Trützschler d'Elsa

[RT]

When Eberhard von Trützschler d'Elsa has crashed during the French campaign ??

Remi

[Doug Stankey]

Apparently, he was neither a victor or a victim during this time. According to the Tony Woods' lists, he doesn't show up in his records at all! However, he had definitely existed as we have the following on this fellow:

TRÜTZSCHLER d’ELSA, Eberhard.
01.07.37 appt Staka 3./JG 131.
11.37 appt Staka 4./J88 in Spain.
10.38 appt Staka 5./JG 134.
01.11.38 appt Staka 4./ZG 142.
01.05.39 appt Staka 4./ZG 26.
01.09.39 appt Staka 5./ZG 26.

If anyone has any more info on this chap, we would appreciate it.


We hope that this helps.


LdZ
DGS

[RT]

He has been made two times prisoner, one in Mai 40 , which date ??, freed after 5 days, nd one time in Tunisia in May 43 but release because of it s wounds received in May 40, still alive in may..88

remi

[Doug Stankey]

If you can substantiate these events, it would help. He isn't mentioned in "Battle of France, Then and Now" or in Prien's books, or in "Fighters over Tunisia'. So this fellow is a mystery.

Anyone out there know anything about this guy?

LdZ
DGS

[Chris Goss]

He was shot down & taken POW 18 May 40. I was in touch with him a number of years ago-very helpful chap and some good photos

[Peter Cornwell]

5./ZG26 Messerschmitt Bf110C. Shot down in combat with Hurricanes of Nos. 56, 111, and 151 Squadrons between Cambrai and Douai 5.00 p.m. Possibly that claimed by P/O Bushell of No. 151 Squadron. Hptmn E. d’Elsa (Staffelkapitän) and Uffz H. Rössler captured wounded. Aircraft 3U+AN a write-off.

Source: Battle of France Then & Now p318

[John Vasco]

Left - Otto Hintze; right - Eberhard von Treutschler d'Elsa, at Otto Hintze's house in Munich, 1980s.

[Doug Stankey]

Thanks guys, this clarifies some things but but raises some issues. I should have spotted that reference in "Battle of France". I found some more Larry notes on this guy that raise a few questions:

Was he ever an officer "im Generalstab" ?
When he was released from being a POW in 1943 due to wounds, wasn't it more likely to be due to wounds received in 1943 than in 1940?
Did he lose an arm? The photo suggests not, but prosthetics can be deceiving.

Larry apparently has a lot more on this guy but we need to confirm a few things.

Anyway, its been interesting.

DGS

[John Vasco]

Yes, he did lose an arm.

[Doug Stankey]

OK, this appears to be the right guy, so here’s what we currently have on him:

TRÜTZSCHLER d’ELSA, Eberhard.
(Date of birth: 24.06.13).
01.04.32 began pilot training with D.V.S. Schleissheim and then in Russia (to 31.08.33).
01.10.33 entered service with the Heer (Infanterie).
01.01.35 trf to the Luftwaffe and began fighter pilot training.
04.03.35 trf to Jagdfliegerschule Schleissheim.
01.04.36 trf to I. and then II./St.G.165 as a pilot.
01.07.37 appt Staka in I./JG 131.
06.11.37 appt Staka in Jagdgruppe I./88 (Legion Condor).
23.07.38 appt Staka in II./ZG 26 (to 13.02.41).
01.05.39 received the Lw. advanced flying certificate.
18.05.40 Hptm., Staka 5./ZG 26 WIA POW.
1941 certified fluent in Spanish.
14.02.41 appt Referent in 1. Abt./Genst.d.Lw.
20.12.41 trf to Ob.d.L./RLM pool and ordered as temporary duty to Gen.Qu. Abt./Genst.d.Lw.
25.02.42 Hptm., appt Ia op 1/Luftflotte 1.
01.04.42 promo to Maj.
01.09.42 trf to Ob.d.L./RLM pool.
01.11.42 trf into the Generalstab d.Lw. (did not attend the Luftkriegsakademie) and appt Ib in Stab/Division “Hermann Göring”.
23.05.43 PoW – taken prisoner by the English in Tunisia.
11.43 evidently repatriated for medical reasons (had lost left arm in Tunisia).
01.12.43 trf to the Führer-Reserve d.Lw. and ordered as temporary duty to Stab/General der Jagdflieger (to 31.01.44).
06.05.44 ordered as temporary duty to Gen.Qu. 4.Abt./Genst.d.Lw.
16.08.44 ordered as temporary duty to Stab/Luftflotte Reich as a Qu.-Offz.
21.10.44 appt Qu. 1/Luftflottenkdo. 10.

….Plus what other info was raised on this site today…..

Last spring, Larry found a lot of material on General Staff officers which expanded those write-ups substantially.

While this does not answer the original question, it might be of interest to the readers.

LdZ
DGS