Clostermann official score

[RodM]

Hi Franek,

"found on the web" might be doing a lot of heavy lifting here.

I haven't read the article Nick referenced, but I did go through the following sources from The National Archives some time ago with regard to Clostermann's 1945 claims:

AIR 37/829 - Weekly Reports of Enemy Aircraft Losses inflicted by 2nd TAF (these reports were updated and amended as new info came to hand)
AIR 50 - combat report series
AIR 27 - Squadron ORB series

The one source I haven't checked re: Clostermann is AIR 37/5 - 2nd TAF Log of Casualty Claims, Assessments and Losses. This file is likely as definitive as a single source can be.

Anyway, the following is what I noted (FALSE means the claim is not recorded in any of the three sources mentioned, but I haven't checked TNA AIR 37/5. CR means a Combat Report exists in TNA AIR 50. 2nd TAF EAL means TNA AIR 37/829):

5/3/45 274
1 x Bf109 DES (CR, listed in 2TAF EAL "In HENGELO area")

14/3/45 274
1 x Bf109 DES (FALSE) X-X-X-X-X
2 x Bf109 probable DES (FALSE) X-X-X-X-X

28/3/45 56
1 x Fi156 DES on the ground (CR, listed in 2TAF EAL "A.8989")

2/4/45 56
1 x Fw190 DES (CR, listed in 2TAF EAL "On VECHTA A/F")
2 x Ju88 DAM on the ground (CR, listed in 2TAF EAL "On VECHTA A/F")

5/4/45 56
2 x Fw190 DAM (CR, listed in 2TAF EAL "Patrols & Armed recces RHEINE-LINGEN-MEPPEN")
1 x Ju88 DES (FALSE) X-X-X-X-X

20/4/45 3
2 x Fw190 DEST (CR, listed in 2TAF EAL, these and other claims "NEURUPPIN area and A/F's at ORANIENBURG, HAGENAU, FLENSBURG, NORDHOLZ")

3/5/45 3
1 x Fw190 DES on the ground (FALSE) X-X-X-X-X (3 Sqn pilots Walker & West each claimed a Fw190 DES on the ground and these appear to be the only two such claims credited to 3 Sqn)
2 x Fw190 DAM on the ground (FALSE) X-X-X-X-X (2 such claims by 3 Sqn are acknowledged in a tabular summary for 3/5/45 in TNA AIR 37/829. I suspect these will be listed in TNA AIR 37/5, and might identify Clostermann)
2 x Do24 DES on the ground or water (CR) (1 DEST, 1 DAM listed in 2TAF EAL)
1 x Ju352 DES on the ground or water (CR) (1 DAM listed in 2TAF EAL)
2 x Bv138 DAM on the ground or water (CR)
2 x Ar232 DAM on the ground or water (CR)

4/5/45 3
2 x Do18 DES on the ground or water (CR)

As can be seen, this list differs from the one you presented. I am not saying mine is definitive, only that a clear set of agreed claims needs to be established first, especially if wanting to link claims to Luftwaffe losses. I expect TNA file AIR 37/5 should provide clear answers. Christophe Cony might have consulted this source, I don't really know.


I have one page from TNA AIR 37/5 that happens to have a Clostermann claim listed. It serves to illustrate the importance of this primary source document:

DATE: 28 Mar.
SERIAL: 362/III
GRP: 83
SQN: 56
PILOT CLAIMING: F/L Clostermann
E/A CASUALTIES: TYPE OF A/C: Fi.156
E/A CASUALTIES: CLAIMS: 1 Des
FINAL ASSESSMENT: 1 Fi.156 DES
OWN CASUALTIES: A/C: 2 Tempests Cat E
OWN CASUALTIES: PILOTS: Sgt Sheppard missing
REMARKS: A/R's RHEINE-MUNSTER-HANNOVER. E/A destroyed on the ground A.8989. 1 a/c, 3 Sqn, hit by flak pilot safe.

Cheers

Rod