Oblt Emil Lang & SqLdr Wally McLeod-two mysteries

[Niederrhein 01]

Hello everyone,

Just signed on to the forum, I have to reply to the question over Sqn/Ldr McLeod as maybe this way I can get the information that I have been searching for during the past 2 years.

According to Franks Vol 3, McLeod was found after the war NNW of Wesel, in a reply I received from the AHB way back in 2003, he was buried in Elten cemetery in Germany just to the north west of Emmerich, transferred to Reichswald cemetery Plot 2, row B, Grave 12 and then transferred again to Rhineberg cemetery Plot 8, row E, Grave 25.

Firstly, why was he transferred from Reichswald to Rheinberg ? and has anybody got information as to if Elten really was his original burial place or was Elten used after the war as a temporary cemetery until the offical military cemeteries were completed.?

The reason why I am so interested in McLeod is I have an unconfirmed eyewitness report from an elderly woman who says that a british Spitfire pilot was recovered after the war from a small german village to the west of the Rhine river mid to late 1945, the wreckage of the Spitfire was then in late 45 early 46 removed from the site . As McLeod was lost NNW of Wesel (Franks) and shot down by a 109 20 miles east of Nijmegen (AHB), this puts the village of Obermörmter close to both.

As to who shot him down , there are still a lot of possibilities, the claims from JG 76 are whittled down to 5, 3 claims given while 2 were not confirmed, all in the Emmerich area between 13.26 and 13.55 apart from the given claim of Lt. Boer which states his Spitfire came down at Apeldoorn, which if my geography is correct is to the north of Arnheim. There is however, an Appeldorn village only 5km away from Obermörmter, maybe a spelling mistake on the german side. There are two more claims for the early afternoon from JG 4 that also come into consideration, also in the Emmerich area, about 13.50-13.58.

If anyone has access or very good contact to the MRES records, which I believe are still restricted, then they could resolve the question of where he was lost.

Hoping for a reply

Niederrhein 01

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Quote from "From White Caps to Contrails"
' After uneventful patrols on the morning of the 27th, W/C Johnson destroyed his 38th (highest total in RAF) enemyaircraft in a melee over Rees on the banks of the Rhine. F/O Rooney Hodgins forced another Messerschmitt away from his commander and got another destroyed for himself. F/O H.P. Fuller gave the "tail-end charlie" of the German formation bursts of cannon and machine-gun fire to do it in. F/L E.B.Stovel, F/O Gilbert and F/L Walz also tallied one each.
But these victories were won at a heavy cost. S/L H.W. McLeod DSO,DFC and Bar , who at 21 enemy aircraft to his credit and was the top-scoring day-fighter pilot in the RCAF , was missing.'

FCL vol 3 has - NH245, "patrol Nijmegen, pm. Shot down by Me109 east of the town."

Photo in Spitfire-the Canadians has hin standing in front of his Spitfire IX "2I-E" MK636. Artwork on dust cover has this a/c in D-Day stripes .
This a/c later became MM4080 of the Italian AF. Spitfire International has Italy-MM4080, Fate unknown.

Alex

[Niederrhein 01]

Hello Alex,

Your post would seem to reinforce my theory about the unknown british Spitfire pilot being that of Sqd Ldr Mcleod at Obermörmter, as the village is just opposite Rees on the west bank of the Rhine.
Every piece of information that I receive gets me a little bit closer to finally solving the puzzle.

Thanks

Niederrhein 01

[SMF144]

Niederrhein 01

Squadron Leader Wally McLeod was Canadian and he was from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Stephen

[George Hopp]

From "White Caps to Contrails: But these victories were won at a heavy cost. S/L H.W. McLeod DSO,DFC and Bar , who at 21 enemy aircraft to his credit and was the top-scoring day-fighter pilot in the RCAF , was missing.

Well, actually George "Buzz" Beurling was the top-scoring day-fighter pilot in the RCAF.

[SMF144]

George,

Actually, Beurling wasn't the top RCAF fighter pilot because he was originally in the RAF before switching over to the RCAF towards the end of his career whereas McLeod was in the RCAF from the beginning.

Stephen

[Nick Beale]

An interesting story...

