Lt. Bernd Schneider from JG 27 and british Lt.Gen. William Gott

[Gaston]

This pilot, Uffz. Bernd Schneider, changed history of history in Africa when he shot down Bristol Bombay in which General William Gott, who was supposed to take command of the British Army in Africa, was killed.

Gotta joined General Bernard Montgomery, who managed to defeat Afrikakorps.

On August 7, 1942, General Gott joined Burg-el-Arab airport in the Bristol Bombay transport airplane, which, as every day, brought Cairo supplies and mail and evacuated the wounded soldiers.

The British machine belonging to the 216th Squadron of the RAF piloted only 19-year-old sergeant Hugh G. James (later Squadron Leader, AFC & Bar, DFM). Gott, who flew to Cairo for important talks, sat down beside row soldiers, and a twin engine set off for a very low altitude (about 15 meters) to protect him from German fighters.

There is speculation that the Germans knew about the way the new commander of the 8th Army knew the radio message, and whether it is true or not, the fact remains that the British aircraft soon became the target of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 from the fighter squadron 27, chief executive Emil Clade. The exact shot fired Bristol on both engines, and Sergeant James had to launch an emergency landing.

It was a good one, but when the first soldiers had fired from the airplane, Uffz. Bernhard Schneider in the cockpit of another messerschmit did a rather neritic thing: a wreckage of a transport plane from a small height sprinkled a machine gun that killed 17 soldiers, including Lieutenant General.

Victory was attributed to Schneider.

On the other hand, however, this act may also support the version that it really was an operation with William Gott's explicit goal to remove. In any case, this killing, in addition to General Death, had another effect: command of the 8th Army was taken by the notorious Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery, later victor over Rommel Afrikakorps.

April 29, 1943, he shot down one P-38, but was shot down over the Mediterranean Sea with the P-38 Lightning from 82 FG. Schneider, the winner of 23 victories, was missing after the fight. He was shot down by 2/Lt Robert C. Congdon or 1/Lt Justin D. Henley.

It is often stated that at that time he was a member of Stab II./JG 27, but according to OKL, when that day shot down one P-38, he was a 6./JG 27. It also suggests the hull number, Yellow 3 + -, his lost airplane.

Lt. Bernhard Schneider -
Combat with fighter, 45 km OSO Marettimo
Bf 109 G-6/trop (W.Nr. 15225)
Yellow 3 + –

Schneider was a long time member 5./JG 27, but after April 23, 1943 he became a member 6./JG 27.

Is there a photo of Bernd Schneider?
When and where was he born?
How many combat flights did he take?
August 31, 1943 was posthumously awarded DK.

Please ask for the information and thank you in advance for the answers.

[Alain57]

Hello ,

From the site Luftwaffe Officers Careers :

SCHNEIDER, Bernard ("Bernd"). (DOB: 05.07.22). (W.B.K. Salzburg). (DKG). 24.07.42 Uffz., 5./JG 27.27.10.42 Fw., 5./JG 27 unhurt - Bf 109 force-landed after combat with a Spitfire of 92 Sqdn. S of Alamein.
03.03.43 Fw, 5./JG 27. 01.03.43 promo to Lt.(Kr.O./Fl.). 29.04.43 Lt. and Adj. in II./JG 27, MIA - Bf 109 G-6 trop (Yellow 3 + -) shot down by a P-38, crashed 45 km WSW Marettimo. 29.04.43 6./JG 27 KIA - - Bf 109 G-6 (Yellow 3) shot down 45 km WSW of Marettimo/Italy. 09.08.43 Lt., awarded the Ehrenpokal. 31.08.43 Lt., II./JG 27 awarded the DKG. Credited with 21 victories.

Regards
Alain57