What happened today? Part two.

February 18

1940
- Soviet forces reach the Gulf of Finland, cutting off the Finnish forces at Kovisto.
- During a Führer conference, Adolf Hitler definitely rules that an effort through the Ardennes Forest is neccessary during the western campaign slated for the summer.

1941
- South African forces capture the town of Mega in Abyssinia, taking some 1,000 Italian prisoners.
- The Australian 8th Division arrives in Singapore, further strenghtening the garrison of the fortress.

1942
- General Rommel attempts to persuade Adolf Hitler to send reinforcements to North Africa, outlining the potential importance of the theatre. The campaign in Russia is swallowing up vast amounts of men and materiel however, and only the 15th Parachute Brigade can be spared.
- In the Pacific, Allied forces are performing mass evacuation from Rangoon, following the Japanese successes on the river Billin.

1943
- The Soviet 3rd Guards Tank Army are advancing towards the river Dniepr. After a long advance following the Stalingrad offensives, the Army is down to 110 tanks. The commander, General Rybalko requests a halt for refit, but is refused by the Soviet High Command. Most of the Soviet forces are worn down and in need of rest, repair and refit.
- In North Africa, US forces withdraw from Sbeitla. German forces immideately move in and claim the city. The Germans continue their advance towards Kasserine pass.
- In a speech, Joseph Göbbels urges all Germans to wage total war.
- In Germany, the leaders of the Munich student revolt are sentenced to death.
- In the southwest Pacific, the US 6th Army is declared operational.

1944
- Panzer Regiment "Bake" leaves the positions acquired the previous day and starts a series of retreats, withdrawals and defensive engagements that will continue over the next week, until the regiment is disbanded on February 25.
- In Italy, German forces assaulting the allied beachhead commits the 26th Panzer and 29th Panzergrenadier Division to the attack. Allied artillery pounds the attackers relentlessly, causing casualties and taking the edge off the attack. The German commanders realize the goal of throwing the allied forces into the sea cannot be achieved.

1945
- The US 3rd Army resumes full offensive activity, following the reduced state from February 13.
- Low clouds and rain hampers the aerial preparations for the invasion of Iwo Jima. Bombardment from surface ships continues despite the difficulty of observing targets and results.

 

And finally...

February 19

1940
- Diplomatic activity following the "Altmark incident" continues between Norway, Germany and Britain. Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler orders the planning for "Operation Weserübung", the invasion of Norway and Denmark, accelerated.

1941
- The Luftwaffe performs a concentrated night mission on Swansea, Great Britain, following weeks of scattered raids.
- Japanese sources denounce the arrival of Australian troops in Singapore. They also claim that war with the United States will not happen unless initiated by the United States.

1942
- Japanese carrier-based aircraft bomb Port Darwin, Australia.
- President Roosevelt signs an executive order allowing citizens of Japanese origin to be interned.

1943
- Soviet forces advance and recapture the city of Oboyan, south of Kursk. The railway extending south from Kursk towards Kharkov is cleared of German resistance.
- US surface ships shell suspected Japanese position on Attu island.

1944
- In Italy, the front at Anzio stabilizes as both sides resume normal activity following the failed German attempt at pushing the Allies into the sea.
- During the night, British Bomber Command main force strikes Leipzig in Germany, flying 815 heavy bomber sorties. Losses are 78 bombers, giving a loss rate of 9.6%. The raid is deemed successful.

1945
- Operation "Sonnenwende" grinds to halt after four days. The German forces have found the going slow, making no more than a small dent in the overstretched Soviet lines due to fierce resistance. Despite being an abmysal failure, the German offensive prompts the Stavka to, probably needlessly, postpone their Berlin offensive while the flanks are secured.
- In the Pacific, US forces make first landing on the island of Iwo Jima, facing heavy resistance. The initial landing is composed of the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions.


Phew!

[ 19. February 2003, 08:38 AM: Message edited by: Heartland ]

 

Iwo Jima, yes! The famous picture!

