fbpx
Wikipedia

Siegfried Lemke

January 01, 1970

Siegfried "Wumm" Lemke (7 April 1921 – 18 December 1995) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with between 70 and 96 aerial victories.

Siegfried Lemke
Siegfried "Wumm" Lemke
Nickname(s)"Wumm"
Born7 April 1921
Schivelbein
Died18 December 1995(1995-12-18) (aged 74)
Worfelden, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
RankHauptmann (captain)
UnitJG 2
Commands heldIII./JG 2
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Biography edit

Lemke was born on 7 April 1921 in Schivelbein in Farther Pomerania, at the time in the Province of Pomerania within the Weimar Republic, present-day Świdwin, Poland.[1] Following completion of flight and fighter pilot training,[Note 1] Lemke was posted to the 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) in October 1942. He claimed his first aerial victory on 12 March 1943 when he downed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire fighter near Fécamp. For this, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse).[3]

Squadron leader edit

On 1 January 1944, Lemke was officially appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel of JG 2.[4] He succeeded Leutnant Hugo Dahmer who had been injured on 11 September 1943.[5] Since then, Lemke had inoffically led the Staffel as Staffelführer.[6]

In late January 1944 following the Allied amphibious landing in Italy known as Operation Shingle, I. Gruppe under the command of Hauptmann Erich Hohagen was moved to Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome in southern France. There the unit fought against the 15th Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).[7] On 9 February, Lemke engaged Spitfires from the 52nd Fighter Wing which were attacking shipping off the coast of France. During this encounter, Lemke claimed four Spitfires shot down. One of the pilots shot down was the American pilot Bob Hoover who was taken prisoner of war.[8] In this engagement, Lemke also shot down Flight Officer James H. Montgomery and Lieutenant John L. Bishop, both pilots killed in action. Lemke's fourth claim did not lead to a loss by the Americans.[9] His squadron were again transferred to Italy to counter the Allied landings at Anzio. In March, 1944 Lemke added sixteen further victories to his tally. The USAAF sent 200 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and 80 Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers to the Rome marshalling yards on 3 March. The bombers were escorted by Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters of which two were shot down by Lemke.[10]

In April, Lemke was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) after claiming 37 aerial victories. That month, he was also promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant).[3] By the early summer of 1944, Lemke's squadron was again moved, this time to Creil, an airfield north of Paris. From here Lemke flew combat missions over the developing campaign in Normandy following D-Day. On 14 June 1944, Lemke was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for his then tally of 44 aerial victories.[11]

Group commander edit

In July 1944, Lemke was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the III. Gruppe of JG 2, replacing Hauptmann Josef Wurmheller who had been killed in action on 22 June.[12][13] In consequence, command of 1. Staffel passed on to Leutnant Rudolf Wirtgen.[4] The Gruppe flew its last combat mission from Creil, France on 19 August before they relocated to Königsberg in der Neumark, present-day Chojna, Poland, for a period of rest and replenishment. Their remaining aircraft were left in France and assigned to other units. At Königsberg in der Neumark, the Gruppe received factory new Fw 190 A-8/R6 aircraft. The Gruppe moved to Mohrin, present-day Moryń, on 5 October where training of the newly assigned pilots continued. Reaching operational readiness, Lemke relocated III. Gruppe to Altenstadt Airfield on 15 October.[14]

Lemke led III. Gruppe during Operation Bodenplatte in their attack on Sint-Truiden airfield on 1 January 1945.[15] Prior to the attack, he reported 40 Fw 190s operational, 34 of them Fw 190 Ds. However, only 28 of the 43 pilots in the unit were fit for operations and the formation fielded only 28 fighters.[16] The attack turned out to be a disaster. III. Gruppe lost 19 Fw 190s and three were damaged, a loss rate of 79%. Nine pilots were killed, two were wounded and four were captured.[17] While JG 2 moved to Bohemia in April 1945, III. Gruppe disappeared from German order of battle. It is said that Lemke led his surviving men north, though no record exists of the Gruppe movements.[18] In the final days of the war, Lemke was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) which were not awarded before the war ended.[19]

Later life edit

Lemke died on 18 December 1995 at the age of 74 in Worfelden, a municipality of Büttelborn, Germany.[19]

