Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

[John Beaman]

Also lost that day were 4 K-4s from JG 27 and 2 G-10s from JG 300.

[John Manrho]

I would say this is I./JG 27. They reported losses in combat near Störmede Airfield. Losses were reported as 4 KIA. Eyewitnesses reported the loss of 6 Bf 109 so we can assume 2 pilots bailed out. Just west of Störmede airfield lies the small village of Eikeloh.....

regards,

John

[John Beaman]

Originally Posted by John Manrho

I would say this is I./JG 27. They reported losses in combat near Störmede Airfield. Losses were reported as 4 KIA. Eyewitnesses reported the loss of 6 Bf 109 so we can assume 2 pilots bailed out. Just west of Störmede airfield lies the small village of Eikeloh.....

regards,

John

Hi John.

Yes, I have them listed as 2 from 1 Staffel and 2 from 2 Staffel, although I have 1 pilot listed as MIA rather than KIA. Perhaps he was later confirmed as KIA?

Skyraider: Do you have a reference like an encounter report for this action?

John

[Skyraider3D]

Originally Posted by John Manrho

Just west of Störmede airfield lies the small village of Eikeloh.....

John, you're a star! I was expecting "Eiklon" to be misspelt as there was no reference to it anywhere. I also couldn't find any airfield with a name close to it, so it makes sense it's a nearby town. It's easy to see how a handwritten Eikeloh could have been as Eiklon.
Do you happen to have any exact info on the losses, such as type, WerkeNr, markings and pilots involved? I have tried to decypher the blur on the guncam shot and it appears to both me and my wife as a white 4.

Originally Posted by John Beaman

Do you have a reference like an encounter report for this action?

Not yet, but the 359th FG historian may be able to help. I'm trying to "reconstruct" several 359th FG encounters and she's been extremely helpful so far
It's interesting you have the losses listed a K-4's. The guncam still shows a clear tailwheel. Flaps are down and the 359th pilots reported the 109s as being in a landing pattern, so it's possible the gear was down. However judging from the background, I estimate the aircraft was flying at at least 5000 ft.


Many thanks guys!

[Skyraider3D]

Since I keep referring to the guncam still, I thought I'd show you.



Please excuse the poor quality of the reproduction including the blob from the flash of my camera. My scanner doesn't work anymore...

Source: Mustangs & Unicorns, Jack H. Smith, ISBN 1-57510-029-0

[John Manrho]

I have the following losses;

1) Bf 109K-4, 332632, 2./JG 27, Uffz. Walter Neumann, born 28.9.1921, reported missing. Can't find him in the VDK-Datenbank and he is listed in the DRK-Bildlisten, therefore still MIA in 1950's and probably still is.

2) Bf 109K-4, 333909, 1./JG 27, Uffz. Erich Flickinger, born 23.2.1925,
KIA. Buried Ehrenfriedhof Geseke Block 8, Reihe 2, Grab 27.

3) Bf 109K-4, 332576, 1./JG 27, Uffz. Josef Bursch, born 21.8.1923,
KIA. Buried Ehrenfriedhof Geseke Block 8, Reihe 2, Grab 24. (VDK says birthyear is 1922)

4) Bf 109K-4, 331379, 2./JG 27, Uffz. Günter Hurler, born 27.12.1922,
KIA. Buried Ehrenfriedhof Geseke Block 8, Reihe 2, Grab 25. (VDK says first name is Gustav)

Unfortunately the loss report (NVM) does not list the Kennzeichen. The white number indicates an 1st Staffel a/c.

Hope this helps.

John.

[John Manrho]

And before anybody shouts....who is in Grave 26.....???:

Stabsintendant Erich Kruse, born 30.3.1912. Stabsintendant of I./JG 27 and killed in strafing on 24.3.1945.

cheers,

John.

[odybvig]

According to Werner Girbig's book: Start im Morgengrau:
Over Störmede, at the time home base of I./JG 27, it was a battle with big number of Mustangs. Four Bf 109 from I./JG 27 and eight from III./JG 27 was lost (or as he write; Pilot lost). All Bf 109 K-4
No reference given

And, still cant find them im Gen.Qu.Abt 6 lists that I have
Anyone with the Namentliche Verlustmeldungen (NVM) for III./JG 27?

Best
Olve Dybvig

[RT]

I hv 4 planes total loss for that day at or around Stormede, 1+2 JG27, + 1 for 3.JG27 damage unknown,+ 2 pilots wounded by strafing aircrafts, same day in combats, no place named ,11.jg27 lost 3 more, III.JG27 6, nd 4 concerning II.JG27
JG 300 seems to hv lost 18 crafts

rt

[Skyraider3D]

Just as a side note, I just noticed that in Tony Wood's Luftwaffe claims list, FhjFw Walter Arnold of 9/JG 27 claims a Mustang destroyed. Unfortunately the time isn't known. Could he have claimed the one 359th FG Mustang that got merely damaged or was one of the 357th FG Mustangs lost in the earlier battle? I didn't find an MACR for the 357th for that date.