Paul Zorner
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Paul Zorner's own description of the kill 17th January 1943 (in Norwegian)
8th October, 2002
Hallo Mr. Rustad,
I got from Mr. Saintes your email-adress and he informed me of your wish to contact me. Please do so! I expect your email.
Till then, Paul Zorner.
9th October, 2002
Dear Mr. Paul Zorner!
Thank you very, very much to let me contact you!
For the last years I have been interested in the circumstances that made my uncle Bjørn Håkon Næss (my mothers oldest brother) write his diary from WW2. His diary starts the 5th of January 1941 when he leaves his home in Elverum, Norway to join the allied forces and ends the 13th of January 1943 as a bomber pilot in 76. Squadron, 4 Group, RAF. In the official records his missing in action on his 10th obs. after a bomber raid to Berlin on the 17th of January 1943 is denoted as "Lost without trace". He was the first of the Norwegian bomber pilots who was missing in action, but there were more to come. Of the 14 Norwegian pilots in 76 Squadron during the war there were only three who survived. At the time my uncle was missing the chance to survive the 30 obs. was about 17%.
I have been talking to some of the veteran bomber pilots from Norway, all of them good friends of my uncle, and the collected material together with his diary and the photos from his album have resulted in a book that I have printed in a very limited number.
One of the veterans, Carl Ludvig Larsen, have taken the struggle to investigate the fate of all the Norwegian bombers that were missing, and through his contact in British Intelligence, he got the following conclusion on what happened to my uncle: "The subsequent fate of Captain B. Naess RNAF and his crew has never been established, but a German source suggests his Halifax may have been intercepted by Oberleutnant Zorner some 45 kilometers northwest of Juist island, and sent down to crash into the North Sea." I am pretty sure that your first victory was my uncles Halifax, that night three Halifaxes were missing, and the fate of the other two is well known. So, if you are sure it was a Halifax, it must have been my uncle.
After having finished my book in late 1999, I have for some time been very busy with other matters. But in the beginning of August, I took up the loose ends and searched for Zorner on the web, and was very surprised to get a lot of hits. Last week I got a beautiful reproduction of a painting of one of your victories over Berlin in late 1944 signed by you. The painting already have got a proper place on my wall, and is a fine piece of art that, as far as I can understand (I am born in 1948), comprise the horror of the night sky battles that you and my uncle was a part of. I have also recently received the book "Hunters of the Reich - The night fighters" where I have been reading your biography with great eager, it was most interesting also to get a picture of what happened on "the other side".
I am astonished to reach so far in so short time after having been struggling for some years to reach as far to the bottom of the story in my uncles diaries as possible. I feel now that I am near the end - as you perhaps understand, my ultimate wish is to get the whole story what happened that night of 17th of January 1943. Can you please tell me what you remember other than what you describe in the book "Hunters of the Reich". As you tell in the book, you first had two missing attacks on the Halifax - did they at all know that they were attacked? I have read some other stories about this; in spite of several attacks the bomber obviously did not discover it as they did not take any evasive action to escape. As far as I have read, attacking only 20 m behind the plane was a bit unusual, was the rear gunner out of function after the first two attacks?
Carl Larsen told me that my uncle probably must have had some trouble before he was intercepted by you, as the track home was a bit unusual, he was obviously taking the shortest way home, Juist is almost on the straight line from Berlin to Linton on Ous in York, England where his Squadron was located. He should have taken a track over Denmark on his return, the same as he had used to Berlin. Did you see any sign of possible trouble? And was it not usual to use a much higher altitude than 3200 m on the return for home - without bombs? 11.8% of all the bombers (24 aircrafts) were missing that night - I have spotted the missings that are known on a map, and have found that the place of your victory was a little bit unusual relative to the others.
As this was your first victory, I have the hope that you perhaps remember it especially well and I will be very grateful for all the details that you may offer!!
All the best wishes
Pål Rustad
Dear Mr. Paul Zorner!
