Siegfried Schnell (23 January 1916 – 25 February 1944) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 93—that is, 93 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. He had three victories on the Eastern Front and 90 over the Western Allies, including 12 four-engine bombers.

Siegfried Schnell
Nickname(s)Wumm
Born(1916-01-23)23 January 1916
Zielenzig, Brandenburg, German Empire
Died25 February 1944(1944-02-25) (aged 28)
near Narva, Estonia
Cause of deathKilled in action
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service / branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1936–1944
RankMajor (posthumous)
UnitJG 2, JG 54
CommandsIII./JG 54, IV./JG 54
Battles / wars
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Born in Zielenzig, Schnell joined the Luftwaffe in 1936. At the start of World war II, he served with Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen". He claimed his first aerial victory on 14 May 1940 during the Battle of France. On 7 November, he claimed his 20th aerial victory for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. On 1 July 1941, he was made a Staffelkapitän (squadron leader). He claimed his 45th aerial victory on 9 July for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, it was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Schnell.[Note 1]

On 1 May 1943, Schnell was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) which was fighting in Defense of the Reich. On 1 February 1944, he was given command of IV. Gruppe of JG 54, based near Leningrad on the Eastern Front. Schnell was killed in action on 25 February 1944 during the Soviet Narva offensive when he was shot down by an opposing fighter near Narva, Estonia.

Early life and career

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Schnell was born on 23 January 1916 in Zielenzig, at the time in the Province of Brandenburg of the German Empire.[2] A keen glider-pilot, he joined the Luftwaffe in 1936, and by the start of the war in 1939, he was a Feldwebel serving with 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", named after the World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, under the command of Oberleutnant Hans "Assi" Hahn.[3][Note 2] The Staffel was subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) which had been created on 15 December 1939 at Zerbst and placed under the command of Hauptmann Wolfgang Schellmann. The unit was formed from elements of both I. Gruppe of JG 2 and I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). The Gruppe was officially declared operational on 15 January 1940.[4][5]

World War II

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At the start of the Battle of France, II. Gruppe of JG 2 was deployed on the northern sector of Army Group B and had been ordered to an airfield at Hamminkeln on 11 May. Initially subordinated to the IV. Fliegerkorps (4th Air Corps), the Gruppe flew fighter escort missions on the first three days of the campaign for Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1—1st Demonstration Wing), Kampfgeschwader 27 (KG 27—27th Bomber Wing) and Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3—3rd Dive Bomber Wing) attacking targets in the Netherlands. On 14 May, II. Gruppe was ordered to Peer in Belgium where the Gruppe was placed under the command of the Stab of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing).[6] That day, Schnell claimed his first aerial victory, a French Bloch 152 fighter.[7]

Following the Armistice of 22 June 1940, combat operation concluded on 25 June.[8] On 27 June, II. Gruppe was ordered to Beaumont-le-Roger, patrolling the English Channel and participated in the occupation of Guernsey on 1 July.[9] Schnell claimed his first aerial victory during the Battle of Britain on 29 July when he shot down a Bristol Blenheim bomber northwest of Le Havre.[10] On 7 November, off the Isle of Wight, as operations were slowing down and recently commissioned as a Leutnant (on 1 November), he claimed his 20th aerial victory. For this feat he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 9 November.[11]

Squadron leader

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The focus of the airwar shifted in the next year to the Eastern Front, however Schnell stayed with JG 2 defending the West. On 1 July 1941, he was appointed as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel of JG 2. He succeeded Oberleutnant Carl-Hans Röders who was killed in action on 23 June.[12] On 3 July, III. Gruppe moved to St. Pol-Brias where it would be based for more than four months. That day, Schnell claimed a Supermarine Spitfire fighter shot down east of Gravelines, his first aerial victory as Staffelkapitän. The following day, he was credited with four further Spitfires shot down.[13]

