Hans Hahn

[Nokose]

26 Jun 1941
I have very little again on Circus 24 for this day but there is only three RAF losses with no location and time of losses

RAF losses:
92 Sqn Spitfire (POW) Sweep
145 Sqn Spitfire (POW) Circus 24
603 Sqn Spitfire P/O C A Newman (KIA) Sweep

German claims;
Lt. Siegfried Schnell 4/JG 2 Spitfire 11:42 no location
Fw. Edgar Brandt 4/JG2 Spitfire 11:43 no location
Oblt. Helmut-Felix Bolz 5/JG 2 Spitfire no location
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 11:35 Dunkirk
Lt. Horst Sternberg 5/JG 26 Spitfire 11:50 Dunkirk
Hptm Walter Adolph Stab II/JG 26 Spitfire 11:55 Mardyck

So six claims for Spitfires and three losses again is hard to determine without locations and times of the RAF losses.

[Nokose]

02 Jul 1941
Circus 29 to Lille

RAF escort losses:
303 Sqn Spitfire S/L M. Wojciechowski (KIA) over the channel
303 Sqn Spitfire (pilot rescued) over the channel
303 Sqn Spitfire damaged returned to England

On looking at the locations of the German claims at least one possibly can be linked:
Oblt Walter Schneider 6/JG 26 Spitfire 12:55 Mardyck

RAF sweep losses:
74 Sqn Spitfire (POW)
74 Sqn Spitfire (POW) near St Omer

Circus 29 losses:
71 Sqn Hurricane (linked to Pingel JG 26)
308 Sqn Spitfire F/L E.S. Kawnik (KIA)
308 Sqn Spitfire Sgt. P. Kowala (POW)
308 Sqn Spitfire damaged

German claims:
Obfw. Rudof Täschner 1/JG 2 Spitfire 12:45 no location
Oblt. Jürgen Hepe 4/JG 2 Spitfire 12:55 no location
Lt Bruno Stolle 8/JG 2 Spitfire 12:35 west of Armentieres
Fw Heinz Jahner 9/JG 2 Spitfire 12:37 no location
Lt Friedrich Kellner 7/JG 2 Spitfire 12:45 " "
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire unk hrs Hazebrouck
Oblt Josef Priller 1/JG 26 Spitfire 12:45 10 km west of Lille
Lt Rolf Pingel Stab I/JG 26 Hurricane 12:50 South of Dunkirk (71 Sqn)
Lt Jorst Ulenberg 2/JG 26 Spitfire 12:50 östw. Bouckerque (this location I couldn't find)
Hptm Gerhard Schöpfel Stab III/JG 26 Spitfire 12:50 south of Lillers ( on checking this location it is not in the exact area of the raid and I wonder if it might have been a reconn. Spitfire)

I didn't include the bomber claims as Hahn only claimed a Spitfire. So two possible ID'ed claims which leaves five shot down and two damaged. Josef Priller lists his claim at 10 km west of Lille which seems to indicate a ground verification. So if someone has a loss at Hazebrouck Hahn's claim could fall in the damaged or the one that got away status.

[Nokose]

Nick, Sgt WG Lockhart from 74 Sqn Spitfire Vb (W3317) was shot down on the 06 Jul 1941 and not the 7th.

07 Jul 1941 Three Circuses to France this day according to Donald Caldwell's JG 26 series. JG 26 claimed five Spitfires in the morning. One of these was by Josef Priller which was possibly G/C Harry Broadhurst who landed his damaged Spitfire in England.
The details of these three Circuses I do not have to examine.

RAF losses:
74 Sqn Spitfire Sgt C Stuart (WIA) Sweep, into the sea & rescued
145 Sqn Spitfire Sgt GF Silvester (WIA) Circus 37 written off after landing
609 Sqn Spitfire Sgt G Evans (WIA) Sweep, bailed out over the sea off Boulogne & rescued

German claims:
Obfw Kurt Bühligen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 15:32 no location
Lt Erich Rudorffer Stab II/JG 2 Spitfire 15:35 east of Boulogne
Spitfire 15:40 " "
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Hurricane 15:36 7 km west of Le Touquet
Hurricane 15:37 7-10 km west of Le Touquet
Lt. Hans-Georg Dippel 2/JG 26 Spitfire 15:20 Samer

Hahn's claims would have fell into the English Channel but no Hurricanes were lost which doesn't rule out that he misidentified. Still without more details it is hard to determine and verify his claims.

[Nick Hector]

Hi Michael,

Here's the source of the confusion regarding Sergeant Lockhart

Target-Support Wing B: Biggin Hill
RAF 11 Gp. 74 Sqn. 7 Spitfire Vb 14.30-16.14 Circus 38 0 - 0 - 0 n/a 1 Cat.3m Fighters H-BS: Chocques

Cat.3m 07.07.41 Sgt. W.G. Lockhart: mia-e 11 Group 74 Sqn. Spitfire Vb: ZP - Me 109s: France


From Tony Wood's listing of RAF Fighter Command missions 1941.


