Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld

[Teresa Maria]

Dear All,
Wikipedia and similar sites suggest that he may have been wounded in early 1944 (one month is quite a long time):
After a one-month hospital stay, Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was promoted to Major and made Geschwaderkommodore of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5) on 20 February 1944.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egmont...ei%C3%9Fenfeld)
However, DeZeng and Stankey's database doesn't seem to confirm it:
LIPPE-WEISSENFELD
, Egmont, Prinz zur. (DOB: 14.07.18 in Salzburg). (RE, DKG). 1936 joined
the Austrian Bundesheer, and assigned to the infantry. 1938 now in the Austrian Air Force. 1939
promo to Lt. 06.40 trf to II./ZG 76. 04.08.40 trf to NJG 1. 11.40 in 4./NJG 1. 15.01.41 Oblt.,
4./NJG 1. 12.03.41 Oblt. in 4./NJG 1 WIA - Bf 110 D-2 crashed at Bergen after hits by return fire.
13/14.03.41 Oblt., 4./NJG 1 WIA - Bf 110 D-2 shot up vic Medemblik/Holland by enemy fire.
10.04.41 Oblt., 4./NJG 1. 30.06.41 4./NJG 2 unhurt? - Bf 110 C-4 crashed at Ijesselmeer/Holland,
cause unknown. 25.07.41 Oblt., 4./NJG 1. 1941 Staka 2./NJG 1 01.11.41 Oblt., appt Staka 5./NJG
2 (to 01.10.42). 27.12.41 Oblt., 5./NJG 2. 22.01.42 Oblt., awarded DKG, 5./NJG 2. 16.04.42 Oblt.,
awarded Ritterkreuz, Staka 5./NJG 2. 28.08.42 Oblt., 5./NJG 2. 15.10.42 Hptm., appt Kdr. I./NJG 3
(to 31.05.43). 17.01.43 Hptm., Stab I./NJG 3. 14.05.43 Hptm., I./NJG 1. 01.06.43 Hptm. and
provisional Kdr. III./NJG 3, appt provisional Kdr. III./NJG 1 (to 20.02.44). 13.06.43 Hptm., Stab
III./NJG 1. 02.08.43 Hptm., awarded Eichenlaub, Kdr. III./NJG 1. 06.09.43 Maj., Stab III./NJG 1.
01.10.43 promo to Maj. 16.12.43 Maj., Stab III./NJG 1. 15.03.44 Maj., appt Kommodore NJG 5 (to
12.03.44). 12.03.44 Maj., Stab/NJG 5 KIA - Bf 110 G-4 (C9+CD) struck the ground and crashed in
the Ardennes near St.-Hubert/Belgium during a daytime flight. Buried at Ysselsteyn. Credited with
51 night victories.

Do you know what actually happened to him?

(By the way, does any of you have the book 'Princes of Darkness'? I've looked it up on Amazon.com and Amazon.de, but the prices are exorbitant!)

[VtwinVince]

I have a copy of the book, let me know if there is anything you want me to look up. I also have a nice photo of zur Lippe with my uncle.

[Teresa Maria]

Dear Vince,
Thank you very much for your answer. Could you, please, look up what happened to Prince Egmont in 1943 before his promotion to Major? If De Zeng and Stankey don't mention it, he may not have been wounded in action, but still, one month's hospital stay seems to have been quite long... Was he wounded in an accident, or was it perhaps for another reason?

By the way, was your uncle a fighter pilot too?

Thank you very much in advance.

[VtwinVince]

Hi Teresa,

I've gone through the book, and there is no mention of the period which you are interested in, unfortunately. I did find that picture, and here it is. It shows Prinz zur Lippe in centre with staff of the Nachtjagd-Raumfuehrer 3, which my uncle was at the time, in the summer of 1943 at Vechta\Oldenburg. My uncle, Major Dr. Albrecht Ochs, is seated at right. He had earlier been CO of 9. JG 3, amongst other units, and had scored victories in both wars.

[Teresa Maria]

Dear Vince,
Thank you very much for your answer and for the photo. (Egmont was really handsome. )
As for the period I mentioned, I'm not a hundred per cent sure when it may actually have been , because there is a divergence between Wikipedia (he seems to have been promoted to Major in February 1944) and DeZeng and Stankey's database (he was promoted to Major in October 1943). I asked about the period in 1943 before his promotion to Major, but does the book mention early 1944 (and perhaps late 1943)? (To spend a month in hospital, he may have been wounded, though perhaps not in action...)
Thank you very much in advance.