Summary of career edit

Aerial victory claims edit

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Lemke was credited with 70 aerial victories.[20] Spick lists him with 96 aerial victories claimed in 325 combat missions. This figure includes one claim on the Eastern Front and 95 claims on the Western Front of which 21 are four-engined heavy bombers.[21] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Lemke was credited with more than 54 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Western Front, including at least five four-engined bombers.[22]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 14 West 4846". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[23]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[22]
On the Western Front — 1 January – 31 December 1943
1 12 March 1943 13:10 Spitfire 20–25 km (12–16 mi) north of Fécamp[24] 7 24 September 1943 17:08 Spitfire Gisors[25]
Crillon
2 17 May 1943 12:15 B-17 PQ 14 West 4846[24]
10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Île de Groix 		8 26 September 1943 12:48 P-51 PQ 05 Ost TC-7, east of Elbeuf[25]
3 29 May 1943 16:23 B-17 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Saint-Malo[24]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Saint-Nazaire 		9 4 October 1943 17:33 Typhoon 9 km (5.6 mi) southeast of Champenard[25]
4 4 July 1943 13:24 B-17 85 km (53 mi) west-southwest of Saint-Nazaire[26]
PQ 14 West 4722 		10 5 October 1943 14:21 P-51 PQ 05 Ost RC, north of Bolbec[25]
5 6 September 1943 19:03 Spitfire 35 km (22 mi) northwest of Montdidier[26] 11 19 October 1943 11:22 Typhoon PQ 15 West UT-1, southwest of Bayeux[25]
6 24 September 1943 12:05 Typhoon 9 km (5.6 mi) northwest of Honfleur[25]
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[27]
On the Western Front — 1 January – 20 February 1944
12 27 January 1944 11:01 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S/DN-1[28]
Hyères, Marseilles 		16 9 February 1944 14:50 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S/CP-2/2[28]
southeast of Cannes
13 27 January 1944 11:13 Spitfire Hyères[28] 17 9 February 1944 14:54 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S/CP-3[28]
southeast of Cannes
14 27 January 1944 11:17 Spitfire Hyères[28] 18 9 February 1944 15:00 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S/CP-9[28]
southeast of Cannes
15 4 February 1944 14:27?[Note 2] B-17 PQ 04 Ost S/EM-8[28]
100 km (62 mi) south of Nice 		19 9 February 1944 16:35 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S/CQ-5/8[28]
southeast of Cannes
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[27]
In Italy — 20 February – 8 April 1944
20 29 February 1944 17:10 Spitfire 2 km (1.2 mi) northeast of Nettuno[29] 29 14 March 1944 11:37 B-26 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Rome[30]
21 29 February 1944 17:22 Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) southwest of the Tiber estuary[29]
5 km (3.1 mi) south-southwest of Cisterna di Latina 		30 17 March 1944 06:57 Spitfire 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Cape Anzio[30]
22 3 March 1944 11:51 P-47 Valentano[29] 31 17 March 1944 07:23 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Marsciano[30]
23 3 March 1944 11:53 P-47 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Farnese[29] 32 18 March 1944 09:11 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Mignano Monte Lungo[30]
24 7 March 1944 09:47?[Note 3] Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Nettuno[29] 33 18 March 1944 17:36 Spitfire 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Frosinone[30]
25 7 March 1944 09:57 Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Nettuno[29] 34 19 March 1944 07:50 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Montalto di Castro[30]
26 7 March 1944 12:22 B-24 55 km (34 mi) southwest of Tarquinia[29] 35 19 March 1944 09:53 Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) west of Tarquinia[30]
27 10 March 1944 10:15 P-51 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Rome[30] 36 19 March 1944 10:02 Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) west of Montalto di Castro[30]
28 11 March 1944 07:20 Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Nettuno[30] 37 2 April 1944 13:37 P-39 7 km (4.3 mi) southwest of Montalto di Castro[30]
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[27]
On the Western Front — 8 April – July 1944
38 9 May 1944 09:35?[Note 4] P-38 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Nancy[31] 44 12 June 1944 10:47 Typhoon PQ 05 Ost UA-7[31]
vicinity of Lisieux
39 30 May 1944 11:35 P-51 PQ 04 Ost N/CK-4/5[31]
Doulevant-le-Château 		45 14 June 1944 06:45 Typhoon PQ 05 Ost UC-2/1[31]
vicinity of Évreux
40 7 June 1944 06:12 Spitfire 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of Tilly[31] 46 15 June 1944 06:42 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost UC-8[31]
vicinity of Évreux
41 7 June 1944 06:18 P-47 8 km (5.0 mi) northeast of Bayeux[31] 47 15 June 1944 06:44 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost UC-8/PQ 04 Ost N/AC-2[31]
vicinity of Évreux/Dreux
42 7 June 1944 19:13 P-47 PQ 15 West UT-3, Caen[31]
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Caen 		48 16 June 1944 19:50 P-51 PQ 05 Ost UA-3[31]
vicinity of Lisieux
43 8 June 1944 06:17 P-51 PQ 04 Ost N/AD-7/BD-1[31]
southeast of Dreux
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[27]
On the Western Front — July – 31 December 1944
49 19 August 1944 09:09?[Note 5] Typhoon PQ 04 Ost N/AC-4/5[32]
vicinity of Dreux 		52 17 December 1944 11:37 Tempest PQ 05 Ost PO[33]
Eifel
50 20 October 1944 09:11 P-38 PQ 05 Ost S/NG-5/8[32]
east of Cologne-Bonn 		53 23 December 1944 14:49 P-47 PQ 05 Ost NO[33]
southwest of Cologne
51 20 October 1944 15:08 P-47 PQ 05 Ost S/QP-1[33]
east of Cologne-Bonn 		54 23 December 1944 14:51 P-47 PQ 05 Ost NO[33]
southwest of Cologne