Nick

[Nokose]

08 Jul 1941 Circus 40 to Lille power station

Escort cover
303 Sqn
Spitfire S/L T.A. Arentowicz (KIA) over Dunkirk
Spitfire F/O W.S. Strzembosz (KIA) over Dunkirk
Spitfire Sgt W. Giermer (WIA) over Dunkirk and returned damaged.
These possibly belong to 1/JG 26
Uffz Ulrich Grebe Spitfire 15:40 SE of Dunkirk & Spitfire 15:45 N of Dunkirk
Oblt. Werner Kakse Spitfire 15:45 20 km NNW of Coxyde

RAF losses (other)
308 Sqn Spitire Sgt J. Biel (POW) over Lille
611 Sqn Spitfire Sgt B.W. Feeley (KIA) target support
145 Sqn Spitire P/O P.R.I. Pine (POW) target support
145 Sqn Spitfire F/O J.J. Machacek (KIA) target support
610 Sqn Spitfire P/O J.R. Stoop (WIA) came down in sea & rescued
610 Sqn Spitfire P/O F.G. Horner (POW) over France
603 Sqn Spitfire Sgt. B.H. Wood target support damaged forced landed near Canterbury and burnt out

German claims:
Oblt Josef Priller 1/JG 26 Spitfire 15:30 N of St. Omer
Uffz Hans-Jürgen Fröhlich 2/JG 26 Spitfire 15:50 NE of Calais
Lt Paul Schauder 3/JG 26 Spitfire 15:50 NE of Graveslines
Hptm Walter Adolp Stab II/JG 26 Spitfire 15:30 Graveslines
Obfw Walter Meyer 6/JG 26 Spitfire 15:40 Hazebrouck
Uffz Karl Finke 6/JG 26 Spitfire unk hrs S of Ypern

Lt Siegfried Schnell 9/JG 2 Spitfire 15:45 SW of Bergus
Obfw Magnus Brunkhorst 9/JG 2 Spitfire 15:48 Unk
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 15:52 Calais-Marck

Without better information on crash locations I can't determine who shot down who but the majority appear to be to JG 26. Where and who engaged the 603 and 610 Sqn Spitfire would also have to be determined.

[Nokose]

10 Jul 1941 Circus 41 Chocques
Still not enough details of how everything took place but the "overclaiming" was not that bad. Still not possible to link except maybe one.

RAF losses
72 Sqn High Cover
Spitfire Sgt A.J. Casey (KIA)
Spitfire Sgt C.L. Harrison (KIA)
Spitfire F/O J.M. Godlewski (KIA)
Spitfire (damaged)
92 Sqn High Cover
Spitfire Sgt Walden (rescued at sea. This was possibly by Josef Priller)
611 Sqn
Spitfire F/Sgt L. Hemingway (KIA)
Spitfire (damaged)
Spitfire (damaged)
Spitfire (damaged)
610 Sqn Target Support
Spitfire Sgt HCD Blackman (KIA buried at Mazieres)
Spitfire Sgt JE Anderson (POW)
Spitfire P/O P. Ward-Smith (POW)
Spitfire (damaged)

German claims
Stab-Fw Franz Willinger Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 12:10 NW St Omer b. Watten
Fw Günther Seeger Stab/JG2 Spitfire 12:15 SE of Cassel
Obfw Kurt Bühligen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 12:18 & Spitfire 12:21 Unk locations
Lt. Erich Rudorffer Stab II/JG 2 Spitfire 12:20 Unk location
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 12:08 & Spitfire 12:12 Unk location

Oblt Josef Priller 1/JG 26 Spitfire 12:30 N of St Omer & Spitfire 12:40 NW of Boulogne (The last possibly 92 Sqn because he went down in the channel but still nothing to truely confirm)
Lt. Robert Unzeitig 1/JG 26 Spitfire 12:43 Cape Griz Nez

Eight Spitfires lost and five Spitfires damaged against 10 claims is fairly good but still can't determine which Hahn ecountered.

