Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

Hi all,
I´am looking for information dedicated to Luftwaffe ace (14 vics) Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann of JG27. I´m interesting in which particular part of JG27 he was attached between 15. - 30. June 1944. Different sources states that he was member of IV/JG27, 7/JG27 or Stab III/JG27.
thank you in advance
Munro

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

Hi Munro

He was born on 27th February 1922. He completed his training with 1./JFS 4 and 2./JGr.Sud during 1942. On 17th July 1943 his BF109 was hit by flak and crashed uninjured at Catania. He was the Staffelkapitän of 7./JG 77 from December 1943 until he was reported missing after combat 15th East of Lisieux, France, probably shot down by Spitfire pilot Flight Lieutenant P.G.Johnson of 421 squadron. His claims were(all as Leutnant):-

Stab.III./JG 27 3rd November 1943 B-26 SW Eleusis 0805 hrs Nr.1
Stab.III./JG 27 17th November 1943 B-25 S Athens 1250 hrs Nr.2
7./JG 27 9th February 1944 Beaufighter S Lamos 1202 hrs Nr.3
7./JG 27 9th February 1944 Beaufighter Samos 1206 hrs u/c
7./JG 27 9th February 1944 Beaufighter Samos 1206 hrs Nr.4
7./JG 27 22th February 1944 Baltimore NNW Iraklion 1225 hrs Nr.5
7./JG 27 3rd March 1944 Baltimore 50km S Milos 0935 hrs Nr.6
7./JG 27 6th March 1944 B-26 SW Milos 1210 hrs Nr.7
7./JG 27 24th May 1944 B-24 30km N Berck-am-der-Mer 1012 hrs Nr.8
7./JG 27 28th May 1944 B-17 near Zerbst 1430 hrs Nr.9
7./JG 27 14th June 1944 P-47 6-8km S Bayeux 1550 hrs Nr.10
7./JG 27 17th June 1944 P-51 S Dreux 1945 hrs Nr.11
7./JG 27 27th June 1944 P-51 S Soissons 1955 hrs Nr.12
7./JG 27 27th June 1944 P-51 S Soissons 2002 hrs Nr.13
7./JG 27 28th June 1944 P-51 E Caen 2016 hrs Nr.14

As you can see there is not much scope for him being with anything other than 7./JG 27 for the period your interested in.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

Johannes,
thank you very much for your prompt reaction to my query.

Am interesting for his 11th victory on 17th June 1944 when he shot down CO of No. 122 squadron RAF S/Ldr E. L. "Nipper" Joyce, DFM (NZ.40770), South of Dreux at 19:45 hrs.
British sources mentioned 3 Me109´s attacked 6 122 sq Mustangs on Arm Recce over Dreux.

I´am looking for name of base from where Lt. Culemann and two others JG27 pilots (or more) took off for this particular flight and for names of two other attacking Me109 pilots during this occasion.

best regards

Munro

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

Yes, this was 43-6346/FX986 of S/L Ernest Leslie "Nipper" Joyce DFM. Please note that the CWGC website gives his date of death as 18.6.44. Does anyone know if this means he was rescued and died in hospital or similar or is the date simply in error?

Nick

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

His 2nd claim, B-25 on 17.11.43:

Day's only known loss was 42-64540 of 486th BS, 340th BG. 4 KIA, 1 POW, 1 evaded (It was likely one of Bartels' claims as it was lost near Kalamaki)

His 3rd claim, Beaufighter on 9.2.44:
252 sqn. 3 losses, includes LZ141 of P/O Frank Phillip Stanger and F/S S L Reynolds both MIA-KIA. Can anyone add anything else with regards to the other two losses?

His 5th claim was this Maryland on 22.2.44:
43-8486/FW329 of 454 sqn RAAF. MIA on mission to shadow convoy S of Melos. Does anyone have crew details, I have yet to go searching for them....

His 6th was one of these Marylands on 3.3.44, the other was downed by Uffz. Hans Giese:
454 sqn. 43-8457/FW300 of F/S Allan Wilfred Joseph Kempnich and one other KIA, remaining two crewmen both POW plus FA601 of F/O Frank Neville Scott and crew all KIA

His 7th on 6.3.44 was one of these SAAF Marauders:
24 sqn SAAF. Four losses: Includes B-26C-30-MO 41-35519/FB481 and B-26C-45-MOs 42-107500/FB496, 42-107508/FB504 (all lost off Milos) and 42-107511/FB507 (lost off Santorini) Again, can anyone assist with crew details...?

His final victory on 28.6.44 was AG591 of 430 sqn. F/O F H Byron KIA. The CWGC has nothing on Byron so I do wonder if the initials are incorrect or the name otherwise wrongly recorded.

I hope this helps for your interest in Culemann and I would like to sincerely apologise to any brilliant authors whom I may have discredited in the construction of this post.

Nick

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

Hello,

Crew of Baltimore FW329, on 22 February, 1944 (5th claim):

AUS413504 F/Sgt (Pilot) Brian Edwin "Kid" RAWLINGS RAAF +
AUS415218 W/O (Nav.) Douglas Henry PADMAN RAAF +
AUS420798 F/Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Thomas KING RAAF +
AUS413941 W/O (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Gordon Ross PARKER RAAF +

No.24 Sqn SAAF losses on 6 March 1944:

Marauder FB481 "E"
Lt L L DOVETON SAAF - survived - back via Turkey
Lt STEENKAMP SAAF - survived - ditto
Lt F W PHILLIPS SAAF +
Lt S RUTKIN SAAF +
WO1 D H COLLINS SAAF +
WO2 J F FOURIE +

Marauder FB496 "V"
Lt G A BOWLES SAAF +
Lt G P ROWE SAAF +
Lt J van EDEN SAAF +
WO1 K R HEALY SAAF +
WO1 R R JOHNSON SAAF +
WO1 S SMITH SAAF +

Marauder FB504 "L"
Capt G FROLICH SAAF +
Lt G M H du PLESSIS SAAF +
Lt A M BAIN SAAF +
WO1 G A DINGLE SAAF +
WO1 A B AIKEN SAAF +
WO1 P J PRETORIUS SAAF +

Marauder FB507 "W"
Lt G R BELL SAAF +
2/Lt M L QUENEN (Belgian) SAAF +
Lt R A ZIMMERMAN SAAF +
2/Lt C W HEAVEN SAAF +
WO2 T TRELEAVEN SAAF +
WO2 J P L SNYMAN SAAF +

Culemann's claim on 28 June 1944, was J12786 F/O (Pilot) Frederick Harry BRYON RCAF.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2331758/

Col.

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

Col,

Brilliant. Thanks.

Nick

PS - I'll totally own up to having misread the surname.

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

III./JG 27 was based at Romilly on 17 June, as far as I know, having moved there on the 6th.

Re: Lt. Hans – Gunnar Culemann JG27
 

This is how awesome this forum can actually be....

Hi Nick,

you are right, might be he was rescued and died next day or it is CWGC error ...

Munro

Thank you very much Nick.

Thank you for this information.

Thank you for information Colonel, much appreciated.