 

Iwo Jima 1945

"Marines of the 5th Division inch their way up a slope on Red Beach No. 1 toward Surbachi Yama as the smoke of the battle drifts about them."

http://www.archives.gov/research_room/research_topics/world_war_2_photos/images/ww2_153.jpg

"Across the litter on Iwo Jima's black sands, Marines of the 4th Division shell Jap positions cleverly concealed back from the beaches. Here, a gun pumps a stream of shells into Jap positions inland on the tiny volcanic island."

http://www.archives.gov/research_room/research_topics/world_war_2_photos/images/ww2_154.jpg



http://40thbombgroup.org/iwo.html



Mount Suribachi / Iwo Jima / Assaulted / 1945

 

'FEB. 20, 1943
Lancaster 'X'
Self, crew & F/Lt Lodge
Testing new bomb sight.
My own !
Very successful
Av. error 150 @ 10,000
3.00 hrs.'

 

February 20

1940
- The Soviet Union claims to have captured the fortress at Kovisto, cut off on January 18. Weary and bloodied Finnish troops defeat a concentrated Soviet attack aimed at forcing a crossing over the river Taipale.
- Further posturing following the "Altmark incident". Neville Chamberlain hints that unless Norway can stop German activity in their waters, Great Britain may be forced to patrol them.
- In continued preparations for "Operation Weserübung", General von Falkenhorst is appointed commander of the German troops in Norway.
- Turkey sends a warning to the Axis - any invasion in the Balkans will prompt them to join the Allies.

1941
- In North Africa, German and British troops bump into each other for the first time, near El Agheila. Minor engagements, mostly with recon detachments result in very minor losses.
- The exiled Norwegian and Dutch governments break off diplomatic relations with Rumania and Bulgaria.

1942
- German losses to frostbite during the Russian campaign has reached some 112,000 cases, with over 14,000 resulting in amputations. The total losses durin the campaign so far runs at almost 200,000 killed and 700,000 wounded. In addition, another 44,000 are missing in action.
- The Demyansk airlift begins. The Soviet winter offensive has created numerous pockets of troops on both sides, with the German 16th Army cut off in the Demyansk area. The initial force used to supply the troops are 40 Junkers Ju-52 transports, but the number is soon increased.
- A group of four submarines from the Italian navy begins operating in the Caribbean.
- Lieutenant Edward O'Hare downs five out of nine Japanese bombers attacking the carrier USS Lexington. Flying an F4F-3 Wildcat fighter, O'Hare accomplishes the kills in around ten minutes.
- President Roosevelt formally announces the decision to relocate Japanese-Americans on the Pacific coast to inland internment camps.

1943
- The Soviet attacks continue to drive a deep salient into the German lines in the Kharkov area. The Red Army recaptures Pavlovgrad and enters Krasnograd.
- In North Africa, British and American troops initially manage to halt the German advance in Tunisia. After fierce battles in the Kasserine Pass, the Germans break through and the US forces pull back.
- Colonel-General Heinz Guderian nominated Inspector-General of Panzer Forces.
- Driving tests at Kummersdorf, Germany, with armoured skirts for tanks. Firing tests are also performed, in which the skirts defeat Soviet 14.5mm anti-tank rifles at 100 meters.
- On this the 25th anniversary of the Red Army, Britain presents the city of Stalingrad with a Sword of Honor.
- The 343rd Bombardment Squadron, flying B-24 Liberator bombers, attack Naples. One bomber, named "Blonde Bomber II", receives damage to two engines and attempts to divert to Malta rather than going back to Tobruk. Lack of fuel and poor navigation results in the B-24 landing on Sicily however. The aircraft is painted in Italian colours until the Germans pressure the Italians into flying it to Germany for evaluation in June.

1944
- During the night, British Bomber Command main force strikes Stuttgart in Germany, flying 586 heavy bomber sorties. Losses are 9 bombers, giving a loss rate of 1.5%. The raid is deemed successful.
- The USAAF begins a series of attacks on vital German aircraft industry targets that is to be known under the name "Big Week". Both the 8th and 15th Air Forces are included in the strikes.
- Norwegian resistance fighters sink a ferry carrying heavy water to German laboratories.

1945
- Since the landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, the US forces in France and Germany have reported the loss of 2,855 Sherman tanks armed with either 75mm or 76mm guns, as well as 124 Shermans with the 105mm gun. Further loss figures for armoured vehicles include 439 M-10, 120 M-18, 72 M-36 and 1,069 light tanks.
- Eisenhower confirms that Montgomery is to attack and receive the bulk of supplies, even if this means 6th and 12th Army Groups will be tied up eliminating pockets of resistance.
- The Canadian 1st Army opens a vehicle bridge across the river Maas.