Awards edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[2]
  2. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:25.[27]
  3. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:45.[27]
  4. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:33.[27]
  5. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:03.[27]
  6. ^ According to Obermaier on 31 March 1944.[1]
  7. ^ According to Scherzer on 11 June 1944 as Staffelführer in the I./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen".[37]

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 156.
  2. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. ^ a b c Dixon 2023, p. 125.
  4. ^ a b Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 176.
  5. ^ Prien et al. 2010, p. 438.
  6. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 737.
  7. ^ Weal 2000, p. 105.
  8. ^ Hoover 1997, pp. 65–67.
  9. ^ Shores et al. 2018, pp. 527–528.
  10. ^ Page 2020, p. 101.
  11. ^ Page 2020, p. 100.
  12. ^ Weal 2000, p. 118.
  13. ^ Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 226.
  14. ^ Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, pp. 223–224.
  15. ^ Manrho & Pütz 2010, pp. 59, 61.
  16. ^ Manrho & Pütz 2010, p. 72.
  17. ^ Manrho & Pütz 2010, p. 95.
  18. ^ Weal 2000, p. 117.
  19. ^ a b Dixon 2023, p. 126.
  20. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1616.
  21. ^ Spick 1996, p. 234.
  22. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 737–738.
  23. ^ Planquadrat.
  24. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2010, p. 443.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2010, p. 445.
  26. ^ a b Prien et al. 2010, p. 444.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 738.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 180.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2021, p. 46.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Prien et al. 2021, p. 47.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 181.
  32. ^ a b Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 232.
  33. ^ a b c d Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 233.
  34. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 134.
  35. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 275.
  36. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 236.
  37. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 501.

Bibliography edit

  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. . Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Hoover, Robert A. (1997). Forever Flying: Fifty Years of High-Flying Adventures, From Barnstorming in Prop Planes to Dogfighting Germans to Testing Supersonic Jets: An Autobiography. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0-67153-761-6.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
  • Manrho, John; Pütz, Ron (2010) [2004]. Bodenplatte: The Luftwaffe's Last Hope-The Attack on Allied Airfields, New Year's Day 1945. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-0686-5.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Page, Neil (2020). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943–45. Philadelphia, PA: Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-61200-879-0.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2010). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/IV—Einsatz im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/IV—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-92-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried (2018). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/IV—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/IV—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-19-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried; Balke, Ulf (2021). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 14—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1. bis 15.9.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 14—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 15 September 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-24-6.
  • Shores, Christopher; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell; Olynyk, Frank; Bock, Winfried; Thomas, Andy (2018). A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: Sicily and Italy to the Fall of Rome: 14 May, 1943 – 5 June 1944. Vol. 4. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-911621-10-2.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Weal, John (2000). Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 1. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-046-9.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2
23 June 1944 – 8 May 1945 		Succeeded by
None

