Peter Henn = Alfons Schertl?

[kaki3152]

One of the Luftwaffe books I bought in my youth was "The Last Battle" by Peter Henn. It was a standard Luftwaffe fighter pilot, similar to " I fought You From the Skies".
The setting of the book was the Mediterranean, and from certain clues, the unit was determined to be II/JG-51. One great picture in the version I have, which is falling apart, is that of Hptm Herbert Puschmann at Lavariano A/F.
In the book, he is then transferred to the Ground attack force, only to be shot down at the end of the war.

Peter Henn is clearly a pseudonym, and some correspondence led me to believe his real name was Alfons Schertl.

I found this in Doug Starkey's LW officer data base

SCHERTL

, Alfons. (DOB: 15.04.20). 01.42 at Zerstörerschule 2. 10.42 trf to III./ZG 26 then to 2./NJG
5. 02.43 at JFS 2 (Zerbst). 05.43 trf to Erg.JGr. West. 21.06.43 trf to 6./JG 51. 02.44 Staka 6./JG 51.

23.04.44 WIA. 19.10.44 trf to SG 151. 14.11.44 Oblt., trf to 9./SG 4.

The units fit, 6./JG-51 and SG-4 later in the war. This is the same guy,right?

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

Yes, it is the same fellow. I believe that he passed away in March 2009.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[kaki3152]

Andrew,

Thanks. This resolves one Luftwaffe author's actual service.I do have one question.In the above biography, he is listed as Staka 6./JG-51 on 2.44. I find this hard to believe since Herbert Puschmann was Staka until his death on Feb 3,44 suceeded the next day by Oblt. Otto Schultz, who I believe just passed away. Alfons Schertl, AFAIK, never scored a victory,even though, his account of the 376th B-24 formation massacre on Dec 28,1943 makes good reading.

BTW, I 'm surprised about the little fanfare made about Hptm Otto Schultz, who was truly one of the great aces of II/JG-51, and lived to a ripe old age. In the book "Woodbine Red Leader" by George Loving, a pilot with the 31st FG, he mentions meeting Otto Schultz postwar,who maintained a condo in Ft. Myers Beach in Florida. His reported Allied fighter victories included 10 P-38S, 5 Spitfires and 2 P-51s.

[kaki3152]

Here is one of the photographs, which is the nicest picture in the book.

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

Schertl might have led the 6. Staffel temporarily, because there weren't too many successful officers in the unit in February 1944. Otto Schulz passed away recently (28 July 2013). I established contact with him in 2011-2012, but by then his memory of the war years had faded. He was one of the more important members of the unit and, as you say, hasn't received too much attention.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

Some information about Peter Henn here:

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...nn&prev=search

RedToo.

[Boris Ciglic]

Just popped up on this post after seeing recent one about Schertl. Are there any details about Schertl being wounded in action on 23 April 1944? AFAIK, II./JG 51was resting that day as 15.AF went after targets in Austria. Could it be 24 April, when Romania was raided?

Cheers,
Boris

[keith A]

Many, many years ago I read a memoir of a young fighter pilot whose name was I think Peter Herr, and who served with JG53. It was written in the same style as the Bloemertz memoir but dealt with this pilot's experiences in the meditteranean. Unfortunately many years and quite a fair bit of red wine have passed by and now I can't recall any more details. Can anyone help?

regards

Keith

[Nick Beale]

Peter Henn, I think (I read the book a very long time ago, though). I think there's been a thread about his real identity, so you could try a search.

[GrafWolf]

Hello!

Maybe this will help?

"The last battle" by Peter Henn
translated by M. Savill
published by George Mann Books - June 1973
ISBN 978-0704100077

Herzliche Grüsse aus Oberschwaben,

Wolfgang