Egon Albrecht-Lemke

Egon Albrecht-Lemke

Egon Albrecht-Lemke
Born 19 May 1918
Curitiba, Brazil
Died 25 August 1944(1944-08-25) (aged 26)
St. Claude, France
Buried at war cemetery in Beauvais, France
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service 1939–44
Rank Hauptmann
Unit ZG 76, SKG 210, ZG 1, JG 76
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Egon Albrecht-Lemke[Note 1] (19 May 1918 – 25 August 1944) was a German-Brazilian Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Albrecht claimed 25 aerial victories, 10 over the Western Front and 15 over the Eastern Front. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Albrecht-Lemke was born on 19 May 1918 in Curitiba, the son of Frederico Albrecht and Hedwig Elditt Albrecht.

By 1940, Albrecht-Lemke was serving with 6./Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1) operating Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer (destroyer) fighters. After redesignation as 9./Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76) in June 1940, and then 6./Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 (SKG 210) in April 1941, Albrecht flew combat operation over the Eastern Front. In January 1942 6./SKG 210 became 6./ZG 1.

Albrecht-Lemke was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader), 1./ZG 1 in June 1942. Now an Oberleutnant, Albrecht-Lemke was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in May 1943 for 15 aerial victories, along with 11 aircraft, 162 motor vehicles, 254 covered vehicles, 3 locomotives, 8 Flak positions, 12 anti-tank gun positions and 8 infantry positions destroyed on the ground.

In October 1943 Albrecht succeeded Hauptmann Matern as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./ZG 1, and were relocated to the Western Front, based on the Atlantic coast of France, flying missions over the Bay of Biscay. Later in 1943, the Gruppe was transferred to Austria to combat the incursions from the Italian-based United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 15th Air Force.

After heavy losses in July 1944 II./ZG 1 converted to the Bf 109G fighter and were redesignated as III./Jagdgeschwader 76. Albrecht-Lemke then led the unit in operations over the Invasion front in western France.

On 25 August 1944 Albrecht was intercepted by USAAF P-51 Mustang fighters and shot down in his Bf 109G-14 near Creil. Albrecht-Lemke bailed out of his stricken aircraft but was dead when found on the ground.

Albrecht-Lemke was credited with 25 victories, with 15 victories claimed over the Eastern Front and 10 over the Western Front. This total included at least six B-24 four-engine USAAF bombers. In addition he claimed 11 aircraft destroyed on the ground on the Eastern Front.

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Scherzer name is Egon Albrecht-Lemke.[1]
  2. ↑ According to Scherzer as Staffelkapitän of the 6./Zerstörergeschwader 1.[1]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Scherzer 2007, p. 190.
  2. ↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 41.
  3. ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 81.
  4. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 13.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 114.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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 Miltaer-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 (1999). Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer aces of World War 2. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-753-8.

External links

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