January 01, 1970
siegfried, lemke, siegfried, wumm, lemke, april, 1921, december, 1995, luftwaffe, recipient, knight, cross, iron, cross, during, world, knight, cross, iron, cross, awarded, recognise, extreme, battlefield, bravery, successful, military, leadership, during, car. Siegfried Wumm Lemke 7 April 1921 18 December 1995 was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II The Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership During his career he was credited with between 70 and 96 aerial victories Siegfried LemkeSiegfried Wumm LemkeNickname s Wumm Born7 April 1921SchivelbeinDied18 December 1995 1995 12 18 aged 74 Worfelden GermanyAllegiance Nazi GermanyService wbr branch LuftwaffeRankHauptmann captain UnitJG 2Commands heldIII JG 2Battles warsWorld War II Defense of the Reich Operation BodenplatteAwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Squadron leader 1 2 Group commander 2 Later life 3 Summary of career 3 1 Aerial victory claims 3 2 Awards 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 BibliographyBiography editLemke was born on 7 April 1921 in Schivelbein in Farther Pomerania at the time in the Province of Pomerania within the Weimar Republic present day Swidwin Poland 1 Following completion of flight and fighter pilot training Note 1 Lemke was posted to the 1 Staffel 1st squadron of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen JG 2 2nd Fighter Wing in October 1942 He claimed his first aerial victory on 12 March 1943 when he downed a Royal Air Force RAF Supermarine Spitfire fighter near Fecamp For this he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse 3 Squadron leader edit On 1 January 1944 Lemke was officially appointed Staffelkapitan squadron leader of 1 Staffel of JG 2 4 He succeeded Leutnant Hugo Dahmer who had been injured on 11 September 1943 5 Since then Lemke had inoffically led the Staffel as Staffelfuhrer 6 In late January 1944 following the Allied amphibious landing in Italy known as Operation Shingle I Gruppe under the command of Hauptmann Erich Hohagen was moved to Aix en Provence Aerodrome in southern France There the unit fought against the 15th Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces USAAF 7 On 9 February Lemke engaged Spitfires from the 52nd Fighter Wing which were attacking shipping off the coast of France During this encounter Lemke claimed four Spitfires shot down One of the pilots shot down was the American pilot Bob Hoover who was taken prisoner of war 8 In this engagement Lemke also shot down Flight Officer James H Montgomery and Lieutenant John L Bishop both pilots killed in action Lemke s fourth claim did not lead to a loss by the Americans 9 His squadron were again transferred to Italy to counter the Allied landings at Anzio In March 1944 Lemke added sixteen further victories to his tally The USAAF sent 200 Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress and 80 Consolidated B 24 Liberator bombers to the Rome marshalling yards on 3 March The bombers were escorted by Republic P 47 Thunderbolt fighters of which two were shot down by Lemke 10 In April Lemke was awarded the German Cross in Gold Deutsches Kreuz in Gold after claiming 37 aerial victories That month he was also promoted to Leutnant second lieutenant 3 By the early summer of 1944 Lemke s squadron was again moved this time to Creil an airfield north of Paris From here Lemke flew combat missions over the developing campaign in Normandy following D Day On 14 June 1944 Lemke was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his then tally of 44 aerial victories 11 Group commander edit In July 1944 Lemke was appointed Gruppenkommandeur group commander of the III Gruppe of JG 2 replacing Hauptmann Josef Wurmheller who had been killed in action on 22 June 12 13 In consequence command of 1 Staffel passed on to Leutnant Rudolf Wirtgen 4 The Gruppe flew its last combat mission from Creil France on 19 August before they relocated to Konigsberg in der Neumark present day Chojna Poland for a period of rest and replenishment Their remaining aircraft were left in France and assigned to other units At Konigsberg in der Neumark the Gruppe received factory new Fw 190 A 8 R6 aircraft The Gruppe moved to Mohrin present day Moryn on 5 October where training of the newly assigned pilots continued Reaching operational readiness Lemke relocated III Gruppe to Altenstadt Airfield on 15 October 14 Lemke led III Gruppe during Operation Bodenplatte in their attack on Sint Truiden airfield on 1 January 1945 15 Prior to the