Obfw Magnus Brunkhorst - 9./JG 2 Request

[hucks216]

Hello all,
I am hoping that someone can provide some information about Oberfeldwebel Magnus Brunkhorst of 9./JG 2 please.
Firstly, he received the EK II on 28th August 1940 and then the EK I on 28th October 1940 (both as an Oberfeldwebel) but by the latter date he had only one 'kill' - a Spitfire on 18th August. While I do own the English language version of the first volume of JG 2 by Erik Mombeeck it remains in storage from when I moved house so I do not have access to it just yet. Can anyone be so kind as to shed some light please on any possible actions that could of caused him to win those 2 awards as it seems strange to win both awards with just a solitary kill (especially as I have an EK II citation awarded to a pilot of JG 51 during the BoB and he had shot down 3 aircraft by the time of his award) or was it for leadership? Looking through Battle Of Britain Then & Now the only 2 Spitfire casualties for that day that match the location (Isle Of Wight) & time (1559 German Time) of Brunkhorst's claim both made it back to base with damage but both pilots unharmed.

My second question is that after his third claim, a Whirlwind on 6th November 1941 at 1230 (German Time), I have not been able to locate any information on him. I can not find his name on the Volksbund or the JG 2 loss/claims list I have so don't think he was shot down and killed so can anyone confirm that after this 3rd claim and for the rest of the war he continued to fly (but with no further claims) or was he taken off flying duties for some reason?

So far I have only been able to find this information...

Magnus Brunkhorst:

Claims
18 Aug 40 9./JG 2 Spitfire Isle of Wight: 30 m. 15.59
08 Jul 41 9./JG 2 Spitfire Calais-Marck 15.48
06 Nov 41 9./JG 2 Whirlwind 12.30

Awards (all while holding the rank of Oberfeldwebel)
EK II - 28th August 1940
EK I - 28th October 1940
Fighter Clasp in Bronze - 26th April 1941
Fighter Clasp in Silver - 17th July 1941

(Sources: Award Citations / BoB T&N / http://don-caldwell.we.bs/claims/tonywood.htm / http://www.cieldegloire.com/jg_002.php / http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety...erArchive.html )

[Fairlop]

Brunkhorst s/d Sgt Robinson in P6970, 263 Squadron, near Pointe de Barfleur on 6 November 1941. Robinson was on his first operational flight. A sequence of few photographs showing celebrated Brunkhorst immediate after landing exists. I have them in one of my articles for Revi.
He was promoted to Lt. rank in November 1941, and left JG 2 for instuctor roles, in several units. Later, he took command of 3./JG 108 on 23 August 1943, from October he led 1./JLÜGr., and from 15 June 1944 of 1./JG 103. He survived the war.

Michal

[hucks216]

Thank you Michal for providing additional information, it is much appreciated.

[hucks216]

Interestingly I have been able to find this entry in the Operations Book for 263 Sqn for the loss of Sgt Robinson...

'They then flew on a North-Easterly course; as he did so White One saw two presumed ME.109s, orbitting about a mile inland, but these
did not seem to have observed the Whirlwinds. White One called up White Two “Rats to Port” and at the same time confirmed that White
Two was in no trouble and that he had forty gallons of petrol for each engine. White Two began weaving slightly behind and above
White One.
After White One had called “Rats”, White Two began weaving more vigorously. He appeared on both sides of White One but on crossing
from port to starboard for the second time he failed to re-appear from behind White One. White One turned slightly to starboard and
same time calling up White Two. Absolutely no trace of White Two could be seen although White One completed two turns over the area
in which White Two had last been seen – that is, about 10 miles North East of Barfleur. It is to be stressed that the two ME.109s
had NOT followed the Whirlwinds and it seems certain that enemy action was not responsible for the disappearance of Sgt. Robinson.
White One flew to base making landfall in Bournemouth Bay and landed at Warmwell at 1153.
As no military targets had been seen neither of the Whirlwinds fired their guns.
Air/Sea Rescue was maintained in the English South Coast area and in the person of P/O Tooth late of this Squadron, now with A/S/R Warmwell,
as far as Cherbourg but no trace has been found of Sergeant Robinson.
It seems likely that, while weaving he dipped his port wing into the sea and went into it at a very high speed.'

[Richard Mills]

Originally Posted by Fairlop

Brunkhorst s/d Sgt Robinson in P6970, 263 Squadron, near Pointe de Barfleur on 6 November 1941. Robinson was on his first operational flight. A sequence of few photographs showing celebrated Brunkhorst immediate after landing exists. I have them in one of my articles for Revi.
He was promoted to Lt. rank in November 1941, and left JG 2 for instuctor roles, in several units. Later, he took command of 3./JG 108 on 23 August 1943, from October he led 1./JLÜGr., and from 15 June 1944 of 1./JG 103. He survived the war. Michal

Michal

Can you let me know where I can locate these images of Brunkhorst? I would be very interested to see them, although I must state that these are not for any future publication, rather as I am attemting to research Leutnant Magnus Brunkhorst, as I have some of his award documents in my collection. Consequently, any additional information you might be able to pass on will be very well received indeed.

Fianlly, can you expand upon 1./JLÜGr.? as I am unsure of that unit designation.

Many thanks in advance.

Regards Richard.

[Chris Goss]

I have a number of him if you are interested