Oblt Hans-Heinz Augenstein of III./NJG1

[Bombphoon]

Hi folks. I'm writing a memorial piece for Remembrance Day about the crew of 12 Squadron Lancaster JB609 which was shot down on 19/20th February 1944 on the way back from Leipzig, by III./NJG1 ace Oblt Hans-Heinz Augenstein. Sadly all seven of the crew were killed when the a/c crashed at Elspeet, Holland. I understand, up till then, on this night, Bomber Command suffered its worse amount of losses with 79 a/c lost. My questions are quite simple:

What industry was Leipzig famous for/such an important target?

I understand Oblt Hans-Heinz Augenstein himself was killed by an RAF Mossie nightfighter on 6/7th December 1944 - anybody know which a/c or unit shot him down?

Lastly, I'm trying to find a decent book on the Nachtjager units. I've seen Boiten's new Schiffer book: Battles with the Nachtjagd' - is it worth the £50 or can you recommend any other books i.e. is there a unit history of NJG1 or No. 12 Squadron?


Thanks in advance for your help

Austin

[Delmenhorst]

Hi Austin
The book 'Battles with the Nachtjagd' is worth every penny ! And yes, it covers the last battle of Hptm Augenstein with a long rapport from his Bordschütze Uffz Schmidt.

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello

Leipzig had no articular companies but was one of the mayor cities in the Third Reich that should be bombed. You can read
Kurowski's book 'Luftkrieg', M.Middlebrook & C.Everitt's 'Bomber Command War Diaries' to get an idea what happened that night.

Mosquito-claim for Augenstein's loss: I will check my archive and come back to you monday.

NJG 1 histories:
I.NJG 1 : none so far but I am working on it!
II.NJG 1: A. Jansen 'Wespennest Leeuwarden' (3 Vol. in Dutch)
III.NJG 1: C. Cornelissen 'Huzaren der Nacht (1 Vol. in Dutch)
IV.NJG 1: A. Jansen 'Wespennest Leeuwarden'

NJG 2 histories:
I.NJG 2 : H.Rökker, Kronik I.NJG 2 (in German), also Möhlenbeck&Leihse, Fernnachtjagd (in German)

NJG 3 histories:
none specific about certain units

NJG 4 histories:
none specific about certain units

NJG 5 histories:
none specific about certain units

NJG 6 histories:
W.Kock, Kriegstagebüch NJG 6 (in German)

All the best, Marcel Hogenhuis
Study Group Venlo airfield in WW-2

[Delmenhorst]

Theo gives F/Lt HEdgecoe from FIU a possible credit for shooting down Augenstein (F/O Corke from 214 Sqdn claimed a Ju 88 as damaged)

[Bombphoon]

Thank you both very much your help!
Kind Regards

[RT]

The book 'Battles with the Nachtjagd' is worth every penny !

How many pennies are there in 50 pounds ???

Rémi

[Bombphoon]

£50 = 5,000 pennies! I'm starting collecting now...

[Hennie Freriks]

There is a book about NJG1in the Dutch language, written by Coen Cornelissen:
Van grasmat tot fliegerhorst
ISBN 906693090x

Originally Posted by Bombphoon

Hi folks. I'm writing a memorial piece for Remembrance Day about the crew of 12 Squadron Lancaster JB609 which was shot down on 19/20th February 1944 on the way back from Leipzig, by III./NJG1 ace Oblt Hans-Heinz Augenstein. Sadly all seven of the crew were killed when the a/c crashed at Elspeet, Holland. I understand, up till then, on this night, Bomber Command suffered its worse amount of losses with 79 a/c lost. My questions are quite simple:

What industry was Leipzig famous for/such an important target?

I understand Oblt Hans-Heinz Augenstein himself was killed by an RAF Mossie nightfighter on 6/7th December 1944 - anybody know which a/c or unit shot him down?

Lastly, I'm trying to find a decent book on the Nachtjager units. I've seen Boiten's new Schiffer book: Battles with the Nachtjagd' - is it worth the £50 or can you recommend any other books i.e. is there a unit history of NJG1 or No. 12 Squadron?


Thanks in advance for your help

Austin

[leonventer]

Hi Austin,

Originally Posted by Bombphoon

... the crew of 12 Squadron Lancaster JB609 which was shot down on 19/20th February 1944 on the way back from Leipzig, by III./NJG1 ace Oblt Hans-Heinz Augenstein. Sadly all seven of the crew were killed when the a/c crashed at Elspeet, Holland.

According to the book mentioned by Hennie Freriks ("Van Grasmat tot Fliegerhorst" by Cornelissen), Augenstein shot down Halifax W367 of 78 Sqn near Steenwijk at 02.30 on 20th Feb 1944.

The book is a history of the air war over the eastern part of the province of Overijssel, with a focus on the airfield of Twenthe during the occupation years. It contains detailed accounts about the units that operated from that field, particularly III./NJG 1. Some of the other units mentioned include 6./NJG 1, I. + III./NJG2, II./NJG 3, III./NJG 4, I./NJG 5, I. + III./JG 1, IV./JG 26, III./JG 54 and KG 200. The appendices contain comprehensive victory and loss lists for III./NJG 1.

I understand Oblt Hans-Heinz Augenstein himself was killed by an RAF Mossie nightfighter on 6/7th December 1944 - anybody know which a/c or unit shot him down?

There is no entry for Augenstein in the III./NJG 1 loss list at all, so he might have transferred to another unit by then. This seems to be supported by that fact that his Halifax on 19/20 Feb 1944 is his last entry in the III./NJG 1 victory list -- during the preceding months, he had scored fairly regularly.

Hope that helps,
Leon Venter

[leonventer]

I just checked the book mentioned by Marcel Hogenhuis, namely "Huzaren van de Nacht, deel 1" by Cornelissen. This is a unit history of III./NJG 1 and it contains a slightly more detailed victory list than the one in "Van Grasmat tot Fliegerhorst" by the same author.

In "Huzaren", Augenstein's victory on 19/20 Feb 1944 is listed as Halifax III, code EY-L, serial # LW367 (not W367). The attack took place at 6400m in Raum ZS, and the crash site is listed as Kallenkote, 5km ENE of Steenwijk.

The book lists Augenstein as Staffelkapitän of 7./NJG 1 from 31 Jan 1944 to 28 Feb 1944. He then became Staka of 12./NJG 1 until his death on 6/7 Dec 1944.

According to Bowman's "Mosquito Fighter/Fighter-Bomber Units of World War 2", Augenstein was probably shot down by Flt Lt Edward R. Hedgecoe DFC and Flt Sgt J. R .Whitham, who were "attached to the Fighter Interception Unit (FIU)."

Leon Venter