attack he reported 40 Fw 190s operational 34 of them Fw 190 Ds However only 28 of the 43 pilots in the unit were fit for operations and the formation fielded only 28 fighters 16 The attack turned out to be a disaster III Gruppe lost 19 Fw 190s and three were damaged a loss rate of 79 Nine pilots were killed two were wounded and four were captured 17 While JG 2 moved to Bohemia in April 1945 III Gruppe disappeared from German order of battle It is said that Lemke led his surviving men north though no record exists of the Gruppe movements 18 In the final days of the war Lemke was nominated for the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub which were not awarded before the war ended 19 Later life editLemke died on 18 December 1995 at the age of 74 in Worfelden a municipality of Buttelborn Germany 19 Summary of career editAerial victory claims edit According to US historian David T Zabecki Lemke was credited with 70 aerial victories 20 Spick lists him with 96 aerial victories claimed in 325 combat missions This figure includes one claim on the Eastern Front and 95 claims on the Western Front of which 21 are four engined heavy bombers 21 Mathews and Foreman authors of Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims researched the German Federal Archives and state that Lemke was credited with more than 54 aerial victory claims all of which claimed on the Western Front including at least five four engined bombers 22 Victory claims were logged to a map reference PQ Planquadrat for example PQ 14 West 4846 The Luftwaffe grid map Jagermeldenetz covered all of Europe western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude an area of about 360 square miles 930 km2 These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km 4 km 1 9 mi 2 5 mi in size 23 Chronicle of aerial victories This and the question mark indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien Stemmer Rodeike Bock Mathews and Foreman Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location 1 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen 22 On the Western Front 1 January 31 December 1943 1 12 March 1943 13 10 Spitfire 20 25 km 12 16 mi north of Fecamp 24 7 24 September 1943 17 08 Spitfire Gisors 25 Crillon 2 17 May 1943 12 15 B 17 PQ 14 West 4846 24 10 km 6 2 mi southeast of Ile de Groix 8 26 September 1943 12 48 P 51 PQ 05 Ost TC 7 east of Elbeuf 25 3 29 May 1943 16 23 B 17 15 km 9 3 mi north of Saint Malo 24 10 km 6 2 mi southwest of Saint Nazaire 9 4 October 1943 17 33 Typhoon 9 km 5 6 mi southeast of Champenard 25 4 4 July 1943 13 24 B 17 85 km 53 mi west southwest of Saint Nazaire 26 PQ 14 West 4722 10 5 October 1943 14 21 P 51 PQ 05 Ost RC north of Bolbec 25 5 6 September 1943 19 03 Spitfire 35 km 22 mi northwest of Montdidier 26 11 19 October 1943 11 22 Typhoon PQ 15 West UT 1 southwest of Bayeux 25 6 24 September 1943 12 05 Typhoon 9 km 5 6 mi northwest of Honfleur 25 1 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen 27 On the Western Front 1 January 20 February 1944 12 27 January 1944 11 01 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S DN 1 28 Hyeres Marseilles 16 9 February 1944 14 50 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S CP 2 2 28 southeast of Cannes 13 27 January 1944 11 13 Spitfire Hyeres 28 17 9 February 1944 14 54 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S CP 3 28 southeast of Cannes 14 27 January 1944 11 17 Spitfire Hyeres 28 18 9 February 1944 15 00 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S CP 9 28 southeast of Cannes 15 4 February 1944 14 27 Note 2 B 17 PQ 04 Ost S EM 8 28 100 km 62 mi south of Nice 19 9 February 1944 16 35 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S CQ 5 8 28 southeast of Cannes 1 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen 27 In Italy 20 February 8 April 1944 20 29 February 1944 17 10 Spitfire 2 km 1 2 mi northeast of Nettuno 29 29 14 March 1944 11 37 B 26 5 km 3 1 mi northwest of Rome 30 21 29 February 1944 17 22 Spitfire 20 km 12 mi southwest of the Tiber estuary 29 5 km 3 1 mi south southwest of Cisterna di Latina 30 17 March 1944 06 57 Spitfire 12 km 7 5 mi west of Cape Anzio 30 22 3 March 1944 11 51 P 47 Valentano 29 31 17 March 1944 07 23 Spitfire 5 km 3 1 mi south of Marsciano 30 23 3 March 1944 11 53 P 47 5 km 3 1 mi north of Farnese 29 32 18 March 1944 09 11 Spitfire 5 km 3 1 mi northwest of Mignano Monte Lungo 30 24 7 March 1944 09 47 Note 3 Spitfire 5 km 3 1 mi northeast of Nettuno 29 33 18 March 1944 17 36 Spitfire 10 km 6 2 mi west of Frosinone 