PS. A bonus brownie will be sent to the first person to point out the mistake I made in my February 16 post...

 

HMS Cossack - The Altmark Incident

On 6th August 1939 the German supply ship Altmark slipped through the English Channel and moved down to the South Atlantic. For the next 3 months she supplied the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee with oil and provisions thus allowing it to continue its forays against merchant shipping. The Altmark also became a prison ship, taking aboard survivors from ships attacked by the Graf Spee. On 13th December 1939 the Graf Spee was found and attacked by the cruisers HMS Eexter, HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles but entered the neutral port of Montivideo to avoid destruction. Altmark remained in the South Atlantic, hove to for some while with engine trouble, and then having completed repairs started the journey back to Hamburg. Keeping clear of all shipping, and with more than a little luck, she eventually crept round Iceland and reached Norwegian waters on 12th February 1940.

At midnight on 13th February 1940 six of His Majesty's Ships, the cruiser HMS Arethusa, and the destroyers HMS Cossack, HMS Sikh, HMS Nubian, HMS Ivanhoe, and HMS Intrepid, sailed from Rosyth to search the waters off the Norwegian coast. The Altmark was hugging the Norwegian coast, staying in neutral waters. Despite being "inspected", but not searched, by Norwegian patrol vessels she continued slowly on her way. Just north of Bergen she was stopped again by the Norwegian destroyer Garm but the Captain of Altmarkrefused to allow a search and was told to leave the area.

The British ships were scattered over a wide area, Captain Vian and HMS Cossack were far to the south investigating the large number of ships in the Leads and among the offshore islands. At 1250 on 16th February 1940 a wireless message was received giving the position of a ship thought to be the Altmark which had been spotted by an aircraft of Coastal Command. With HMS Cossack too far south, Captain Vian ordered HM Ships Intrepid and Ivanhoe to intercept at full speed, covered by the cruiser HMS Arethusa. At 1445 Arethusa reached Altmark and holding a parallel course, with the two destroyers also approaching, the Altmark was ordered to steer west (into international waters). HMS Intrepid ordered Altmark to heave to and fired a shot across her bows but with Norwegian patrol ships hampering the British ships, Altmark slipped into Jøssingfjord.

HMS Cossack arrived at dusk and, after a conference with the Norwegians, who insisted that the Altmark had been searched and nothing found amiss, reported by wireless to the Admiralty and awaited their reply. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Winston Churchill, ordered that Captain Vian was to offer the Norwegians assistance to escort the Altmark back to Bergen to be searched again. If that offer was refused, the Altmark was to be boarded

At 2200 Captain Vian took HMS Cossack into the fjord and then gave the Norwegians the gist of Mr. Churchill's message. They replied that they were unable to co-operate as their ships were too small to force their way through the ice! At 2312, HMS Cossack approached the Altmark and, despite evasive action and an attempt to ram, a boarding party of 3 officers and 30 ratings took her. Four Germans were killed and five wounded in the brisk action. HMS Cossack sailed out of Jøssingfjord at 2355 with 299 merchant seamen who had been released and they were landed at Leith after a fast passage home.

http://www.thefriendsofhmscavalier.org.uk/ships/cav81cc.htm



HMS Cossack returning to Leith in 1940 with rescued British crews from German ship Altmark

 

Big Week was the name given later to the coordinated six-day air offensive (ARGUMENT) launched in February 1944 by RAF Bomber Command and the US Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSTAF) as part of the Combined Bomber Offensive.

USSTAF had been formed under General Spaatz on 1 January 1944. It comprised the Eighth and Ninth US Army Air Forces, based in the UK, and the Fifteenth USAAF which was based in Italy. The previous year Eighth USAAF had suffered heavy losses during raids on Schweinfurt and elsewhere. Consequently, US daylight raids deep into Germany had been suspended until long-range fighters to escort the bombers had been delivered, and good weather made the raids viable.



