Eberhard von Boremski
Eberhard von Boremski | |
---|---|
![]() Eberhard von Boremski, photo taken during World War 2 | |
Born | Conow near Ludwigslust | 24 September 1914
Died | 16 December 1963 Hamburg-Altona | (aged 49)
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1939–45 |
Rank | Hauptmann (captain) |
Commands held | 12./JG 3 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Eberhard von Boremski (24 September 1914 – 16 December 1963) was a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II. A flying ace, he was credited with 104 aerial victories—that is, 104 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in roughly 630 combat missions. Boremski was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He was killed in an accident in Hamburg on 16 December 1963.
Early life and career[]
Von Boremski was born 24 September 1914 in Conow, present-day part of Malliß, near Ludwigslust in the German Empire.[1] He joined the Luftwaffe in 1939 and served initially in 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of Trägergruppe 186,[2] which became II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing).[Note 1] On 1 March 1940, holding the rank of Unteroffizier (corporal), he was transferred to the newly created 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), a squadron of III. Gruppe.[3] On 1 March 1940, III. Gruppe of JG 3 was formed at Jena under the command of Hauptmann Walter Kienitz. 7. Staffel was headed by Oberleutnant Erwin Neuerburg, also a former member of JG 77. The Gruppe was initially equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 and E-3 variant.[4]
World War II[]
World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 28 March 1940, III. Gruppe of JG 3 was considered operationally ready and transferred to Detmold Airfield where it was tasked with defending Germanys western border during the "Phoney War".[5] On 10 April, the Gruppe relocated to Hopsten Airfield.[6] In preparation for the Battle of France, III. Gruppe was subordinated to Luftflotte 2, supporting Army Group Bs attack into the Netherlands.[6] Von Boremski claimed his first aerial victory on 29 May during the Battle of Dunkirk when he shot down a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire fighter on an early evening mission to the combat area. On 5 June, German forced launched Fall Rot (Case Red), the second phase of the conquest of France. Two days later, III. Gruppe fought in the vicinity of Beauvais where von Boremski claimed a French Bréguet 693 ground-attack aircraft shot down.[7] Following the Armistice of 22 June 1940, III. Gruppe was ordered to Dieppe on 29 June where the unit was tasked with patrolling the French coast at the English Channel.[8]
On 30 June, III. Gruppe flew two fighter intercept missions against RAF forces attacking various targets near Lille. Defending against these attacks, von Boremski, flying with 7. Staffel, claimed a Hawker Hurricane fighter shot down which was not confirmed.[9] On 1 September, during the Battle of Britain, command of III. Gruppe was transferred to Hauptmann Wilhelm Balthasar when the former commander Kienitz had fallen ill.[10] Von Boremski shot down the Bristol Blenheim bomber T1794 of No. 139 Squadron RAF on 24 September 1940. The Blenheim was on a mission against E-boats and fell into the English Channel. Squadron Leader M. F. Hendry, Sergeant P. M. Davidson and Sergeant V. Arrowsmith were killed in action.[11] On 15 February 1941, III. Gruppe was ordered to Gütersloh Airfield in Germany for a period of rest and replenishment.[12] At Gütersloh, the Gruppe received a full complement of the then new Bf 109 F-2 variant. On 3 May, III. Gruppe moved back to the English Channel front where it was based at Lillers.[13] There, von Boremski claimed his last aerial victory over the RAF on 25 May 1941.[14] On 9 June, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from the west and ordered to transfer to Breslau.[15]
Eastern Front[]
By the start of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, Boremski had accumulated four aerial victories claimed in 120 combat missions. Over the Soviet Union in 1941, von Boremski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 3 May 1942 for achieving 43 victories.[16] After serving as an instructor in mid 1942, he returned to JG 3. In February 1943 he was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 7. Staffel of JG 3, serving in this role until 30 May 1943, when he was wounded.[17] His Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 14808—factory number) had suffered engine failure resulting in a forced landing 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Kamianske.[18] He was succeeded by Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Langer as commander of 7. Staffel.[19]
In early 1944 he was made commanding officer of Deutsch-Königlich Rumänischen Jagdverband (German Royal Romanian Fighter Unit) of Luftflotte 4, in collaboration with the Royal Romanian Air Force.[20] On 24 February 1944, Oberleutnant Herbert Kutscha, the commander of 12. Staffel of JG 3 was wounded in combat. In consequence, von Boremski took command of the Staffel the following day.[21] On 11 April, von Boremski flying Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 162585) was wounded following a mid-air collision west of Anklam with Gefreiter Horst Witzler from 10. Staffel. Although both pilots bailed out, command of 12. Staffel was transferred to Leutnant Hans Rachner.[22]
From September 1944 to November 1944 von Boremski led 1. Staffel of Jagdgruppe Ost and then 9. Staffel of Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 1 (EJG 1—1st Supplementary Fighter Wing). In January 1945, von Boremski was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 97th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[23] By the end of the war, von Boremski had been credited with 104 victories, with all but four of his victories claimed over the Soviet Air Forces in about 630 combat missions.
