Luftwaffe Losses Arnhem Area 29th Sept 1944

[John Manrho]

Nokose/Laurent,

I will give you the details for the III./JG 4 mission based on the available original sources (NVM, KTB 3. JD, RL2-III-852, etc.) and my research in other primary sources:

First the Abendmeldung for the 29.9.44 the 3. JD reports this for the III./JG 4:
Take Off 10.33 hrs, Landing 12.20 hrs. 19 Bf 109 participated in the mission.
Successes: 2x Spitfire, 1 Thunderbolt sicher, 1 Mustang wahrscheinlich.
Losses: 4x Bf 109 missing (Fricke/Hasenberg/Grüner/Rüther), 1x Bf 109 damaged with pilot wounded (no name known, so probably only minor injuries?)

The Nachmeldung of 30.9.44 reported that Hptm. Hasenberg bailed out and also reported 2 Spitfires sicher....

The summarischen Verlusten (RL2-III-852) reports 3x MIA and 2x Total. So the reported damaged a/c listed by 3. JD must have been non-recoverable.

I do not have any details on the 2nd mission (Lt. Klaffenbach FB). This is not reported by the Abendmeldung of 3. JD, which is strange. I have the FB somewhere, but it is stored....

I believe there is no "proof" that Uffz. Rüther crashed near Keeken.

Gefr. Lorenz Grüner indeed crashed just west of Kleve. He is buried in Donsbrüggen/Kleve Grave 823.

Cheers John