When both these conditions were met, starting on 20 February 1944, more than 3,800 USSTAF bombers and 2,351 from RAF Bomber Command dropped between them nearly 20,000 tons of bombs on German fighter factories and associated industries, the British at night, the Americans during the day. American losses amounted to 254 aircraft, including 28 fighters, while RAF Bomber Command lost 157. These were heavy losses- Eighth USAAF had a rate of attrition for February which amounted to almost 20%-but Big Week put German fighter production back two months. Its purpose had also been to begin the attrition of German fighter pilots to undermine the Luftwaffe's continuing will to resist. In this Big Week was successful as a precursor to the escorted raids that followed it (see Graphs 1 and 2). From that time the daylight bombing campaign was only partially countered and during the Normandy landings in June 1944 (OVERLORD) only a handful of German aircraft were immediately available to oppose them

http://www.valourandhorror.com/BC/Backg/Big_week.htm

http://www.p47advocates.com/messages/827.html

http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_blakeslee.html

 

SS-Division Totenkopf : During this period, a small but not insignificant unit, the Freikorps Danemark, was attached to the 3rd SS Division. Also during this time, the Fall and Winter of 1941, the Soviets launched a number of operations against the German lines in the Northern sector of the Front. As a result, the Division was encircled for several months in the Demyansk Pocket. The Division suffered so heavily in the Demyansk Pocket that it was renamed as Kampgruppe Eicke because of the losses it sustained. In April of 1942, the Division broke out of the Pocket and managed to reach the area of the Lovat River. A portion of the Division stayed near Demyansk on defensive operations, until the whole Division was pulled out of action for refitting in late October, 1942 and sent to France.

---------

The need for the first airlift operation arose in 1942, when major elements of Eighteenth Army were trapped in the Demyansk pocket and Hitler ordered that they be supplied by air. The First Air Force was given this mission and assigned three groups of Junkers transport planes as well as some cargo gliders to carry it out. The chief supply officer of the air force formed a special air transport staff which, in co-operation with the responsible army agencies, carried out the supply operations in accordance with requests received from the encircled units.

An adequate airstrip was available within the pocket. The surrounding terrain could be used as a parachute drop zone. The enemy territory to be crossed was narrow and fighter cover was available throughout the flight and during the take-off from the airstrip. There were but few days on which the air lift was interrupted by snow storms, the formation of ice, or fog on the ground. Under such favorable circumstances it was not too difficult to maintain the fighting strength of the encircled forces.

On return flights the carrying capacity of the aircraft was taxed to the utmost since they were loaded with sick and wounded, official and soldiers' mail, and sometimes even with scarce materiel in need of repair. Although few planes were lost through enemy action, the rate of attrition from wear and tear was very high, requiring constant replacement of the transport planes. Because of increased demands by other sectors of the front and the low rate of production, it was even necessary to employ training planes in order to fill the gaps that developed.

In addition to regular airlift operations, aerial delivery containers were dropped by bombers to various isolated units which were in immediate need of supply. In round-the-clock flights
the bombers dropped their containers at the lowest possible altitudes despite strongly increased antiaircraft fire. These missions were very costly and put the personnel to a severe test. During February 1942, I Air Corps flew 1,725 bomber sorties in direct support of ground operations and 800 supply missions for the Army; by March the supply missions required 1,104 bomber flights. These figures clearly indicate that great numbers of bombers were diverted from their original purpose and employed in an improvised supply operation.

The Demyansk pocket was eventually relieved and in the opinion of top-level Army experts the air supply operations had been of decisive importance in enabling the encircled forces to hold out.

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/wwii/milimprov/ch07.htm

 

As Kai mentioned the start of some of the most viscious air battles over the Reich, Big Week where German twin engine fighters scored many victories, the 20th alone 6 B-17's and 2 B-24's but yet got their own pants kicked when Bf 110G-2's over 18 of them from 24 sent up to assault B-17's came under attack by P-47's of the 8th A.F. 56th fighter group. III./ZG 26 could not fully form up and they lost 10 shot down and 3 additional at 60 % loss. As to giving a big blow to German industry the US A.F did not, this was only during the heavy battles of the upcoming summer/fall. Incidently the web-sources are wrong about pitilly Luftwaffe forces acting as defence of the Normandy front as more than 14 gruppen, the heaviest bulk of the day fighter units were ordered to defend the French countryside and interior with their lives. The losses were unreal as III./JG 3 for one had only about 7 pilots of its three staffeln make it through the heavy three months of fighting. Fw 190A-8 equipped III./JG 54 also suffered but scored the most against Allied a/c with 100 kills.

20 February 1945 RAF attacks over Dortmund and the Ruhr Gebeit caused losses of 26 RAF bombers from NJG's 1, 2 and 4 with Hauptmann "Nasen" Müller of NJG 11 in his Bf 109G scoring two.

E

 

Thanx Erich for the info, again!