I forgot to give you the address to my web site with most of what I have collected about my uncle. I'm sorry this in Norwegian, but anyhow...
I also attach a picture of my uncle.
I'm waiting in great anticipation for your comments!
Best wishes
Pål Rustad
11th October 2002
Dear Mr. Rustad,
your fast reaction in my email - in the same night - was a surprise for me. But I understand your effort at getting a clearing-up of the last point of your uncle's fate. I hope to be able to give you that clearing-up though the occurrence happened nearly 59 years ago and my English isn't so good. That means I'm running the risk of a wrong memory and of misunderstanding of my words.
By means of my old papers I can say:
You read the book from David Williams. Then you know I was stationed in Grove till early December 1942, flying there the Do 217. Then I was posted to the 2./NJG 3 in Wittmundhafen, which was equipped with Do 217 too. But I didn't like that aircraft. So my boss gave my a Me 110. I got that aircraft on 6. January and till 17. January I made only six take-offs with for getting known the machine, but no mission. On that evening now I wanted to do the first mission with. As you know the RAF flew far in North to Berlin, the attack was already over and I was disappointed because my comrades in Grove contacted the bombers and I could only wait. My take-off in Wittmundhafen was at 20:20 o'clock. When I remember good the night was clear and without moonlight. I turned my circles around the transmitting station at the island Juist during the RAF-bombers flew home far in North after her attack against Berlin. But suddenly at about 21:45 o'clock my fighter control officer gave me the message, that an only bomber flew far south of the other with course west, perhaps he would come into the working range of our ground radar. Two minutes later he said he would try to guide me to the target though it flew in a distance from more than 50 km from the station. The normal working range of the ground radar was only 30 km. He gave me the instruction to fly to north-east but because of the big distance he couldn't give me the level of the target. Later he gave me as course North and as level about 3000 m and said the target is coming from right. I went down at 3000 m and saw at once a little black point in front of me and a little higher. It was 21:53 o'clock. And then all went very fast. I climbed and turned to the bigger becoming target, saw an aircraft with four engines, turned to left and was about 150 m behind him and a little lower.
Williams writes about two unsuccessful attacks. That's not exact. I s h o t twice but didn't see a result. And the bomber flew quietly further. In the meantime still I flew only about 20 m below and a little after him. And now I climbed fast, shot a long burst of fire and let the bomber fly with the left wing through the sheaf of fire. The wing begun to burn immediately. The bomber went in a spiral to left for about three seconds and begun to tumble vertically then. At 21:54 he crashed into the sea. Whole the action lasted less than three minutes for me from seeing the target till the crash and less than a minute from my first burst of fire till the blazing up of the fire in the bomber's wing.
You ask other questions too. I couldn't establish any trouble on the Halifax. On the other side you are right, it is understandable why the bomber flew so far south and only 3200 m high. I think the crew of your uncle was feeling sure already and still didn't expect an attack. It may be too they didn't notice the shelling immediately and later they had no time to react. All went very very fast. For me all went very fast too! And later I never shot on so short distance. But having read my report you will understand the situation. All is more understandable if you don't think about too missing attacks but about three bursts of fire in less than one minute only. I hope I could give you any important informations!
If you have more questions please send an email!
With regards, Paul Zorner.
13th October, 2002
Dear Mr. Rustad,
unfortunately I fetched that email first yesterday evening. That means after sending my email from 11.Oct 20:37 to you. But I printed it inclusive of the picture of your uncle.
Your uncle seems to be been a very sympathetic man. And I can imagine under other circumstances I were becoming good friend with him so as my wife and I became good friends with an English married couple the man from I shot down on 21. December 43, ten days before the both would marry. But he came in captivity, survived the war and the both could marry 1945 first after his return to home. And when we met the two later I always got to hear from the lady: "You are guilty why we aren't married so long as you!" My wife and I married three months earlier in 1943 than they would.
