Operation: Jubilee, France

Date: 19th August 1942 (Wednesday)

Unit No: 332 (Norwegian) Sqn, 132 Wing, RAF Fighter Command

Type: Spitfire VB

Serial: BL819

Code: AH:?

Base: RAF North Weald, Essex, England

Location: Dieppe, France

Pilot: Sgt. Jan Staubo 725 RNoAF Age 21. PoW No 747 *

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 19th August 1942 twelve (12) Spitfires from the Sqn took-off from RAF Manston at 06:20 hrs as part of the RAF North Weald Wing, led by Wg Cdr. Scott-Malden, to provide air cover to the ships and troops on Operation ‘Jubilee’.

Wg Cdr. Francis David Stephen Scott-Malden 74690 RAFVR, DSO, DFC and Bar, Norwegian War Cross. He survived the war and retired from the RAF as an Air Vice- Marshall. He passed away on the 1st March 2000 in Cambridge.

Operation ‘Jubilee’ or the Dieppe Raid was a disastrous Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, during the WW2. Over 6,050 infantry, predominantly Canadian, supported by a regiment of tanks, were put ashore from a naval force operating under the protection of RAF fighters.

The port was to be captured and held for a short period, to test the feasibility of a landing and to gather intelligence. German coastal defences, port structures and important buildings were to be demolished. The raid was intended to boost Allied morale, demonstrate the commitment of the UK to re-open the Western Front and support the Soviet Union, fighting on the Eastern Front.

The Luftwaffe made a maximum effort against the landing as the RAF had expected, and the RAF lost one-hundred and six (106) aircraft of which at least thirty-two (32) were to Flak or accidents, against forty-eight (48) German losses.

The RN lost thirty-three (33) landing craft and a destroyer. Aerial and naval support was insufficient to enable the ground forces to achieve their objectives. The tanks were trapped on the beach and the infantry was largely prevented from entering the town by obstacles and German fire.

After less than six (6) hours, mounting casualties forced a retreat. Within ten (10) hours, 3,623 of the 6,086 men who landed had been killed, wounded or taken prisoner. 5,000 were Canadians, who suffered a 68% casualty rate, with 3,367 killed, wounded or taken prisoner. The operation was a fiasco in which only one landing force temporarily achieved its objective, and a small amount of military intelligence was gathered.

The Sqn were flying on top cover, 331 (Norwegian) Sqn below and 242 Sqn, below 331 (Norwegian) Sqn. Just north of Dieppe the first enemy aircraft were observed when the Sqn was flying at 6-7000 ft. The enemy aircraft split up in sections of three (3) and four (4) and attacked. Some Sections were detailed to meet them and several dog-fights ensued.

The Sqn continued on to Dieppe and circled the town. Continuous attacks were made by Fw190s and several dog-fights took place. As a result Sgt. Staubo and Sgt. Bergsland were shot down.

Sgt. Per ‘Peter’ Bergsland 373 RNoAF was flying Spitfire VB AB269 AH:D. He baled out and became a PoW at Stalag Luft 3 and was one of the three (3) Great Escapers who made a “Home Run”.

The Sqn claimed three (3) Fw190s destroyed, one (1) Fw190 probably destroyed and four (4) Fw190s damaged.

The Spitfires of Sgt. Jan Staubo and Sgt. Per Bergsland were claimed by Ofw. Josef ‘Sepp’ Wurmheller from 1./JG2 flying a Fw190 A-3. These were his 54th and 55th Abschüsse.

Maj. Josef ‘Sepp’ Wurmheller was KiA on the 22nd June 1944 at Alencon, France when his Fw190 was shot down by Fg Off. J.W. Fleming from 441 (Silver Fox) RCAF, Sqn. Maj. Wurmheller was credited with one-hundred and three (103) confirmed Abschüsse and four (4) unconfirmed from 300 sorties. (Luftwaffe ACES - Biographies and Victory Claims (Mathews and Foreman) - Volume 4);

Fg Off. John Wallis Fleming J25138 was shot down 8 days later, on the 30th June 1944, by an Fw190 near Flers whilst flying Spitfire IX MK737 9G:? He became PoW No. 4703 at Stalag Luft 1. Previously he had claimed 1/3 of a Fw190 on the 25th April 1944 and the one (1) Fw190 on the 22nd June 1944.

After baling out he was immediately captured. It appears that he made an attempt to escape and was shot being hit in the right Lung. On the 22nd August 1942 he was admitted to XIIF, Saint-Julien (Julianne) Hospital north of Metz where he remained for between 5 to 6 weeks.

No information regarding this hospital has been found.

In early October 1942 he was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel for the statutory solitary confinement and interrogation after which he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia. Whilst here it is believed that he was promoted to Løytnant (2nd Ltn).

On the 12th July 1943 he and a Flt Lt. Hill escaped over the wire at 21:00 hrs. They had bribed one sentry to look the other way and the attention of the other sentries was diverted by other PoWs. The bribed sentry lost his nerve and fired a warning shot and they were captured in the woods by other sentries.

Flt Lt. Geoffrey Hill 61046 RAF. PoW No. 405, Oflag O4C ‘Colditz’. His 65 (East India) Squadron Spitfire IIA P7665 YT:L was shot down by a Bf109 on a Circus 3 near St. Omer on the 5th February 1941.

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 26 km (16 mls) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the West in Germany. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the March. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 15 cm (6 in) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 55 km (34 mls) march, the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 26 km (16 mls) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages. On the 2nd February 1945 he was amongst the PoWs from the West Compound were sent to Stalag 3A, Luckenwalde.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army. Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated. Løytnant (2nd Ltn) Staubo was interviewed on the 9th May 1945.

Jan Staubo was born on the 28th September 1920 in Kristiania, Norway. During the WW2 he fought in the Norwegian Campaign and was later joined the RAF. Jan passed away in June 2003 in Staubø, Norway.

Burial details:

None – Survived

Researched by Ralph Snape from Aircrew Remembered as dedicated to this Pilot and his family (May 2025).

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