I guess it was sort of "last card on the deck" to put those Bf 110´s to attack in the daylight as Bf 110´s were already back in 1940 seen inferior to enemy single-engine fighters??


From time to time Bf 110G night fighters were used on day operations. They were first employed as close escort to the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau off the Dutch coast and Heligoland Bight, and in the summer of 1943 they fought American day-bomber formations whenever the latter flew unescorted. The Bf 110G groups sustained heavy losses during these actions owing to their pilots, trained in night-fighting tactics, going in close before attacking and being met by the heavy defensive fire of the bombers. They were no match for American fighters escorting American B-17 and B-24 bombers over Berlin.

http://www.kotfsc.com/aircraft/me-110.htm

---------------

Although Big Week cost the Eighth 300 planes (mostly bombers) lost or written off, nearly 10,000 tons of bombs were dropped on the German aircraft industry and ball bearing plants, a greater tonnage than the Eighth had dropped on all targets in 1943. As many as 1,000 complete or nearly complete German aircraft had been destroyed.

In February 1944 alone, the Luftwaffe lost 33 percent of its single-engine fighters and 20 percent of its fighter pilots, including several fliers who were credited with more than 100 victories. In the first four months of 1944 it had lost 1,684 fighter pilots. Their replacements would be unskilled youths thrust into combat against experienced American pilots.

http://history1900s.about.com/library/prm/bloperationpointblank4.htm

 

For its part in The Big Week, the 353rd gave penetration and withdrawal support for missions on the 20th and 21st but had no encounters with enemy fighters. From Wayne Blickenstaff’s diary for February 20th, 1944:

“Another damn milk run for us. Made my 50th mission today, and I have only a damaged to my credit. Am getting slightly discouraged about the whole thing. Led Yellow Flight.“

The mission for February 22, not part of "The Big Week" operation was to support B-24s. However, they had aborted due to weather, and the Group waited in the designated area for some minutes to pick up and escort out three groups of B-17s. The mission was to be a most fateful one.

Major Walter Beckham

Trouble started inbound to the rendevouz point in a bizarre and ominous way. At 28,000 feet over Antwerp one 352nd Squadron plane received a direct flak hit and went straight down with its pilot. After rendezvous with the bombers there was no sign of action, and Lt. Col. Duncan took the Group on several large sweeps, looking for enemy aircraft. Northeast of Bonn he spotted an enemy airfield with several twin engine aircraft taxiing on it and other aircraft parked around its perimeter.

Duncan then took his flight down to the deck, as Major Beckham and the other 351st Squadron flight leaders gave him top cover. With Major H. N. Holt (Executive Officer of the 366th Fighter Group, getting his first combat experience with the 353rd) flying his wing, Duncan lined up on a Ju 88. He opened fire, scored many hits, knocking pieces off the plane, and continued his fire into a group of soldiers or crew chiefs and a hangar before pulling over the hangar. He called for strafing planes to stay low because of the heavy flak and proceeded on out from the airfield where he hit two locomotives. Major Holt followed him through all of this and finished up most of what Duncan had started, the two sharing the destruction of the Junkers. Behind Duncan the other 351st flights came down to strafe. Major Beckham picked out a line of six enemy aircraft and came in at tree top level, indicating 425 mph. As he pulled up from the pass a burst of flak found his plane.

Instantly his engine was on fire and he trailed flames and smoke as he clawed for altitude. Then his Florida drawl came over the R/T.

“Take the boys home, George. I can’t make it.” These words were directed to his wingman, Lt. George Perpente. When Perpente hesitated, not wanting to leave his stricken leader, Beckham called again. “Get the hell out of here. Take a course of 310 degrees, stay low and get going. I hope to see you all later.”


