JG 27 v. Spit XIVs, Rheine, 2 March 1945

[DavidIsby]

I am interested in any sources, especially from the German side, on this action, which saw 350 Squadron with Spitfire XIVs attacking JG 27 Bf109G/K?s defending Me 262 operations from Rheine airbase.

130 Squadron, also with Spitfire XIVs, was engaged at the same time nearby with 17 Fw 190Ds of III/JG 26.

I would be most grateful for reference to any sources (JG 27 history?) on the battle.

thanks,
david isby

[hucks216]

It is mentioned on Pages 440/441 of 2nd Tactical Air Force Volume 3 by Christopher Shores & Chris Thomas (ISBN: 1-903223-60-1).
Four pilots from 130 Sqdn each claimed one Fw-190 destroyed while 2 of their own were shot down (PoW) and 3 pilots from 350 Sqdn each claimed a Bf109 with another claim for one damaged.

130 Sqdn Claims:
F/L G.G. Earp
F/S P.H.T. Clay
W/O J.A Boulton
F/L C.J Samouelle (1 destroyed & 1 damaged)
W/O J.T. Turnbull (1 probable & 1 damaged)

130 Sqdn Losses:
F/L G.G. Earp (PoW)
F/O N.W. Heale (PoW & Wounded)

350 Sqdn Claims:
P/O L. Lambrechts
F/O R. Hoornaert
F/S J. Groensteen
F/S E. Pauwels (1 damaged)

Pilots of III/JG 27 claimed 3 Spitfires shot down (possible 130 Sqdn).

All information taken from the above mentioned publication.

[Kutscha]

Where were the 2 Spitfire squadrons and III./JG27 based.

[Fairlop]

Hi,

Both RAF Squadrons were based at B.78 Eindhoven.

Michal

[Simon Pirec]

III/JG 27 was based in Hesepe (12/44 - 18.3.45) .

[Brian Bines]

Fhr. Karl-Heinz Eidam + 9/27 LK with Spitfire Teckleburg, Uffz Erich Schulz 11/27 + LK by Saerbeck, Fw Karl Schaffhauser + 12/27 LK by Saerbeck. all flying Bf109 K-4s. Sources JG27 histories by Prien/Rodeike/Stemmer and Gerbig.
Uffz Walter Hahnel + 10/26 Believed fell to Spitfire of 130 Sqd. at 0800 hrs N/W Ibbenburen flying Fw190 D-9 Source JG26 War Diary by Donald Caldwell,

Regards

Brian Bines

[digedag1]

III/JG27 losses:
Fhr. Karl-Heinz Eidam, 9./JG27, KIA
Fw. Karl Schaffhauser, 12./JG27, KIA
Uffz. Erich Schulz 11./JG27, KIA

Details for the sortie not mentioned.

Source: Ring/Girbig "Jagdgeschwader 27".

digedag1

[Allan125]

Hi David
Both squadrons were part of 125 Wing, and the following is the Wing ORB entry for 2/3/45
To-day for the first time since we arrived at this resort we were able to take the air as planned in the early morning. Both squadrons were airborne at 0719 hours, the Wing Commander leading 130 Sqdn on a sweep and were warned when in the Enschede area that Huns were in the Rheine area. This is what all the pilots had been hoping for so off they went and the Wing Commander caught a glimpse of a nice gaggle of mixed 190’s and 109’s about 1,000 feet below and then the fun started. The W/Cdr dived down with 130 Sqdn and quickly got on the tail of a Hun and in a very few minutes the latter had decided he had had it and out he came complete with parachute. The Wing emerged with 5 destroyed, 3 probables and 3 damaged plus 1 destroyed claimed over the R/T by F/Lt Earp. This was not achieved without loss as F/O Heale and F/Lt Earp both of 130 Sqdn did not return. F/O Heale was seen diving with a Hun on his tail and those who saw him last were not happy about his chances of having got away with it. George Earp had trouble with his engine, probably as a result of the scrap and nursed it back some way but could not make it and is presumed to have crash landed somewhere in enemy territory. Before doing so he sent his claim to the Squadron and claimed a 190 destroyed. F/Lt Samouelle believes he probably destroyed the Hun who shot down F/O Heale. He saw Heale turning inside the Hun but the former suddenly straightened up and the e/a got in a quick burst. Sammy was by that time able to get in a burst at the Hun which followed Heale’s aircraft down in a vertical dive, both a/c streaming glycol and smoke. He got some strikes on another FW 190 but was not able to finish off the bird. After this hectic beginning to the day the pilots had a relatively boring job giving area cover to Mediums on Kevelaer and Geldern. This was uneventful, the bombing was not seen due to cloud. Later in the day 6 aircraft gave cover over base to the V.I.P. and needless to say it was uneventful.
Totals: 130 Sqdn – Sorties 10; e/a destroyed 3; probables 3; damaged 2 ***
350 Sqdn – Sorties 18; e/a destroyed 3; probables -; damaged 1.
*** 130 Sqdn score includes 1 destroyed by Wing Commander Keefer
I also hold copies of the 41, 350 (Belgian) and 130 (Punjab) Squadron ORB’s and the events of the day have been written up by Peter Kassak “An Ordinary Day in 1945” ISBN 83-89450-22-4 published in Poland in 2005 by Stratus for Mushroom Model Publications.
Hucks216 missed off W/C George Keefer from his list of names – he is listed as the second entry, under F/L Danny Reid of 41 squadron, in the claim total on Page 441 of 2TAF vol 3, flying Spitfire XIV RM808 GCK.
41 squadron was nominally still part of 125 Wing but had been attached to 122 Wing for approximately 6 weeks from the end of January 1945 - returning in March.
See http://www.350sqn.be/index.html for more info on 350 (Belgian) Squadron and http://brew.clients.ch/RAF41Sqdn.htm for 41 Squadron. I do not believe that 130 (Punjab) Squadron has a website dedicated to it.
Hope this helps?
Allan

[peter monasso]

Hi David and others
By coincidence I came across your question recently. Researching Air War History also in Germany I found several years ago a German wartime police report saying: “emergency landing on 2 March 1945 of a Spitfire about 08.40 hrs. Pilot Lieutnant Gotfried Earp (born 10 September 1918) taken prisoner. Pilot handed over to Flak-unit at Maria Veen.” The belly landing happened at Umberg a very small hamlet in the area called Letter Bruch this is 8,5 Km SSW of city Coesfeld and 43 Km SSW of Rheine.
Earps initials are “G:G.” so I assume that his Christian names were George Gotfried or Gotfried George.
Peter Monasso
www.crashmuseum.nl