Fw Hans Hahn I./NJG 2

[Chris Goss]

The above's career as a intruder pilot is known but apparently he first flew with a bomber Geschwader, sank a 4000 ton freighter off Dunkirk in May 1940 after which he transferred to night fighters. The only claims I have for 4000 ton ships off Dunkirk were by I./KG 30 and III./KG 4-can anyone identify his bomber unit?

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Chris

I am pretty sure that it was KG 30 because the I./NJG 2 was the former II./NJG 1 which was formed with the Zerst.Staffel of KG 30 and Do17's of the 1./NJG 1.

Best regards, Marcel

[Chris Goss]

Marcel: I guessed as much but his name doesn't figure with Z./KG 30

[retje]

Hello Chris,

Acording the Aufstellungsliste Zerstörerstaffel/KG 30 of 01-03.1940-08.07.1940, there was no Fw. Hans Hahn in this unit.

I think this could be him:
HAHN, Hans. (DOB: 21.02.19 in Rheydt). (R). 01.40 assigned to a bomber unit as a pilot. c.07.40
volunteered for night fighter training. c.10.40 Fw., assigned to 3./NJG 2 on completion of training.
02.01.41 Lt., 3./NJG 2. 13.03.41 Lt., 3./NJG 2. 08.04.41 Fw., 3./NJG 2. 04/05.05.41 Ofw./Lt.,
3./NJG 2. 09.07.41 Lt., awarded Ritterkreuz, I./NJG 1. 31.07.41 Lt., 3./NJG 2 WIA - Ju 88 C-2
crash-landed at Gilze-Rijen. 17.08.41 Lt., 3./NJG 2. 04.09.41 Lt., 3./NJG 2 unhurt - Ju 88 C-4
(R4+OL) taxiing accident at Deelen. 11/12.10.41 Lt., 3./NJG 2 KIA - Ju 88 C-4 (R4+NL) in collision
with an Oxford of No. 12 Flying School while attacking it over the Grantham area in England. Buried
at Cannock Chase. Credited with 12 night victories.

(Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries - by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey)

Regards
René

[Chris Goss]

René

This is him but nothing on his bomber unit

Chris

[Chris Goss]

Thanks to René his EKM & those of his crew were 9/KG 54

[Bruce Dennis]

Hans Hahn has just cropped up in a thread over on RAFCommands.

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...-24th-Oct-1940

Bruce

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Bruce. Reason why I'm interested is I have just turned up a photo of Hahn who was not a well photographed pilot. I am puzzled by the nephews comments about him strafing-it was dark, the Whitley was destroyed so yes why bother-he could not have seen the survivors. As to sdhipping claims by KG 54/III./KG 54, all I have is 10 May 1940 off Antwerp (no Gruppe), 21 May 1940 Dunkirk Harbour (no Gruppe), 27 May 1940 Nieuport Harbour (no Gruppe), 28 May 1940 between Ostende and Zeebrugge (no Gruppe), 1 June 1940 Dunkirk (III Gruppe). The tonnage is said to have been 4000 and the closest I have is 3000 tons on 21 May 1940

[edwest2]

Could this be the ship that was hit?

"At the 20th about 1,400 Dutch soldiers boarded the French freighter FS Pavon, which had also been involved in the transit of French troops to Walcheren in an earlier stage. The ship would sail to Cherbourg. Four small French Chasseurs followed her to Dunkirk. A few miles outside the port the small convoy was attacked by German planes. One bomb hit the Pavon right behind the cunning-tower and pierced through all upper decks to detonate amongst the men in the lower compartments. At least 40 soldiers were blown to pieces right away. The captain of the ship immediately steered his crippled and burning vessel to the shore and grounded the vessel near Gravelines [Belgium]. The exact number of killed men will remain a mystery for ever. About 50 men had died. Many of them have been listed on a monument that was only commissioned in 2005 at the war cemetery Grebbeberg [Rhenen], listing the names of 138 Dutch military killed in action during the war without a known grave. The tragedy of the Pavon is still one of the dark pages in the Dutch war history, particularly due to the fact that the fate of the missing men remained unknown for so many years."

[Chris Goss]

The Pavon was lost on 20 May 1940 and claimed by I./KG 30