rökke achieved 64 victories with NJG2. Flight Sergeant Jack Bromfield was wireless operator /air gunner with 158 (Halifax) Squadron. Starts with Rökke and Bromfield discussing the latter's crew and asks if still in contact. Briefly discuss Bletchley Park and the Battle of Britain. Rökke describes his service history with operations in 1942 in the Mediterranean theatre. Comments on his first shoot downs of Bomber Command four engine bombers. Talks about radar and his crew. Comments that it was not his target to kill, but to shoot down the aircraft. Jack Bromfield explains why the Halifax was easier to bale out from than the Lancaster. Rökke mentions meeting the only English man to bale out of one of his targets. Bromfield provides comments about his crew mostly being Canadian. Rökke mentions a visit he had from an Australian he had shot down. Bromfield describes his prisoner of war camp and seeing signs for Deipholz. Rökke relates story of landing their single engine after shooting down a Mosquito. Bromfield describes evading after being shot down and being captured. They then describe the escape and evasion of English airmen through France and mentioned that this was not possible for German crews shot down over England. Rökke goes on to describe the German night-fighter control system and operations in detail. Bromfield intersperses with bomber operational details. Mentions 100 Group operations. Bromfield describe 6 Group and Canadian system of operating. They both go on to discuss operations and tactics, decoy sites, anti-aircraft organisation on both sides. Bromfield mentions daylight operations. They discuss schrage-musik, Mosquito and Beaufighter. Rökke tells of of having 5 victories in less than one hour. He and Bromfield go on swapping tales and discussing aircraft, tactics, events and experiences. There are various comments on operations and tactics, Rökke goes back to operation in Mediterranean theatre. Continue discussion on German National Socialism and anti-Semitism. Continues with more discussion on a variety of topics as well as relating combat and operating experiences. Ends with a section on quotes from other account (A Night Fighting Account - written by Heinz Rökke in 2000).

2004-07

Thirty-four page printed document

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