Soon after, he shot down nine Spitfires in just two days (8 – 9 July) to reach his 45th victory and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), at the time being one of the top pilots in JG 2.[14][15] He continued to score consistently as the Royal Air Force (RAF) mounted heavier strikes into France, and temporarily held command of III. Gruppe from 9 December 1941 to the following 28 January while Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) Hans "Assi" Hahn was on leave. Schnell claimed a Handley Page Hampden bomber during Operation Donnerkeil. The objective of this operation was to give the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen fighter protection in the breakout from Brest to Germany. The Channel Dash operation (11–13 February 1942) by the Kriegsmarine was codenamed Operation Cerberus by the Germans. In support of this, the Luftwaffe, formulated an air superiority plan dubbed Operation Donnerkeil for the protection of the three German capital ships.[16] Over the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, he shot down five Spitfires to reach his 70th victory, making him an "ace-in-a-day" for the second time.[17][18] Schnell was promoted to Hauptmann of the Reserves on 1 February 1943.[19]

Group commander

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After that his scoring rate slowed down as he focussed more on administration and command, and he led his unit in the changeover onto the new Focke-Wulf Fw 190—a very rugged dogfighter. In a misguided idea by High Command to rotate the fighter Gruppen between Western and Eastern Fronts, III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) was transferred from the Eastern Front back to Germany for Defence of the Reich. Hauptmann Schnell, was given command of the unit on 1 May 1943 to train and lead the pilots in high-altitude interception rather than the low-level brawling they were used to on the Eastern Front. He had taken command of the Gruppe from Major Reinhard Seiler who was transferred.[20] Command of his former 9. Staffel of JG 2 had already been passed on to Oberleutnant Josef Wurmheller on 1 April.[21] On 11 January 1944, III. Gruppe defended against a raid flown by the United States Army Air Forces resulting in eleven Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers shot down,[22] including three by Schnell.[23]

On 1 February 1944, he was given command of IV. Gruppe of JG 54, based near Leningrad, and he arrived on 11 February. He replaced Hauptmann Rudolf Sinner.[24][25] As mentioned above, command transfers between fronts were rare, given the markedly different combat conditions, and unfortunately Schnell was not lucky to be able to adapt quickly enough. After less than a month and three further aerial victories,[26] he was shot down and killed in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 411675—factory number) over the Russian offensive for Narva on 25 February 1944.[27][28] Posthumously, he was promoted to Major of the Reserves.[19] He was succeeded by Hauptmann Gerhard Koall as commander of IV. Gruppe of JG 54.[24]