Thereupon Beckham opened his canopy, bailed out and floated down to become a prisoner of the Germans. His loss was a great blow to the Group and to the 8th Air Force, which lost its leading ace to some German ground gunner just when he was reaching the peak of his abilities as one of the greatest air fighters of all time. Walt’s final score in the air was 18 destroyed, 4 probably destroyed and 2 damaged.

http://www.worldwar2pilots.com/14-February44-BigWeek.htm





[ 20. February 2003, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

 

great info as always Kai ! did you know the yellow jackets, 353rd was the first 8th a/f fighter group to dive bomb German positions and strafe columns ?

you can actaully chat with "Blick" on :

www.353rd.com

anyway back to the bf 110G-2 the crews were not actually nf crews. They were day time destroyer crews pulled off the ost front to come back and retrain against B-17 silhouettes against their hangers for hopes of finding the best positions and angles of attack for their heavy cannon and the br 21 rocket mortars under each wing. first missions were in September of 43 and lasting till April/ May of 44.
The night fighter crews in their Bf 110G-4's with radar were asked to join the other twin engine gruppen and of course this was totally insane as the nf pilots would attack from slightly below to hit the underneath of the bombers wings. The belly turret gunners in the B-17's had a hey day with kills and slowly the night fighter crews were pulled out of these missions and sent back on anti-RAF duties.
The worst time for the Bf 110G-2 and Me 410A an B crews was the set up for an attack which was done most of the time from the rear first attacking by salvoing their rockets at over 1000 yards with the hope to disrupt the whole bomber formation, then attack in two's or pick up single bombers that may have been damaged. The hope of course was to shy away from Allied escorts or that Luftwaffe day fighters would keep them busy, but as history has proven itself repeatedly the twin engine jobs suffered terribly. Another case was another Bf 110G-2 gruppen just leaving it's base at Öttingen and trying to form up by staffeln in march of 44. The US 9th a/f 354th with the P-51B dove down on them and slaughtered nearly all the 25 twin engines before they could even get up to altitude.

E

 

Wow! Thanx Erich! Great info!

I suddenly took an interest in Bf 110´s in action and checked the net for more:

( I know some of this has been discussed before but ...anyway...)

http://www.rockymountainrarities.net/germany.htm

Major Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer
(1922-1950) Diamonds (21)
ended WWII with a total of 121 victories and was highly respected by his British adversaries who called him "the night ghost of St. Trond".
In one single engagement on May 25, 1944, he downed 5 British heavy bombers in 14 minutes. The tail section of his Me 110 is on display in the Imperial War Museum in London. Schnaufer survived the war to die in an auto accident at age 28 in 1950.during a wine-purchasing visit to France, his open sports car was in collision with a lorry on the main road south from Bordeaux. The lorry had failed to observe right of way and entered the main road illegally. Heavy gas cylinders from the lorry fell on to Schnaufer's car, at least one of them hitting Schnaufer on the head. He died in hospital two days later, on 15 July 1950.
One of only two night fighter aces to receive the Diamonds.

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/schnafer.html

Major Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1916-1944) (Luftwaffe) Swords (44) the third ranked night fighter ace of WWII and aviation history.
When Sayn-Wittgenstein was killed in action on January 21, 1944, he had a total of 83 victories and was the Squadron Commander of NJG 2 at Stendal, Germany. The night he was killed, he had added 5 victories to his total.

Oberst Helmut Lent (1918-1944) (Luftwaffe) Diamonds (15) the second ranked night fighter ace of WWII and aviation history. Lent had a total of 113 victories when he was killed in a crash on October 5, 1944. He was the 1st night fighter ace to achieve 100 victories and the 1st of only 2 night fighter aces to receive the Diamonds.

-----------------


the first victory won by using only airborne radar was scored by a Do 215B-5 piloted by Ludwig Becker. Between August 12th and September 30th this pilot destroyed five more British bombers, becoming the first German night-fighter ace of the War. But in the late 1941 and early 1942 deliveries of the major night-fighter aircraft were delayed as well as the deliveries of the "Lichtenstein" air-born radar.


------------

 

'25th FEBRUARY, 1943.

Lancaster 'X'
Self
F/Lt Burnside
F/Lt Oliver II
F/O Wickens
Sgt Britton
F/Lt Lodge
P/O Hutchison

Operations : Nuremburg
Quite a good trip.
Had to wait for P.F.F.
Load, 1x4000lb. + 5000 incend.
7.10 hrs'

 

Ludwig "Luk" Meister

On 21st February, for instance, a Lancaster is shot down by Kapitän Meister at Plittersdorf (near Rastatt at a long distance of Florennes).

On 24th February, three new Lancasters are claimed by our pilot, all over Northern France:

-one of 44 Sq. at Béthancourt;

-one of 61 Sq.South of Menil-Annelles;

-the last (a plane of 12 Sq.) SSW Vouziers.



By the end of the war he had shot down a total of 39 aircraft, 38 at night and one daytime.