But when was born your uncle? I think he was a little older than I was? And was he married? The world is crazy. Why had your uncle to bomb our towns and why had I to try to prevent that? Why couldn't we both go skiing together f.i.? But is the world better today? Sure, we must not be afraid of a war in Europe, but what could come from outside? The policy of the American president against Sadam Hussein is contested, but how would look the world today without the appeasement of the western politicians against Hitler 1937/38? But still perhaps we had then a colonial rule!
Enough for now. I can't change the world and you can't do too!
Best greetings.
Paul Zorner.
14th October 2002
Dear Paul Zorner.
Thank you for your kind and detailed answer!
I am impressed how your generation that participated in the war can recollect all details of what happened at that time, but I suppose the extreme conditions etches the memory, for many to such a degree that many of the survivors of the war have had great difficulties with their post-war life. For instance, many of the Norwegian war sailors have had a ruined life after the war. I am glad that I did not have to experience it! In crisis the best and the worst parts of all of us shows, an I have the deepest respect for those who, with such high odds against them still had the guts to carry on with their duty to the benefit of all of us.
In my efforts to understand my uncles history, I have been able to get together with some of the former generals in Norway who are war veterans from the Air Force, discussing the defence efforts of our country now relative to the pre war efforts (which was almost nonexistent). They are not happy with the situation - after 11. September we have got a clear warning of what might happen if we are not prepared to struggle for our freedom. I agree with you that we have to set limits to what is tolerable.
My uncle was born in 1912 and married a couple of years before the war. His wife remarried after the war, but died a couple of years ago. My mother (Bjørn's sister) and I visited her about a year before that to make her recollect the life together with Bjørn, but her memory was very bad at that time. But I gave her Bjørns diary from the war, and I was told in the funeral by a relative of hers that often visited her and her husband, that she always was reading the diary to such an extent that they had to hide it away.
At the beginning of the war Bjørn was located a bit north of Trondheim, he participated in the war in Norway all the way and was also in Finland in an effort to start a training school for the Air Force. When he went home in June 1940, his fathers butcher store was bombed to ruins, and 13 people died in the cellar.
Bjørn was in his 30th year when he was lost. His navigator was also a Norwegian, Bjarne Indseth - I have been in contact with his nephew and gave him a hard time in searching for his uncles diary from the war (Bjørn writes in his diary that they once sat together writing their diaries) but to no avail. I still have the hope to get it!
It is funny you should mention skiing, my uncle loved to ski in his teen years and I am sure you two would have been good friends!
Perhaps you have heard of Leonard Cheshire, Bjørn's Squadron leader at the time he was missing (a very well known bomber pilot in England, holder of the VC)? He writes about Bjørn to the Royal Norwegian Air Force ministry in England after Bjørn was missing in action:
"It is many things that I want to say, but I really don't know how to start. I think you know my opinion about Næss and Indseth so it is not necessary to tell you that. Næss was one of the few men that really could be regarded as exceptional. Besides his excellent skill and strength, he had the ability to make all the men he cooperated with to trust him and had also the strength to bring forward a high standard in cooperation and work. Indseth perhaps had not the strong personality compared to Næss, but anyhow, he was a master in his work and showed excellent eager and dutiful work. I can assure you my dear Motzfeldt, that the loss of these two men is a very hard stroke for us. Perhaps I some time will be able to contact their relatives in Norway. If this possibility should show up, I would be most grateful if you can tell me how to proceed.
....
Yours sincerely
Leonard Cheshire
Wing Commander Commanding
No 76 Squadron, R.A.F."
I was a bit nervous to let my mother read your words (I wrote down the translation) and she said it was not easy for her - but of course - both of you struggled for your country as we all should do! She intended to call her brother, but on second thought she postponed that to a later occasion.
I have been asked to write down my uncles story for a local history book, and will be happy to do so - the latest progression in the story will be the crown of the work. So as you can understand - I am most grateful to you for your kind help to finish the story - I know both of Bjørns still living siblings are thankful that his destiny at last is cleared up!