30 25 7 March 1944 09 57 Spitfire 15 km 9 3 mi west of Nettuno 29 34 19 March 1944 07 50 Spitfire 5 km 3 1 mi west of Montalto di Castro 30 26 7 March 1944 12 22 B 24 55 km 34 mi southwest of Tarquinia 29 35 19 March 1944 09 53 Spitfire 20 km 12 mi west of Tarquinia 30 27 10 March 1944 10 15 P 51 5 km 3 1 mi north of Rome 30 36 19 March 1944 10 02 Spitfire 20 km 12 mi west of Montalto di Castro 30 28 11 March 1944 07 20 Spitfire 20 km 12 mi northeast of Nettuno 30 37 2 April 1944 13 37 P 39 7 km 4 3 mi southwest of Montalto di Castro 30 1 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen 27 On the Western Front 8 April July 1944 38 9 May 1944 09 35 Note 4 P 38 30 km 19 mi northwest of Nancy 31 44 12 June 1944 10 47 Typhoon PQ 05 Ost UA 7 31 vicinity of Lisieux 39 30 May 1944 11 35 P 51 PQ 04 Ost N CK 4 5 31 Doulevant le Chateau 45 14 June 1944 06 45 Typhoon PQ 05 Ost UC 2 1 31 vicinity of Evreux 40 7 June 1944 06 12 Spitfire 3 km 1 9 mi southeast of Tilly 31 46 15 June 1944 06 42 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost UC 8 31 vicinity of Evreux 41 7 June 1944 06 18 P 47 8 km 5 0 mi northeast of Bayeux 31 47 15 June 1944 06 44 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost UC 8 PQ 04 Ost N AC 2 31 vicinity of Evreux Dreux 42 7 June 1944 19 13 P 47 PQ 15 West UT 3 Caen 31 15 km 9 3 mi east of Caen 48 16 June 1944 19 50 P 51 PQ 05 Ost UA 3 31 vicinity of Lisieux 43 8 June 1944 06 17 P 51 PQ 04 Ost N AD 7 BD 1 31 southeast of Dreux Stab III Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen 27 On the Western Front July 31 December 1944 49 19 August 1944 09 09 Note 5 Typhoon PQ 04 Ost N AC 4 5 32 vicinity of Dreux 52 17 December 1944 11 37 Tempest PQ 05 Ost PO 33 Eifel 50 20 October 1944 09 11 P 38 PQ 05 Ost S NG 5 8 32 east of Cologne Bonn 53 23 December 1944 14 49 P 47 PQ 05 Ost NO 33 southwest of Cologne 51 20 October 1944 15 08 P 47 PQ 05 Ost S QP 1 33 east of Cologne Bonn 54 23 December 1944 14 51 P 47 PQ 05 Ost NO 33 southwest of Cologne Awards edit Iron Cross 1939 2nd and 1st Class 3 Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 May 1944 as Fahnenjunker Oberfeldwebel and pilot 34 Note 6 German Cross in Gold on 3 April 1944 as Fahnenjunker Oberfeldwebel in the 1 Jagdgeschwader 2 35 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 June 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelfuhrer of the 1 Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen 36 Note 7 Notes edit Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1 A2 and B1 B2 referred to as A B flight training A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics navigation long distance flights and dead stick landings The B courses included high altitude flights instrument flights night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations 2 According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14 25 27 According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09 45 27 According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09 33 27 According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09 03 27 According to Obermaier on 31 March 1944 1 According to Scherzer on 11 June 1944 as Staffelfuhrer in the I Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen 37 References editCitations edit a b Obermaier 1989 p 156 Bergstrom Antipov amp Sundin 2003 p 17 a b c Dixon 2023 p 125 a b Prien Stemmer amp Bock 2018 p 176 Prien et al 2010 p 438 Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 737 Weal 2000 p 105 Hoover 1997 pp 65 67 Shores et al 2018 pp 527 528 Page 2020 p 101 Page 2020 p 100 Weal 2000 p 118 Prien Stemmer amp Bock 2018 p 226 Prien Stemmer amp Bock 2018 pp 223 224 Manrho amp Putz 2010 pp 59 61 Manrho amp Putz 2010 p 72 Manrho amp Putz 2010 p 95 Weal 2000 p 117 a b Dixon 2023 p 126 Zabecki 2014 p 1616 Spick 1996 p 234 a b Mathews amp Foreman 2015 pp 737 738 Planquadrat a b c Prien et al 2010 p 443 a b c d e f Prien et al 2010 p 445 a b Prien et al 2010 p 444 a b c d e f g h Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 738 a b c d e f g h Prien Stemmer amp Bock 2018 p 180 a b c d e f g Prien et al 2021 p 46 a b c d e f g h i j k Prien et al 2021 p 47 a b c d e f g h i j k Prien Stemmer amp Bock 2018 p 181 a b Prien Stemmer amp Bock 2018 p 232 a b c d Prien Stemmer amp Bock 2018 p 233 Patzwall 2008 p 134 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 275 Fellgiebel 2000 p 236 Scherzer 2007 p 501 Bibliography edit Bergstrom Christer in Swedish Antipov Vlad Sundin Claes 2003 Graf amp Grislawski A Pair