Ludwig Meister was born at Rohrmühle, near Erbendorf (Bavaria) on December 14, 1919. He was the son of an Industrialist and after finishing his education he enlisted in the Luftwaffe in 1939.
His flying training began at 4. / Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 51 and he continued his training until he was sent in February 1941 to ßlindflugschule 1 at Brandis and finally to Zerstörerschule at Neubiberg. It was here that he was trained on operational ßf110, twin engine fighters and teamed up with his WOpt/AG Uffz. Hannes Forke who was born in Leipzig.

In June 1941, Ludwig and Hannes were sent to Echteringen airfield, home of E. / NJG 1 training unit of the 1st Nightfighter Wing. After many hours of flying learning the tactics of the Nachtjagd, the crew were transferred in September 1941 to II. / NJG 1 operating out of Stade near Hamburg.

His first victories were on November 30, 1941 when he shot down three bombers that were attacking Hamburg. Only two of these were verified as a third crashed into the sea. The verified aircraft were a Whitley and a Halifax. In February 1942, II. / NJG 1 and the crew were transferred to St. Truiden (St. Trond) in Belgium. Between February 11th and 13th, Meister and Hannes participated in Operation Donnerkeil, an operation to protect the warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen in their dash from Brest through the English Channel to Norway.

May 1942, Ludwig and Hannes are transferred from Belgium to join the III. / NJG 4 at Mainz-Finthen. It was here that their next victories came when on August 28/29, 1942 they shot down three aircraft. These were a Wellington at Eich, a Stirlin at Airlenbach and another Wellington at Simmern.

In October 1942, Leutnant Meister and Hannes are again transferred, this time to 1. / NJG 4 based at Laon-Athies in France. Meister has been given the post of Adjutant to Hauptmann Wilhelm Herget, newly appointed Gruppenkommandeur.

It is here that he shoots down more aircraft,

October 25, 1942 a Wellington of 75 Squadron at Jenlain which was returning from an operation to Milan,

November 22, 1942 a Lancaster of 57 Squadron which crashed at Tourinnes-la-Grosse in Belgium,

December 21, 1942 a Stirling which crashed into the English Channel and was unidentified.

By the end of 1943, Oberleutnant Ludwig "Luk" Meister had eight victories to his credit.

1943 and Ludwigs next victory is on March 9 and it is a Halifax, believed to be W7851 (TL-Y) of 35 Squadron which crashed between Ors and Catillon-sur-Sambre (Le Cateau). 1. / NJG 4 now move to a new airfield at Florennes in Belgium. It is here that the aircraft of the Gruppe operate above the French and Belgium borders and on April 17, 1943 he claims his 10th victory when he downs a Halifax possibly an aircraft of 408 Squadron between St. Hubert and Nassogne in the Belgium Ardennes. May 30th, he shoots down Stirling EF349 (WP-Y) of 90 Squadron which crashes at Proville, near Cambrai, France and on June 26, 1943 yet another Stirling, this time one of 214 Squadron falls to him, 45 km from Arnhem, Netherlands. In July, Oberleutnant Meister is promoted to Staffelkapitän. On July 4, he shoots down a Halifax of 51 Squadron near Rance in Belgium and on July 14, a Halifax of 102Squadron at Wattignies-la-Victoire.

After these victories 1. / NJG 4 fly's mainly over German soil and Ludwig is now given command of 1. / NJG 4 as the previous Kapitän was wounded in action.

It is over Germany that Ludwig claims a further ten victories, the next being Lancaster ED627 (EM-N) of 207 Squadron on August 28, 1943 and another Lancaster that night near Nürnberg. These are followed on October 4 by three Halifaxes, one near Übereisenbach, one near Trier and the other near Cologne. On November 3, November 23 and December 20, three more Halifaxes are brought down, the first again near Cologne, the second at Grebs and the third at Arloffberg.

1944 and 1. / NJG 34 are back operating over Belgium and France. On January 1, Staffelkapitän Meister is promoted to Hauptmann. January 2, and Ludwig and Hannes claim another four Lancasters on this day. A Lancaster of 156 Squadron at Estinnes-au-Val, Belgium, one of 405 Squadron at Croix near St. Pol and two more which were lost in the English Channel.

January 7, on this day Ludwig claims his first and only daytime victory when he shoots down an American B-17, Flying Fortress which again crashed into the Channel. A few days later and the Gruppe are moved to Werneuchen to help to defend Berlin. Whilst there he shoots down a Lancaster, SW of Liebenwalde and a Halifax near Schönmark.