If the books don't agree with one another (and Johnson was probably relying on his memories rather than files, as with most pilots' memoirs) it seems that someone needs to check the Wing and Squadron Operations Record Books and any pilots' Sortie Reports that survive at the UK National Archives (which, AFAIK is what Chris Shores and Chris Thomas spent years doing for the new edition of 2nd TAF).

It's quite possible that even then the position won't be clear and that's where interpretation comes in. Even so, the source materials are the best bet for trying to work out which book is correct.

[karl lusink]

Originally Posted by Niederrhein 01

Hello everyone,

Just signed on to the forum, I have to reply to the question over Sqn/Ldr McLeod as maybe this way I can get the information that I have been searching for during the past 2 years.

According to Franks Vol 3, McLeod was found after the war NNW of Wesel, in a reply I received from the AHB way back in 2003, he was buried in Elten cemetery in Germany just to the north west of Emmerich, transferred to Reichswald cemetery Plot 2, row B, Grave 12 and then transferred again to Rhineberg cemetery Plot 8, row E, Grave 25.

Firstly, why was he transferred from Reichswald to Rheinberg ? and has anybody got information as to if Elten really was his original burial place or was Elten used after the war as a temporary cemetery until the offical military cemeteries were completed.?

The reason why I am so interested in McLeod is I have an unconfirmed eyewitness report from an elderly woman who says that a british Spitfire pilot was recovered after the war from a small german village to the west of the Rhine river mid to late 1945, the wreckage of the Spitfire was then in late 45 early 46 removed from the site . As McLeod was lost NNW of Wesel (Franks) and shot down by a 109 20 miles east of Nijmegen (AHB), this puts the village of Obermörmter close to both.

As to who shot him down , there are still a lot of possibilities, the claims from JG 76 are whittled down to 5, 3 claims given while 2 were not confirmed, all in the Emmerich area between 13.26 and 13.55 apart from the given claim of Lt. Boer which states his Spitfire came down at Apeldoorn, which if my geography is correct is to the north of Arnheim. There is however, an Appeldorn village only 5km away from Obermörmter, maybe a spelling mistake on the german side. There are two more claims for the early afternoon from JG 4 that also come into consideration, also in the Emmerich area, about 13.50-13.58.

If anyone has access or very good contact to the MRES records, which I believe are still restricted, then they could resolve the question of where he was lost.

Hoping for a reply

Niederrhein 01

Hallo,
ORB 443 Squadron
UP 12.20 Down: 13.50 British time!!
Aircraft despatched on high patrol to Nijmegen-Venlo with W/C J.E Johnson, Wingco Flying No. 127 Wing, leading.
Nine Me 109's sighted flying west at 1.000'at Rees and engaged 20 miles east of Nijmegen. Our a./c bounced from 9.000' and in dogfight one Me 109 was destroyed by each of the following:
W/C J.E Johnson, F/L E.B Stovel, F/Lt D.M. Walz, F/L H.P. Fuller, F/O W.A.G. Gilbert. A probable is claimed by F/L Stovel and another by W/O R.A Hodgins. S/L H.W. McLeod, DSO, DFC&Bar is mising after the mission, there being no information on his whereabouts after the bounce was made. A/C flown by F/L E.B. Stovel shot up by enemy cannon and despite large hole in port wing, he was able to return to base. Innacurate, moderate light flak at A-0852, innacurate, moderate light flak at E-9238.
Weather: 9/10ths cloud at 5-6.000'.
ORB form 541

412 squadron RCAF
Up 11.30 h Down 13.30-13.45 British time
12 a/c Low Frontline Patrol in the Nijmegen Area.
In Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Grave 2-B-12 is resting:
P/O Paul Emile Hurtubise
Spitfire NH-189

I am in possesion of a report (Air Ministry S.14 Cas. 2/12/1948) which says:
..as we have no other outstanding fighter missing which fits, the grave is accepted for J-4912 Squadron Leader McLeod.
But grave 2-B-12 (now!)contains the remains of P/O Hurtubise!!!
I know that an unknown Canadian fighter pilot was buried at Elten. Crashed in his Spitfire just East of Elten.

I do not know when or where (NW of Wesel?)the body of MCLeod was found, but i think they did not bury him in Reichswald Forest at all! I think he was recovered and buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery!
But I have no proof!

See also McLeod in LBB (Luftwaffe Bullet Board)

Regards
Karl Lusink
ARGA