of Aces Hamilton MT Eagle Editions ISBN 978 0 9721060 4 7 Bergstrom Christer in Swedish Bergstrom Black Cross Red Star website Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat Archived from the original on 22 December 2018 Retrieved 1 February 2024 Dixon Jeremy 2023 Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe Knight s Cross Holders 1943 1945 Barnsley Pen and Sword Books ISBN 978 1 39903 073 1 Fellgiebel Walther Peer in German 2000 1986 Die Trager des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 1945 Die Inhaber der hochsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile The Bearers of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 1945 The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches in German Friedberg Germany Podzun Pallas ISBN 978 3 7909 0284 6 Hoover Robert A 1997 Forever Flying Fifty Years of High Flying Adventures From Barnstorming in Prop Planes to Dogfighting Germans to Testing Supersonic Jets An Autobiography New York Pocket Books ISBN 978 0 67153 761 6 Mathews Andrew Johannes Foreman John 2015 Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims Volume 2 G L Walton on Thames Red Kite ISBN 978 1 906592 19 6 Manrho John Putz Ron 2010 2004 Bodenplatte The Luftwaffe s Last Hope The Attack on Allied Airfields New Year s Day 1945 Mechanicsburg PA Stackpole Books ISBN 978 0 8117 0686 5 Obermaier Ernst 1989 Die Ritterkreuztrager der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 1945 The Knight s Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 1945 in German Mainz Germany Verlag Dieter Hoffmann ISBN 978 3 87341 065 7 Page Neil 2020 Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943 45 Philadelphia PA Casemate Publishers ISBN 978 1 61200 879 0 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 Patzwall Klaus D 2008 Der Ehrenpokal fur besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 08 3 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2010 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 10 IV Einsatz im Westen 1 1 bis 31 12 1943 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 10 IV Action in the West 1 January to 31 December 1943 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 92 2 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Bock Winfried 2018 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 13 IV Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen 1 1 bis 31 12 1944 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 13 IV Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West 1 January to 31 December 1944 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 942943 19 2 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Bock Winfried Balke Ulf 2021 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 14 Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum 1 1 bis 15 9 1944 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 14 Action in the Mediterranean Theater 1 January to 15 September 1944 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 942943 24 6 Shores Christopher Massimello Giovanni Guest Russell Olynyk Frank Bock Winfried Thomas Andy 2018 A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940 1945 Sicily and Italy to the Fall of Rome 14 May 1943 5 June 1944 Vol 4 London Grub Street ISBN 978 1 911621 10 2 Scherzer Veit 2007 Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939 1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen SS Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbundeter Streitkrafte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives The Knight s Cross Bearers 1939 1945 The Holders of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army Air Force Navy Waffen SS Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives in German Jena Germany Scherzers Militaer Verlag ISBN 978 3 938845 17 2 Spick Mike 1996 Luftwaffe Fighter Aces New York Ivy Books ISBN 978 0 8041 1696 1 Weal John 2000 Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen Aviation Elite Units Vol 1 Oxford UK Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84176 046 9 Zabecki David T ed 2014 Germany at War 400 Years of Military History Santa Barbara California ABC Clio ISBN 978 1 59884 981 3 Military offices Preceded byHauptmann Josef Wurmheller Commander of III Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 223 June 1944 8 May 1945 Succeeded byNone Portals nbsp Aviation nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Siegfried Lemke amp oldid 1214990754, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.