Another two Halifaxes are downed near the German town of Celle on January 20. It is at this time that the Gruppe are equipped with the new three seater ßF 110 G-4. Ludwig and Hannes are now joined by the third crew member, the gunner FW. Toni Werzinski. This is because that WOpt./AG was now tied up with all the new sophisticated Radar and unable to do his duty as a gunner as well.

The Nachtjagd tactics have also changed, they now start their patrols in their home area and then follow the bomber streams until they have to break off and land at the nearest Luftwaffe base. After refueling they then return to their home base. This explains why some of the victories are far from home such as on February 21, a Lancaster is shot down by Ludwig and his crew at Plittersdorf, near Rastatt. A long way from Florennes. More kills follow on February 24, when three Lancasters, one of 44 Squadron at Bethancourt, one of 61 Squadron, south of Menil-Annelles and a Lancaster of 12 Squadron, ssw of Vouyiers. More Lancaster's are shot down in March, on the 16th an aircraft of 100 Squadron at Bonneuil-les-Eaux and another of 630 Squadron, south of Besme, March 23, an aircraft of 514 Squadron near St. Omer. After shooting down the previous aircraft, Ludwig follows the bomber stream until he has to land his ßf 110 G-4 3C+TJ (WNR 720078) at Hildesheim airfield. Ludwig and Hannes got some some rest, Werzinski who was the mechanic as well as the Air Gunner checked the aircraft out. Lack of rest for Werzinski proved to be almost fatal for the crew.

Ludwig contacts the Flugssicherungzentrale of Brussels to check on the air activity. He is told that there is no hostile aircraft in the vicinity and at 08.52 heads for home. He follows the river Meuse to Florennes, flying low. Werzinski the gunner falls a sleep because of lack of rest the previous night and suddenly they are attacked from behind by an American P-47. Ludwig manages to crash land his ßf110 at Nannine near Namur, but the three men are injured and trapped within the aircraft. They crashed near a railway line where two German members of the Reichsbahn, working near by, saw the crash. They arrive at the crash site quickly and order the Belgian workforce to remove the crew to safety. The ßf 110 exploded and the crew were put on a train and taken to Namer Lazarett. Werzinski was severly wounded when he was shot in the head but survived

The pilot of the P-47 that day appears to have been Cpt. Edward H. Spietsma of the 358 FG/367 FS. This was his only victory claim for the duration of the war.

Ludwig stays some weeks in hospital in Namur and is later tranferred to other hospitals in Germany. When he recovers he returns to Florennes to receive the Ritterkreuz for his victories but he is still not fit for flying duties, so he organises the evacuation of the airfield in August 1944.

At the end of 1944, Ludwig is promoted to Kommandeur and takes command of III./NJG 4. During this time he shoots down his final Lancaster on March 7, 1945 near the town of Kassel.

Ludwig Meister maintained contact with his two crew members. Werzinski had recovered from the bullet wound to the head and Hannes Forke, whilst on a holiday at Almaar on the coast of the Netherlands in the 1960´s, tried to save his daughter and nephew from drowning, but died with them.

http://www.lancaster-ed627.freeservers.com/Hauptmann%20Ludwig%20Meister.html

http://www.lancaster-ed627.freeservers.com/images/ME110g-4.jpg




http://users.pandora.be/airwareurope/meister.html

[ 20. March 2003, 12:48 PM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

 

It has been thought that Ludwig Meister and the other gruppenkommanduer II./NJG 4 Fritz Krause may have flown the Ju 88G-6; at least Fritz did.
Ludwig is still alive and lives in Le Trayas/Var France.

bon jour !

E

 

Thanx Erich!

Good to know that!

 

I'm still looking to see where or if Fritz Krause is still alive ? He served with NJG 101 before his movement to NJG 4. RK with 28 victories.
Real strange too that NJG 4 was given the last of the latest equipment right up till almost the end of January 1945, and then in April it received some of the top notch Ju 88G-6's with Berlin FuG 240 centrimetric radar's.

E

 

'26th FEBRUARY 1943

Lancaster 'X'

Self
Same Crew

Operations :- Cologne
A wizard prang.
Huge fires.
Flak moderate.
Same load.
MY 169TH WAR FLIGHT.

5.25 hrs.'