Lt. Fritz Zeidler

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

I'm looking for information on Lt. Fritz Zeidler of 1./JG 27, who was killed in a crash owing to bad visibility on a technical flight on January 4th, 1944, near Kronau in Austria.

From what I know he was posted to I./JG 27 in France around May 1943 and was assigned to 1st Staffel of Oblt. Hans Remmer. He stayed with that unit until his death. From the relatively complete claims list of JG 27 I can see that during this period he filed no claim. I cannot say how many missions he flew with I./JG 27 but considering the time frame and the theatre of operations in which the Gruppe was operating, there cannot have been too many missions on his account as from early August 1943, when the Gruppe was pulled back to Reichsverteidigungs duties until his death there were few opportunities for 1./JG 27 to go into action against the intrusions by US bomber formations.

Yet there is a photo showing him decorated with the EK I - Iron Cross 1st class - and the silver front flight clasp, which called for at least 60 war flights; strangely, in said photo he is not wearing the ribbon of the EK II, which normally preceeded the award of the EK I.

So from his known exploits with I./JG 27 it seems not very likely that he could have gained these two decorations he wears in the photo. One explanation could be that he served with another - non fighter - unit before being assigned to I./JG 27, but I have no clue at all which unit this might have been.

Does anybody in the community can help me with further information on Fritz Zeidler ? Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Regards

Jochen Prien