Freiherr Volprecht von riedesel zu Eisenbach 10/05/1940

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi !
Freiherr Volprecht von Riedesel zu Eisenbach, Kommodore of KG54, was killed on 9/02/1945 aboard B3+AA Me262A-2a (w/nr. 500042) when he was shot down during an airbattle with USAAF planes.
On 10/05/1940 he became a pow of the Belgian army when his He111 crashed in Belgium.
Who can supply me some details about this crash in Belgium ?

Many thanks and best regards

Luc

[Peter Cornwell]

8./KG54 Heinkel He111P. Shot down by Hurricanes of Nos. 3, 85, and 607 Sqdns during sortie to attack Wevelgem airfield and crashed at Ruiselede 7.30 p.m. Possibly that claimed by P/O Jay of No. 607 Sqdn. Obergefr G. Flehmer killed. Oberlt V. Riedesel Fr zu Eisenbach, Fw W. Joest, and Uffz E. Kreib captured wounded. Aircraft a write-off.

[Luc Vervoort]

Peter,

Many thanks for your excellent reply !

Any information about the 3 wounded pow's ? Have they all been liberated by the Germans after the capitulation of Belgium (or only Freiherr Volprecht von riedesel) ?

Best regards

Luc

[CJE]

I read somewhere that his name was ... Freiherr von und zu Eisenbach. Can someone confirm?

[Peter Cornwell]

Luc,

They were later released. Eduard Kreiss certainly returned to operations only to be killed in action on 3 March 1942.

Christian,

The III./KG54 NVM gives him as 'Volprecht Riedesel, Frhr. zu Eisenbach' as does his DKiG award on 11 May 1942 when he was Hauptmann in II./KG76. This is further confirmed by the Dienstalterliste der Offiziere der Deutschen Luftwaffe showing his promotion to Oberstleutnant effective 1st April 1944 at which time he was a holder of the Ritterkreuz.

[Luc Vervoort]

Peter,

Many thanks for your info regarding the fate of Eduard Kreiss.

The Volksbund website gives him as buried at Glencree (Ireland) and The Foreign Aircraft landings in Ireland 1939-1946 website (by Dennis Burke)
http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/crashes.htm
gives as additional information that his Ju88 w/nr. 1429 CN+DU of Wekusta 2 crashed at Schull, Gabriel Mountain on 3/03/1942 , killing the entire crew.

Best regards

Luc

[CJE]

Thanks Peter.
Found on Wiki (what a family!):

• Albrecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach (1882-1955), deutscher Offizier und bildender Künstler
• August Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach, Kammerherr der Großherzöge von Hessen-Darmstadt
• Friedrich Adolf Riedesel (1738-1800), braunschweigischer General
• Friederike Riedesel Freifrau zu Eisenbach, geb. von Massow (1746-1808), deutsche Schriftstellerin
• Friederike von Reden, geb. Riedesel, (1774-1854), "Mutter des Hirschberger Tales"
• Volpert Christian Riedesel (1708-1798), sächsischer General