Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum  

Go Back   Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum > Discussion > The Second World War in General

The Second World War in General Please use this forum to discuss other World War Two related subjects not covered by the main categories.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 30th November 2007, 23:53
General Savage's Avatar
General Savage General Savage is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Perth Australia
Posts: 114
General Savage is on a distinguished road
Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

Squadron Leader Le Roux of 602 Squadron was flying his Spitfire Mk 9 on a sweep through the French countryside that morning on the 17th July 1944.
Seeing a German staff car on a lonely road in Normandy he immediately attacked.
Later it was found to be Rommel's staff car and the attack and subsequent roll over left Rommel with multiple skull fractures.

Details:
Name LE ROUX, Jacobus Johannes 'Chris'
Number 42240
Nationality South African
Born South Africa, 1920
Arrived England 9 December 1940

Decorations DFC (1941), 1st Bar to DFC (1942), 2nd Bar to DFC (1943)
Notes KIA 29 August 1944, whilst CO of 602 Sqdn.; remembered on Panel 200 of the Runnymede Memorial

Chris le Roux took command of No.602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron in France in the summer of 1944, with Spitfire 9s, having received a second Bar to his DFC for his North African successes. He led this squadron through the fierce fighting of the invasion of Normandy, and moved it to French soil on 25th June. He shot down a FW 190 and a Me 109 on 15th July, 1944, and another FW 190 on 16th. On 17th he destroyed two Me 109s and damaged two more.

Chris Le Roux nearly succeeded in killing the German Commanding General, Erwin Rommel. Diving on his car, he caused it to overturn near the village of Sainte Foy de Montgomerie, and Rommel was flung into a ditch and sustained a fractured skull. He survived, only to kill himself on 14th October, rather than stand trial for complicity in the plot against Hitler of 20th July.
By 25th August, 1944, Paris had been liberated, and on 3rd September, five years after the outbreak of war, the Welsh Guards entered Brussels.

Chris le Roux did not live to enjoy the fruits of the victory. Like so many gallant and brilliant fighter pilots, he was killed, not by enemy gunfire, but by an aircraft accident, on 19th September, 1944
__________________
You'll to be bombing from 9000, we can't get any accurate hits on those sub pens from 18000.
RETIRED FROM THE FORUM
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 7th December 2007, 13:01
Blenheim Blenheim is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dorset, England
Posts: 45
Blenheim
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

According to Pierre Closterman in his book "The Big Show", it was indeed 602 Squadron that shot up Rommel's car, but it was two pilots called Bruce Oliver and Jacques Remlinger, not S/L Le Roux. He cites camera gun films as providing proof but no pictures from their films are published in the book.
__________________
Hugh Wheeler
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 8th December 2007, 23:33
General Savage's Avatar
General Savage General Savage is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Perth Australia
Posts: 114
General Savage is on a distinguished road
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

Well it doesn't matter what is reported in the world there are always counter claims.
Just look at the claims about who got Baron Von Richthofen.
Many couldn't come to terms with a mere Australian infantry Lewis gunner getting him.

How about John Kennedy? Now it's a second gunman on the grassy knoll.
__________________
You'll to be bombing from 9000, we can't get any accurate hits on those sub pens from 18000.
RETIRED FROM THE FORUM
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 9th December 2007, 18:30
Blenheim Blenheim is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dorset, England
Posts: 45
Blenheim
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

Actually, what is reported does matter, if only in the interests of historical accuracy.
__________________
Hugh Wheeler
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10th December 2007, 08:28
General Savage's Avatar
General Savage General Savage is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Perth Australia
Posts: 114
General Savage is on a distinguished road
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

You miss read me. Please read it again.
I said that " it doesn't matter what gets reported in the world, there are always other views'.
My article stands as I reported it. I doubt if all the counter claims will disprove it any more than who fired the bullet that hit Richthofen.
__________________
You'll to be bombing from 9000, we can't get any accurate hits on those sub pens from 18000.
RETIRED FROM THE FORUM
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10th December 2007, 18:43
Blenheim Blenheim is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dorset, England
Posts: 45
Blenheim
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

I give up!
__________________
Hugh Wheeler
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11th December 2007, 01:34
General Savage's Avatar
General Savage General Savage is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Perth Australia
Posts: 114
General Savage is on a distinguished road
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

Do you? What a pity. This forum needs members like you.
__________________
You'll to be bombing from 9000, we can't get any accurate hits on those sub pens from 18000.
RETIRED FROM THE FORUM
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11th December 2007, 22:08
tsetse tsetse is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 9
tsetse is on a distinguished road
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blenheim View Post
I give up!
You are a wise man.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 13th December 2007, 06:51
General Savage's Avatar
General Savage General Savage is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Perth Australia
Posts: 114
General Savage is on a distinguished road
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsetse View Post
You are a wise man.
Instead of making stupid remarks about people's posts, you might be better employed on this forum by posting some new threads yourself.
__________________
You'll to be bombing from 9000, we can't get any accurate hits on those sub pens from 18000.
RETIRED FROM THE FORUM
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 13th December 2007, 15:45
F. Wendel F. Wendel is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 3
F. Wendel is on a distinguished road
Re: Who shot up Erwin Rommel's staff car that day in 1944

Quote:
Originally Posted by General Savage View Post
Instead of making stupid remarks about people's posts, you might be better employed on this forum by posting some new threads yourself.
Do you mean posts like yours, which are copied from other websites like

www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

or

www.subbrit.org.uk

Should this be regarded as "clever"?

It seems, you don't like criticism.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Friendly fire WWII Brian Allied and Soviet Air Forces 803 8th July 2023 16:47
Losses of LW for the 16 oct 1944 Many Souffan Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 17 13th August 2019 14:03
Most One Sided Luftwaffe Victory over the 8th Air Force Rob Romero Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 22 18th August 2010 23:55
Losses of B-17's in RCM role paul peters Allied and Soviet Air Forces 4 15th February 2006 21:57
Luftwaffe Aces KIA in Normandy in 1944 Christer Bergström Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 35 13th August 2005 22:10


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 17:04.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net