121 BBAP (Bomber Aviation Regiment) SNo 6/157 29.03 1943
A force of five Petlyakov Pe-2 took off for an attack on a German convoy at Syltefjord. Sergeant Jurij Vasiljevitsj Svesnikov's Pe-2 was chased by two Bf 110 of 13.(Z) JG 5 and recived direct hits. His aircraft crashed here at Svartnes. All three on board got killed.Second Lieutenant Nikolai Vasiljevitsj Zabobin. Sergeant Leonid Vladimirovitsj Grjazev. Two Petlyakovs were lost in the attack. Pe-2 SNo 16/141 made a forced landing at Kudalsfjellet. A third Pe-2 crash landed at Kola in Russia.
The Convoy, bound for Kirkenes, was protected by Vp.Bt. 6109 (Nordwind). V 6103. V 6110. V 6112. V 5901. V 5902. V 5903. M 263. and R 55, 57, 89, 90. Air protection was performed by a Ju 88 and a Heinkel 115.
The ships were: D/S Hans Leonhardt, Valencia, Adolf Binder, Irmtraut Corde, Treuenfels, Altenfels, Itauri, Ajax and Klöveren. The convoy was attacked several times.
A Russian U-boat managed to sink "Ajax".
source: Birger Larsen
A Ju 88 was also shot down in the attack. WNr.0881055 Stkz. DH+NT belonged to 1.(F)/124.
Uffz. Bernhard Meixner and his crew (Lt. Max Menzel, BF Obgfr. Georg Beck and BS Obgfr. Engelbert Beck) lost their lives when the aircraft crashed into Persfjord.
Left: hatch from SNo 6/157 found at Votteskaret.
This item and the one below, were removed in 1991