Hptm. Walter Schön

[Evgeny Velichko]

Hallo gentlmen!

I have a question about this officer.

Known info:
As Hptm., he was with II./ZG2 during Battle of Britain (source - "Zerstorer: Bf110 book of J.Vasco and P.Cornwell).

The he moved to Stab III./NJG1 as Gr.Kdr. on 1.11.40 after II./ZG2 was disbanded.

20.10.43 KIA. Last rank: Obstlt. Credited with 7 victories. (how many as zerstorer / nachtjager is unknown).

Question is: what was his duty in II./ZG2 (and possibly I./ZG52)?

[Doug Stankey]

Well, I am confused!

As we do not have anything about Walter Schön having been a Hptm., I checked the Vasco book and I can find no reference to him! The current version of our file about him reads:

SCHÖN, Walter. (DOB: 08.12.19 in Teplitz-Schönau/Sudetenland). 11.40 Kdr. of III./NJG 1 (to 02.41). 05.04.43 Lt., 3./NJG 1. 31.08.43 Lt., I./NJG 1. 20.10.43 Lt., Adj. Stab I./NJG 1 KIA - He 219 A-0 (G9+CD) vic Gross-Ballerstedt near Stendal, cause unknown. 01.11.43 in NJG 5, promo to Oblt. Credited with 9 victories.

Thus at best, he could only have been an acting Kdr., or more likely was never one at all.

Boiten claims that he had had 9 night victories and no known day victories.
Boiten, Dr. Theo; Roderick J.Mckenzie Nachtjagd War Diaries Volume Two (Walton on Thames: Red Kite, 2008) (Wing Leader, 2011). ISBN: 978-1-908757-01-2.

The loss data is from the recent book:

Scherzer, Veit. Die personellen Verluste der deutschen Nachtjagdgeschwader 1940-1945 (Jena: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag Ranis, 2010). ISBN: 978-3-938845-21-9.

Thus I would guess that he was no more than a Lt. and held no particular position in ZG 2, if he was with that unit at all.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Doug:

I dont have Theo Boiten's book,

Reading "Zerstorer: Messerschmitt Bf110 in 1940" book of John Vasco and Peter Cornwell, I noticed on tha last chapters there is a photo, captioned as follows"

"Hptm. Schon and his bortfunker Uffz. Meyer in Bf110E of II./ZG 2. Note capped spinners".

On that photo there is a "Emil", with "Dragon in the shield" emblem of II./ZG2, without any white nose fast identif. elements, but color of spinner tips is the most probably wellow, marking this Bf110 belong to 6./ZG2 during late september 1940.

Also, from M.Holm's webpage:
Stab III./NJG1

Hptm Conrad von Bothmer, 1.7.40 - 1.11.40
Hptm Schön, 1.11.40 - 1.2.41
Maj Adolf Edler von Graeve, 8.2.41 - 5.6.42

[Kapper]

Evgeny,

I think you are looking at at least 2 different pilots here.

The officer database that has been quoted in this forum also has a Gerhard Schoen (or is it Schön ? - lost in translation?) as Kammandeur of III,.NJG1, prior to this he is listed in 3./ZG26 and later held various training positions.

Regards,

Craig...

[Evgeny Velichko]

Craig:
That list actually contain many duplicated persons and mistakes/errors.

Theese 3 "Schons" are "linked" to each other. Who is "right" man - Zerstorer pilot, I dont know.

SCHOEN, Gerhard. (DOB: 07.07.10 in München).
01.12.39 Hptm., in Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 63.
??.??.40 in 3./ZG 26 (to 28.11.40).
07.11.40 Hptm., appt Kdr. of III./NJG 1.
03.04.41 Hptm., appt Staka 4./Zerstörerschule 1 (to 09.09.41).
10.09.41 Hptm., appt Staka 1./Zerstörerschule 1 (to 15.09.41).
16.09.41 Hptm., appt Staka 1./NJ-Schule 1 (to 19.11.41).
01.04.42 promo to Maj. 02.03.43 trf from FFS A/B 32 to NJ-Schule 1 (to 29.03.43).
29.03.43 trf to Feld-Ausb.Rgt. d.Lw. 1 (to 03.06.43).
03.06.43 Maj., trf to Führer-Reserve Ob.d.L. and ordered to Ausbildungsstelle für Ingenieure d.Lw. for temporary
duty.
02.44 Obstlt., appt Kdr. III./Fl.Rgt. 90 (to 07.10.44).
08.10.44 trf to Erg.JGr. Ost.
21.11.44 in Erg.JG 2.
1945 Maj. in III./Erg.JG 2.