After the German surrender, von Boremski was handed over by U.S. troops in Czechoslovakia to the Soviet armed forces, and he remained a Prisoner of War until 1955. He died in an accident in Hamburg on 16 December 1963.[24]
Summary of career[]
Aerial victory claims[]
According to Obermaier, von Boremski was credited with 104 aerial victories claimed on 630 combat missions. This figure includes 100 claims on the Eastern Front, and four on the Western Front.[1] Author Spick lists von Boremski with 90 aerial victories.[25] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he claimed at least 88 aerial victories, plus two unconfirmed claims. Four of his aerial victories were claimed on the Western Front, the others on the Eastern Front. The authors indicate that he probably claimed further aerial victories with EJG 1 which cannot be verified through the archives.[26]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 4932". 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 × 4 km in size.[27]
showChronicle of aerial victories |
---|
Awards[]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"[55][Note 9]
- German Cross in Gold on 12 July 1943 as Oberleutnant in the III./Jagdgeschwader 3[56]
Notes[]
- ^ For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
- ^ According to Matthews and Foremann, with 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3.[3]
- ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 07:45.[3]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c According to Matthews and Foreman a DB-3.[3]
- ^ Jump up to: a b This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, and Bock.[37][38]
- ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 13:15.[41]
- ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 10:30.[41]
- ^ Jump up to: a b The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
- ^ According to Scherzer as pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet".[24]
References[]
Citations[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Obermaier 1989, p. 92.
- ^ Prien 1992, p. 119.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 128.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 1.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, pp. 1, 3.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 3.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, pp. 24–25, 474.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, pp. 25, 36.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, pp. 36, 474.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 41.
- ^ Donnelly 2004, p. 165.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 49.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 91.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 476.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 93.
- ^ Weal 2013, p. 37.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 442.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 136.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 124.
- ^ Bérnad 2012, p. 28.
- ^ Prien 1996, pp. 71, 331.
- ^ Prien 1996, pp. 99–100, 338.
- ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Scherzer 2007, p. 235.
- ^ Spick 1996, p. 235.
- ^ Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 128–130.
- ^ Planquadrat.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2000, p. 175.
- ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 244.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2002, p. 247.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2003, p. 137.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2003, p. 141.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 142.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 138.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 146.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 140.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 147.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2005, p. 35.
- ^ Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 128–129.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2005, p. 33.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 129.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2005, p. 34.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2005, p. 36.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m Prien et al. 2006, p. 214.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 216.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Prien et al. 2006, p. 217.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 218.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 215.
- ^ Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 129–130.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 227.
- ^ Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 130.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 127.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 134.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 128.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 140.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 52.
Bibliography[]
- Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- Bérnad, Dénes (2012) [2003]. Rumanian Aces of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-535-8.
- Donnelly, Larry (2004). The Other Few: The Contribution Made by Bomber and Coastal Aircrew to the Winning of the Battle of Britain. Walton on Thames: Red Kite / Air Research. ISBN 978-0-9546201-2-7.
- (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.
- Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
- 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.
- Prien, Jochen (1992). Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77—Teil 1—1934–1941 [History of Jagdgeschwader 77—Volume 1—1934–1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-19-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard (1996). Messerschmitt BF 109 im Einsatz bei der III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945 [Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-33-5.
- Prien, Jochen (1996). IV./Jagdgeschwader 3—Chronik einer Jagdgruppe—1943 – 1945 [IV./Jagdgeschwader 3—Chronic of a Fighter Group—1943 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-36-6.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 3—Einsatz in Dänemark und Norwegen 9.4. bis 30.11.1940—Der Feldzug im Westen 10.5. bis 25.6.1940 [Fighter Pilot Association of the German Luftwaffe 1934 to 1945 Part 3—Assignments in Denmark and Norway 9 April to 30 November 1940—The campaign in the West 10 May to 25 June 1940] (in German). Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-61-8.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-63-2.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-69-4.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
- 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 (2001). Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-084-1.
- Weal, John (2007). More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-177-9.
- Weal, John (2013). Aces of Jagdgeschwader 3 'Udet'. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-300-6.
- 1914 births
- 1963 deaths
- Luftwaffe pilots
- German World War II flying aces
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union
- German untitled nobility