Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Does anyone know the fate of Hasso von Wedel, a WWI ace who was shot down during the Battle of Britain while flying with JG-3, subsequently repatriated back to Germany and who supposedly died fighting in Berlin durin April 1945?

I have tried a Google search and have come up with nothing beyond the scant details above.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Hasso von Wedel was a Oberstleutnant with the Stab/JG3 on 15Sep40 on being shot down in his Bf-109E possibly by Pilot Officer R.H. Holland of 92 Squadron. His plane crashed into a farmhouse which killed all the occupants, which was reported greatly distressed Wadel. I only have that he died in the battle of Berlin.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Thanks, I know this information.

What I'm trying to find out are the circumstances of his death in the Battle for Berlin.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

I understood that von Wedel was actually killed in Pommerania, not sure where I read that. BTW he and my uncle were old friends, especially during the BoB when they were both based at Desvres.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Oberst Bernhard Rudolf Hasso Von Wedel born 12 May 1883 was killed in Berlin-Tiergarten 1 May 45 and is buried at Berlin-Wedd.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

hmm,
he was already 57 years old while the Battle of Britain.
Why did such a "oldie " take part in combatmissions ? :confused:

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Chris,
According to The Aerodrome, Hasso von Wedel was born May 12, 1893, in Vogelsang. I have other sources at home to check. Where did you find 1883? And what is your source for the May 1, 1945 date? Tombstone?

Frank.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Sorry-1893 (finger trouble). Agree on Vogelsang and all of this came from the German War Graves site

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Thanks Chris. I must start using the German War Graves website more often.

Frank.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Thanks to all for the information.

One final question (which i'm sure will remain a mystery), what unit was he fighting with when killed on May 1,1945?

Carlos

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Is that an abbreviation for the Berlin district of Wedding, do you think?

Re the questions about his unit, when I read the date and location I thought it meant he had been killed in the ground fighting, maybe with the Volkssturm.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Nick,

Beacuse of his age, I think Volksturm would be a good candidate.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

In my mind he could have been attached to any of the Luft ground units unless he was not longer part of the Luftwaffe and they pressed into serive with a Volksstrum unit.

John

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

Gentlemen: Surely we are trying to read too much into this. Berlin-Tiergarten was recorded as his place of death and perhaps my use of the word 'killed' might have got too many hares running. There was so much going on then, without eyewitnesses we might never find out his cause of death

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

I guess we really don't know the final fate of Hasso von Wedel fate.

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

reply #6 asked why did such an oldie fly combat missions? A problem with the German military in the WW II period is during the Weimar period 1919-1933 Germany was only allowed a 100,000 man army and no air force. So when Hitler came to power and started expanding the German military there was a big shortage of officers who got their commisioned during these years. So in the early WW II years you had the Germans having to put officers in command slots who served in WW I and were a little on the old side for WW II combat. Note some French Aces from WW I did fly combat in the 1940 campaign.

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

According to his interrogation he was "writing the history of the German Air Force" and was allowed to fly on operations to gain experience of what it was like . Apparently he had flown 24 such flights with Stab/JG 3. Of interest in WWI he served in the 11th Dragoon Regiment then became an observer and served in several Flieger Abteilungen, gaining one victory. Then he trained as a pilot and served in Jasta 14 (flying Albatros D.V's and a Fokker Dr.I), then commanding Jasta 75 from February 1918 until he was slightly wounded on 28 Jun 18. He ended the war commanding Jasta 24 and Jagdgruppe 12, with a final score of five victories

Re: Hasso Von Wedel Fate
 

My uncle led 9. JG3 and later III. JG3 during the BoB at the age of 44, and with vision only in one eye. Not bad for an 'oldie'. BTW he was still on active duty in a 109 in April, 1945 at the age of 48.