Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Hi guys

I'm unaware if this has been discussed previously ....

On 19 April 1941, 28 Luftwaffe prisoners attempted an escape from the Angler PoW Camp in Ottawa, Canada. Two were killed by guards - Gfr Herbert Loffelmeir and Gfr Alfred Meithling; another, Kurt Rochel, was seriously wounded, and Oscar Broderix less so. Just over two months later, on 30 June, Martin Muller was killed by two soldiers (?) PS Just established that Muller was a submariner, ex U-35

Does anyone know the Lw units of the above, and dates of capture?

Stay safe
Brian

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Broderix was KG 53 (POW 9 Sep 40) and was shot through the nose; quite bitter about his treatment he told me. Rochel was ZG 26 (2 Sep 40).

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Interesting subject. I guess the 'Battle of Bowmanville' has received the most attention as an event where the prisoners did not comply.

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Thanks for the responses.

Any ideas as to the previous units of Gfr Herbert Loffelmeir and Gfr Alfred Meithling?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Quick check revealed nothing-could be Army or Navy. Got photos of Broderix and Rochel pre-capture

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Gefr. Herbert Löffelmeier (note spelling) here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...rt-l_ffelmeier

For Gefr. Alfred Miethling (note spelling): https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...fred-miethling

Also see http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/...ungsliste_U_31

Some pictured here: https://archive.fims.uwo.ca/specialc...992833860a.pdf

Regards,
Leendert

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Hi Leendert

Excellent! Many thanks!

Solves a few queries! So the two guys who were killed were also submariners. Fine. The article suggests that the following were aircrew:

Erwin Genssler (pilot)
Phil Hess (observer)
Erhard Scheidt

while photograph suggests possibly also:

Wilhelm Raab
Georg Wolff
Karl-Heinz Grund
Heinz Ettler

Again, any Lw units and dates of capture, please?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Scheidt 1./JG 26 5 Nov 40
Raab 6./KG 76 15 Sep 40
Wolff 8./KG 30 20 Aug 40
Grund II./LG 1 15 Aug 40
Ettler 1./JG 77 9 Sep 40

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Many thanks once again, Chris.

Just leaves GENSSLER (pilot)

and HESS (observer)

Cheers
Brian

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Gensler (one s) 4./ZG 26 7 Oct 40
Philipp Hess 3./KG 2 16 Aug 40

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Hi Chris

You should write a book!

Many thanks
Brian

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

According to Wiki five of the men were found sleeping on a construction site and were shot The two soldiers who found them claimed the men went for them but it was found they were shot while still laying down . Two were killed ( two wounded ?) and one ran off but was recaptured.

Martin Müller = Oblt. Martin Müller born 13th March 1914 , killed in Gef.Lager Kanada on 30th June 1941 shot in the back of the head resisting arrest by two drunken soldiers - source Grabersuche and GENI web search .
The Martin Müller from U-35 was a Mtr.H.Gfr (cook) b.11th Nov 1916 taken prisoner with the rest of the crew - source Uboat.net

Löffelmeier and Gfr Alfred Miethling from U-31 as Leendert post

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Hi BrianB

Many thanks for that. So two different prisoners!

So who was Oblt Muller? Unit? Date of capture?

Over to Chris, methinks!

Cheers
BrianC

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

There was an Oblt. Martin Müller of Stab I/StG 3 shot down 9th August 1940 picked up by launch pow , could be checked to see if his birthday was 13th March 1914 if anyone has an NVM or 'K' for him .

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

I have the NVM (it was 8 Aug 40 by the way) but DoB is blocked out. I do have photos of his funeral and grave

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Hi guys

Two further Lw names that are mentioned in various reports are:

Ltn Hans Peter KRUG (BoB pilot)

Ltn Walter MANHARD (pilot)

Any information appreciated.

Cheers
Brian

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

More information on this event (and others) can be found in the book “Escape from Canada - The untold story of German POWs in Canada 1939-1945” by John Melady (1981, Macmillan of Canada, 210p., ISBN 0-7715-9537-9).

Best,

David

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

For Hans Peter Krug see :-

https://www.keymilitary.com/article/one-almost-got-away

Regads
Brian Bines

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

I have recently written about Peter Krug 6./KG 3 28 Aug 40 while Manhard was 6./ZG 26 3 Sep 40

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Matti has confirmed that the Oblt Müller from the shoot down on the 8th August 1940 has the same birthday ' DOB 13 Mar 1914 and EM 71083/3' as the one killed in Canada .

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Hi guys

Many thanks for the updates.

David - I'm aware of the book "Escape from Canada" but it doesn't appear to be available in the UK, and the prices shown for a copy from Canada seem exorbitant especially when you add $50 shipping!

Has anyone in the UK a copy that I may borrow?!!!

Cheers
Brian

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Another book is Behind Canadian Barbed Wire
https://www.amazon.co.uk/POW-behind-.../dp/096841110X

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

Post #12 last line: please note the correct spellings Löffelmeier and Miethling as in my post #6.

Leendert

Re: Luftwaffe prisoners involved in Canadian PoW escape 19/4/41
 

I had the good fortune to talk to both Eckehard Priebe and Josef Buerschgens about the more famous von Werra escape, in which they both participated. Pretty amazing stuff.