[Nokose]

21 Jul 1941 Circus 54 to Lille

RAF losses
602 sqn close-escort wing
Spitfire F/Lt T.G.F. Ritchie (KIA) buried Reningelst, Belgium
609 Sgn escort-cover wing
Spitfire Sgt K.W. Bramble (KIA) near Lille
611 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt W.E. Grainger (KIA) near Lille
None listed as damaged

German claims (the first three match Circus 54 losses)
Hptm Johannes Seihert Stab I/JG 26 Spitfire 08:25 SW of Ypres
Oblt Waldemar März 5/JG 26 Spitfire 08:35 W of Lille
Uffz Fritz Schellbach 7/JG 2 Spitfire 08:35 Unk

Not matching RAF losses (these appear to be the withdrawn)
Oblt Sigmund Kahse 1/JG 26 Spitfire 08:40 15 km Calais rtg Dunkirk
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 08:50 unk
Lt Egon Mayer 7/JG 2 Spitfire 08:52 Unk

[Nokose]

21 Jul 1941 Circus 55 Marzingarbe

RAF losses
616 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt S.W.R. Mabbett (MWIA) near St. Omer
Spitfire Sgt F.A. Nelson (KIA) into the sea off worthing
19 Sqn Sweep
Spitfire F/O H. Oxlin (KIA) near Montreuil
Spitfire P/O M.D. Tucker (KIA) near St Omer
Spitfire Sgt S.F. Brooker (WIA) damaged

German claims
Fw Günther Seeger Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 20:45 unk
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 20:45
Uffz Gottfried Dietze 2/JG 26 Spitfire 21:00 SW of Cape Gris Nez

Oblt. Schmid /JG 26 Spitfire 19:00(?) unk location (not on the 21st but the 22nd)

Actually matching. Not sure on the time for Oblt. Schmid.

[Nokose]

22 Jul 1941 Circus 58

RAF losses;
54 Sqn Spitfire P/O Jones (POW)
308 Sqn Spitfire F/O W. Boszek (KIA) and Spitfire P/O M.M. Orzechowski (KIA)
603 Sqn Spitfire P/O P.J. Delrome (KIFA) possible Oxygen failure

German Claims
Oblt. Josef Priller 1/JG 26 Spitfire 13:40 10 km west of Gravelines (It is widely accepted that he shot down one of the 308 Sqn Spitfires).

Stab-Fw. Erwin Kley 1/JG 2 Spitfire 13:33 no location
Uffz Kuno Dollenmeier 2/JG 2 Spitfire 13:40 " "
Hptm. Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 13:45 " "
Spitfire 13:53 " "
Oblt. Rudolf Planz Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 14:01 " "
Uffz Theodor Zingerle 8/JG 2 Spitfire 14:02

Okay, two Spitfires with seven claims by JG 2. Either Hahn shot down both, shared or his victims escaped but I think it probably fell into the shared as a group status to be fair.

[Nokose]

07 Aug 1941 Circus 62 to Lille

RAF losses
308 Sqn Sweep 17:01-18:42
Spitfire P/O L. Stampel or Stapel (KIA)
Spitfire Sgt S. Brazda (KIA) Buried Longuenesse which is northeast of Fruges.
92 Sqn Circus 62
Spitfire Sgt G.P. Hickman (WIFA) on return with battle damage. Area of dogfight at Gravelines.
41 Sn
Spitfire F/Lt G.G.F. Draper (POW) over Lille but bailed out over Merville(?).
610 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt F. McWatt (WIA) damaged
401 Sqn
Hurricane P/O R.T. Coupland (KIA) buried at Dunkirk
19 Sqn
Spitfire P/O H.B. Milman (MWIFA) on return
Spitfire Sgt S Plazak (KIA)
257 Sqn
Hurricane Sgt Cowan (WIA) damaged

German claims
JG 26
ObsLt Adolf Galland Stab Spitfire 17:40 10 km west of St Omer
Oblt Johannes Schmid Stab Spitfire 17:43 St. Omer - Ardes
Hptm Gerhard Schöpfel Stab III Spitfire 18:00 SW of Dunkirk (possibly 401 Sqn Hurricane)
Oblt. Walter Schneider 6/JG 26 Spitfire or Hurricane(Don Caldweel lists latter) 18:05 Gravelines (possibly 92 Spitfire?)
Oblt Josef Haiböck Stab III Spitfire 18:05 near Boulogne
Oblt Josef Priller 1/JG 26 18:20 8 km west of Calais

JG 2
Obfw Josef Wurmheller 4/JG 2 Spitfire 17:47 no location
Obfw Kurt Büligen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 17:48 no location
Obfw. Wolfgang Wehrhagen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 17:55 no location
Fw. Ludwig Spinner 4/JG 2 Spitfire 18:09 near Fruges (I suspect that he probably shot down 308 Sqn Spitfire of Sgt S. Bruzda)
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III Spitfire 18:17 no location on Tony Woods list but Nick has Calais on his list on page 1 of this thread.

So four Spitfires shot down and two damaged. One Hurricane shot down and one damaged. I suspect the 41 Sqn Spitfire probably was shot down by one of II/JG 2 or maybe a shared kill. Hahn's victory will probably remain a mystery on this one.