I have a couple of questions more for you - perhaps it is better to ask some of the bomber pilots that I know, but anyhow: I know it was a dead zone under and behind the bomber where it was very difficult for the rear gunner to locate anything - do you think that it was possible for the rear gunner to see you - did you see the rear gunner from your aircraft? As you say, you anticipate that the crew did not expect an attack, but wasn't that far too soon - I have read that many of the Bombers was shot down by German fighters over England on their return home?
I attach a picture from about 1926 that shows some of his family: Bjørn is the top right, and his grandmother beside him, my mother is to the bottom left, and his two brothers in the bottom right.
I hope I can contact you again if something appears, until then..
All the best wishes
Pål Rustad
27th October 2002
Dear Mr. Rustad,
thank you for your long and for me very interesting report about the life of your uncle. All what you write is reason more for standing up for the peace. But how to do that in view of the last development of the situation in the world with the terrorism?
In your email you ask anything at the end.
It is correct there was a dead zone under and behind the bombers of the RAF. The US-Liberators f.i.. still had guns shooting to below. They had a rear gunner and a "bottom gunner" too. The English bombers didn't have such one. And it was really difficulty for the rear gunner in a Halifax to discover an aircraft attacking from below when the weather conditions were disadvantageous for. Our aircrafts were painted in a screening colour, a camouflage painting making they nearly invisible under special visibilities. And a night fighter pilot knowing these conditions and able to use these could nearly always approach the bombers without to be discovered. There was nearly always a direction in the sky wherefrom he could approach like a Red Indian his booty. And that direction was not always from below. But I myself got that experience first later. You know the downing of your uncle was my first one and then I hadn't that experience jet.
I wrote "...the crew...was feeling sure..." and you ask now "...but wasn't that far too soon..." In fact it was too soon but understandable too. The bomber of your uncle flew far away over the sea. Normally wasn't to expect an attack so far away from the coast. And I wrote the bomber "flew in a distance from more than 50 km from the station. The normal working range ... was only 30 km." But the control officer in the ground station Juist was very very experienced and tried to conduct me to the target in spite of the big distance. And he had success. An other control officer hadn't had success likely.
"...did you see the rear gunner from your aircraft?" No, that was not possible. We saw of course the rear turret but not the man in the turret. You write further: "... many of the bombers was shot down...over England... That's right but not more in that time. Till Augustus/September 1942 German Night fighters flew Fernnachtjagd "Far Night Fighting" over England from out Gilze Rijn in Netherlands. But it was stopped then. I didn't do so more. But still an other remark. You asked earlier of I saw any sign of trouble and I answered no, I didn't. But what could been possible: the bomber of your uncle had a damage in the radio equipment and they couldn't take bearings to their home base. That would explain why they flew so far south. And when you assume they tried getting orientation by studying the map of the earth below then is it understandable that they flew so deep.
Thank you for the picture of the family of your uncle. It's really very sad what the European people had to suffer in the past. But we have the hope it will never more happen in the future. The people elsewhere in the world can't have that hope yet.
You intend to write your uncles story for a local history book. "I am most grateful to you ...to finish the story..." I would be more lucky when there was no reason to get that gratitude. But I believe it is important for Björns siblings to know his end and to know it was going very fast and without big aches for him and his comrades.
I want to conclude the letter. If you still have questions please send an email.
My best wishes to your mother and you, Paul Zorner.
29th October 2002
Dear Paul Zorner!
Thank you so much for your kind cooperation! It has been so pleasant to have this conversation with you, and all my hopes have been fulfilled concerning the dark spots in my uncles history.
I have one more question to you - may I put our mail correspondence translated to Norwegian on my web site?
All the best wishes
Pål
31st October 2002
Dear Mr. Rustad, of course you may!
My best wishes for the future! It's a pity, that you live so far away!
Paul Zorner.