Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

I believe the “Major Schnaüfer 2. Nachtjagdbomben 4. Staffel” on the Karte is a corruption for either:

- 4. Staffel, Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 (4./NJG4)

or

- 2. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 (II./NJG4)

Maj. Schnaufer was, of course, the Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 4.

Also, notice how the ink and handwriting of “Major Schnaüfer 2. Nachtjagdbomben 4. Staffel” match the ink and handwriting of the post-war additions to the Karte, all made in 1946.

Teütobürger Wald (Teutoburg Forest), as listed on the Karte, is relatively close to the II./NJG4 airfields of Gütersloh and Lippspringe. The Gruppe was at those airfields in March 1945.

Lastly, "Oberfw. Henjes" is mentioned by name in a November 1944 II./NJG4 ULTRA decrypt (CX/MSS/R.361/A/8) in HW 5/613 at The National Archives, London.

The decrypt reads:

Quote:

Report signed Hptm. RAUH at 1400/6/11:-

Availability return for 6/11:

1) N320 ((RHEIN-MAIN)) serviceable, 14 a/c
2) ((Unit)) NABAU ((Roman)) II/NJG))4
3) ((Recce a/c)) Nil return
4) ((Leader Schwarm)) 1 FLIEDER ((Ju.88)) NAXOS, Hptm. STROBEL.
5) ((Ops. Gruppe)) 11 ((Ju.88))
6) ((C.G.I. a/c)) 2 ((Ju.88)) area DACHS. Oberfw. HENJES, area BERGZIEGE Fw. STAENGLEN.

Thus, based on all this information, I think it is likely Hans Henjes was a pilot with II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 at the time he went missing.

I have no information on a loss (especially in the Teutoburg Forest).

The only II./NJG4 loss that I know which is worthy of further consideration (but may not relate to Henjes) is:

24/25 March 1945

Ju88G-1 W.Nr. 711104 (3C+BP) took off in the early hours of 25 March to attack the Allied bridgeheads over the Rhine river.

This Ju88 was shot down by the 4th Light-Anti-Aircraft Regt. of the Royal Canadian Artillery and crashed 2.6 km NNW of Till, 3 km NW of Wissel at 03:10 am (25/03/45). All four (unnamed) crew died. I have no details on the burials,

Here are the reports from the 4th LAA Regt:

Quote:

4 Cdn LAA Regt Daily AA Report
25 1100A

ACTIVITY REPORT (Supplementary)
Engagement Report

At 25 0310A an enemy A/C which had been ground strafing in this area (100 Bty) flew low over MR 988550 approaching from the S.E. on a return run. It was engaged by No 6 detachment of F Tp with six rounds HE, at E/S control. Three rds definitely hit the tgt which immediately burst into flames and crashed behind F Tp HQ. One rd fired by No 3 Det was claimed to have hit the target before it crashed. As no other guns in this area engaged the plane a Category I claim is submitted. The plane was seen to crash by many including Tp Cmdr F Tp. An inf patrol was despatched to round up prisoners none of whom were found to be alive. One member of the crew's parachute failed to open and the other's caught fire.

Quote:

4 LAA Regt RCA:
261435A

To: HQ RCA 3 Cdn Inf Div

O-3(.) reference our claim for E/A destroyed 250310A hrs (.) Closer examination of wreckage of plane reveals same to be JU 88 NOT ME 410 (.) Plane was very badly wrecked and spread over approx one mile (.) Bodies of four crew members recovered (.) Please amend this portion of our claim.

I stress again that there is no confirmed connection between this crash and the loss of Hans Henjes.

There is so much information either missing or currently unavailable (in German Federal Archives) about very late war German aircrew losses.