Luftwaffe Battle Of Britain Fighter Pilot Citation Set

[hucks216]

The most recent (i.e. today) addition to my collection. EK II & I and Fighter Clasp citations to Oberfeldwebel Magnus Brunkhorst who flew with 9./JG-2 Richtofen. His EK's were awarded during the Battle Of Britain receiving the EK II on 28th August 1940 and then the EK I on 28th October 1940 but by the latter date he had only one 'kill' - a Spitfire on 18th August. Looking through Battle Of Britain Then & Now the only 2 Spitfire casualties for that day that match the location (Isle Of Wight) & time (1559 German Time) of Brunkhorst's claim both made it back to base with damage but both pilots unharmed. It seems strange to win both awards with just a solitary kill, especially as I have an EK II citation awarded to a pilot of JG 51 during the BoB and he had shot down 3 aircraft by the time of his award so a little more digging may well be required to find out the 'why's and wherefores'.

[hucks216]

Brunkhorst would go on to make 2 further claims, both in 1941 with one being a Spitfire and the other a Whirlwind flown by Sgt Robinson of 263 Sqdn. But as with his first claim there are doubts with his claim for the Whirlwind. Taken from the Operations Book of 263 Sqdn...

'They then flew on a North-Easterly course; as he did so White One saw two presumed ME.109s, orbitting about a mile inland, but thesedid not seem to have observed the Whirlwinds. White One called up White Two “Rats to Port” and at the same time confirmed that WhiteTwo was in no trouble and that he had forty gallons of petrol for each engine. White Two began weaving slightly behind and aboveWhite One.After White One had called “Rats”, White Two began weaving more vigorously. He appeared on both sides of White One but on crossingfrom port to starboard for the second time he failed to re-appear from behind White One. White One turned slightly to starboard andsame time calling up White Two. Absolutely no trace of White Two could be seen although White One completed two turns over the areain which White Two had last been seen – that is, about 10 miles North East of Barfleur. It is to be stressed that the two ME.109shad NOT followed the Whirlwinds and it seems certain that enemy action was not responsible for the disappearance of Sgt. Robinson.White One flew to base making landfall in Bournemouth Bay and landed at Warmwell at 1153.As no military targets had been seen neither of the Whirlwinds fired their guns.Air/Sea Rescue was maintained in the English South Coast area and in the person of P/O Tooth late of this Squadron, now with A/S/R Warmwell,as far as Cherbourg but no trace has been found of Sergeant Robinson.It seems likely that, while weaving he dipped his port wing into the sea and went into it at a very high speed.'

[hucks216]

Brunkhorst also received the Fighter Clasp In Bronze on 26th April 1941 followed by the Fighter Clasp In Silver on 17th July 1941. He was promoted to Leutnant in November 1941 before going on to serve at various flying schools, commanding 3./JG-108, 1./JLÜr and 1./JG-103. He survived the war.

[hucks216]

Claims

18 Aug 40 - 9./JG 2 - Spitfire - Isle of Wight - 15.59

08 Jul 41 - 9./JG 2 - Spitfire - Calais-Marck - 15.48

06 Nov 41 - 9./JG 2 - Whirlwind - Pointe de Barfleur - 12.30

EK II - signed by General Ritter von Greim

EK I - signed by General Kastner-Kirdorf

Fighter Clasp in Bronze - signed (stamp) by Hptm Balthasar

Fighter Clasp in Silver - signed by Hptm Greisert

Edited July 5, 2011 by hucks216

[Chris Boonzaier]

Nice!

Lucky find.

"Tally Ho Lads!" and all that era.... :-)

[Gordon Williamson]

Very nice Kevin. Good to see someone is still picking up some nice docs.

Re the Whirlwind, it would seem to me rather strange that he would just happen to claim a Whirlwind on the exact day that one was lost with supposedly (from the British point of view) no enemy action involved. I don't see how they can claim -

It is to be stressed that the two ME.109s had NOT followed the Whirlwinds and it seems certain that enemy action was not responsible for the disappearance of Sgt. Robinson. If the other pilot didn't see what happened to him how can they tell he wasn't taken out by your Me109 Pilot. Also, if the Me109s didnt follow them, how would they have known that the Whirlwind crashed and be able to claim a kill ?

The mostly likely scenario to me is that your Me109 pilot was indeed responsible, especially since at that early point in the war, the Luftwaffe seemed much more strict about recording "kills" and he would have required his wingman's confirmation.

His other Spitfire kill is more understandable if it is confirmed he did in fact hit and damage it. It wouldn't have been the first time, on either side, that an enemy aircraft seen to be hit and possibly in flames or belching smoke was assumed to have been destroyed and claimed as a kill but subsequently made it back.

Either way, great little set.

[hucks216]

I agree that Brunkhorst would of hardly claimed a Whirlwind if he hadn't attacked one but what I find interesting from the report from 263 Sqdn is that while Brunkhorst (and whoever he was with) gained total surprise over Sgt Robinson (who was on his first operational sortie) the other Whirlwind was left completely alone, enough for it to complete two turns around the area and fly on.

[ian jewison]

Kevin,

So this is the one you mentioned......very nice! Shame the Balthasar signature is a facsimile!

I have a group to the same unit who also had one kill but not sure when at the moment ...1942 he was with JG5. However, he was a Jaboflieger (Jagdbomber) or a fighter-bomber pilot. An Me109 with a bomb underneath!!!......Thinking about it now I have one from JG26 for the same period and again got both EK's for BoB with one probable!

Will have a look through my references when I get my filing and room sorted out......which hopefully will be this weekend!!!

/Ian

Edited July 8, 2011 by ian jewison