SCHÖN, Anton.
01.07.39 Lt., trf from RLM to ZG 26.
09.40 Oblt., in 8./JG 54 (to 27.09.40).
27.09.40 KIA – shot down east of Faversham.

SCHÖN, Walter.
11.40 Kdr. of III./NJG 1 (to 02.41).
20.10.43 KIA. Last rank: Obstlt. Credited with 7 victories.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Originally Posted by Doug Stankey

SCHÖN, Walter.
...
20.10.43 Lt., Adj. Stab I./NJG 1 KIA - He 219 A-0 (G9+CD) vic Gross-Ballerstedt near Stendal, cause unknown.
...
01.11.43 in NJG 5, promo to Oblt. Credited with 9 victories.

Doug - how the dead pilot, who was killed on 20 october 1943, could join NJG5 on 1 november 1943?

[Doug Stankey]

Wow! That's a good one. I should have spotted that!

The inconsistencies noted in this thread underline a persistent issue. Due to the sources being fragmentary, it is often not immediately possible to determine what fragment belongs to which individual. This is why I created those commander lists a couple of years ago. This was one way to try to iron out duplicates and inconsistencies. There appears to be no easy or systematic way to resolve these types of issues. These things can only be repaired as they are spotted. As generalists, we can only try to fit things together in a consistent picture and hope that this is the truth. Specialists such as yourself can devote much more attention to a given limited subject area and thus spot issues that we just can't see, lost in an ocean of details.

Yes, all inputs help in resolving these types of issues. The more information we can obtain, the better the chances at resolving these sorts of things.

If anyone out there can suggest a better way to resolve the problem of what information belongs to which individual, we would welcome it. Bear ion mind that we have been at this a long time and have tried seemingly everything. The problem appears intractable, and can only be reduced by persistent effort and time.

DGS

[Evgeny Velichko]

Doug:

After I'll finish my lists (may be next month) - I'll sent them to You, and will try to share it with all others who interested.
It contain Kommoderes, Komandeures and StaKa's of:

Erpr.Gr.210 - done
(Z)./LG1 - done
I./ZG52 - missed 2 StaKa's in may 40 - june 40.
SKG210 - all done exept StaKa 2./SKG210 on autumn41-winter 41/42
V.(Z)/KG40 - almost done
(Z)./JG77 > ./JG5 - done

Large units:
ZG1 - problem with 2./ZG1, 6./ZG1 and some persons of III./ZG1. All other done.
ZG2 - problems with late september StaKas (after september nemesis of ZG2), and some problems with 1942 reincarnation.
ZG26 - last editing and crosschecking, almost done for all Staffeln.
ZG76 - done on 95%.

Zerstörerschulen - all Gr.Kdr. - done, Stakas - at 30%.
Ergänzungs-Zerstörergruppe - 40% done
ZG101 - Gr.Kdr. all known, StaKas - 40% known.

[Kapper]

Evgeny

Yes, I was aware of the duplications.

I suggested Gerhard because he seemed to be the best fit.

As highlighted the Kdr III/NJG 1 was a Hptm

Walter made his claims as a Ltn between March and September 1943 before KIA in Oct 43 - if he had been reduced in rank he would have likely been a Flieger like some other cases I know of - thus to me unlikely the same pilot.

Gerhards was a Hptm at the time and as shown later held command in ZG then NJG (when formed) training units and finished up as a Obstlt.

I believe the last part - a Maj in EJG2 to be yet another Schon - possibly the one that is reported to have made 3 claims with JG11 late in the war. I have no difinitive proof of this and it's pretty much a big mess to try and trace!

Anyway, I would be interested in seeing your list when you are finished.

Good luck

Regards,

Craig...

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Dear all,

Evgeny: what a wonderful news to hear about your compilation! Especially the Staka's will be of a great help!

'My' Lt. Walter Schön (born 8 Dec.1919 in Teplitz-Schönau) came early 1943 to the (new) 3./NJG 1. After 5 nocturnal victories he changed from the 3./NJG 1 to Stab I./NJG 1 because Schön was appointed Gruppenadjudant of Hptm. H.D. Frank and (after Franks death 27/28 Sept.1943) Hptm. M.Meurer.

He and his Bofu were killed in a crash with their He219A-0 (G9+CB, not CD) near Gross-Bellerstedt as already has been written.

All the best, Marcel