Summary of career

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Aerial victory claims

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According to Spick and Zabecki, Schnell was credited with 93 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions. This figure includes 23 aerial victories during the Battle of France and Britain, further 64 aerial victories over the Western Front and six more on the Eastern Front.[29][30] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 83 aerial victory claims, plus two further unconfirmed claims. All of his aerial victories were claimed over the Western Allies and includes ten four-engined bombers.[31]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 05 Ost 1176". 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.[32]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Schnell an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Schnell did not receive credit.
  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.
  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
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[33]
Battle of France — 11 May – 25 June 1940
1?[Note 3] 3 June 1940
French fighter Épernay[34] 2?[Note 3] 3 June 1940
French fighter Épernay[34]
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[33]
At the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 21 June 1941
3 29 July 1940 13:20 Blenheim northwest of Le Harve[10]
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Schnell claimed his fourth aerial victory on either 4 or 16 August 1940.[35] This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[33]
5 30 August 1940 17:50 Spitfire[10] 7 September 1940 17:38 Spitfire[35]
6 2 September 1940 18:00 Hurricane[10] 8 September 1940 13:15 Hurricane[35]
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Schnell claimed two aerial victories on either 7 or 8 September 1940, one of which may be unconfirmed.[35] These claims are not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[33]
11 11 September 1940 17:05 Spitfire[35] 17 7 October 1940 13:42 Spitfire Southampton[35]
12 11 September 1940 17:12 Spitfire[35] 18 6 November 1940 13:40 Spitfire east of Southampton[35]
13 30 September 1940 17:55 Spitfire[35] north of the Isle of Portland 19 7 November 1940 15:30 Hurricane south of the Isle of Wight[35]
14 30 September 1940 18:00 Hurricane[35] north of the Isle of Portland 20 21 June 1941 16:48 Spitfire[36] west of Le Touquet
15 7 October 1940 17:55 Spitfire[35] 21 21 June 1941 16:49 Spitfire[36] west of Le Touquet
16 7 October 1940 13:39 Spitfire Southampton[35]
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[33]
On the Western Front — 22–30 June 1941
22 22 June 1941 16:20 Spitfire[37] Saint-Omer-Gravelines 27 25 June 1941 16:32 Spitfire[37] Saint-Omer-Gravelines
23 23 June 1941 20:19 Spitfire[37] Pas-de-Calais 28 25 June 1941 16:40 Spitfire[37] Saint-Omer-Gravelines
24 23 June 1941 20:20 Blenheim[37] Pas-de-Calais 29 26 June 1941?[Note 4] 11:42 Spitfire[37] Hazebrouck-Gravelines
25 23 June 1941 20:22 Blenheim[37] Pas-de-Calais 30 27 June 1941 21:30 Spitfire[37] Lille-Gravelines
26 24 June 1941 20:44 Spitfire[37] Gravelines-Ramsgate 31 27 June 1941 21:32 Spitfire[37] Lille-Gravelines
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[38]
On the Western Front — 1 July – 31 December 1941
32 3 July 1941 15:40 Spitfire east of Gravelines[39] 45♠ 9 July 1941 16:22 Spitfire[40]
33 4 July 1941 15:05 Spitfire[39] 46 1 September 1941 19:22 Blenheim Cherbourg[41]
34 4 July 1941 15:07 Spitfire[39] 47 4 September 1941 16:03 Whirlwind north of Cherbourg[41]
35 4 July 1941 15:15 Spitfire[39] 48 4 September 1941 16:05 Whirlwind north of Cherbourg[41]
36 4 July 1941 16:43 Spitfire[39] 49 4 September 1941 16:07 Hurricane north of Cherbourg[41]
37 6 July 1941 14:40 Spitfire[40] 50 18 September 1941 17:37 Spitfire[41]
38 8 July 1941 06:45 Spitfire southwest of Bergues[40] 51 18 September 1941 17:40 Spitfire[41]
39 8 July 1941 15:45?[Note 5] Spitfire[40] 52 12 October 1941 17:10 Spitfire[42]
40♠ 9 July 1941 13:57 Spitfire[40] 53 12 October 1941 17:15 Spitfire[42]
41♠ 9 July 1941 13:59 Spitfire[40] 54 8 November 1941 15:32 Spitfire[42]
42♠ 9 July 1941 14:05 Spitfire[40] 55 8 November 1941 15:35 Spitfire[42]
43♠ 9 July 1941 16:10 Spitfire[40] 56 8 November 1941 15:37 Spitfire[42]
44♠ 9 July 1941 16:20 Spitfire[40]
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[43]
On the Western Front — 1 January – 31 December 1942
57 3 June 1942 15:27 Spitfire[44] 66♠ 19 August 1942 11:38 Spitfire west of Le Tréport[45]
58 3 June 1942 15:29 Spitfire[44] 67♠ 19 August 1942 12:06 Spitfire northeast of Secqueville[45]
59 3 June 1942 15:34 Spitfire[45] 68♠ 19 August 1942 15:32 Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Dieppe[45]
60 3 June 1942 15:36 Spitfire[45] 69♠ 19 August 1942 15:34 Spitfire 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Dieppe[45]
61 4 June 1942 12:48 Spitfire[45] 70♠ 19 August 1942 15:42 Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Dieppe[45]
62 4 June 1942 12:58 Spitfire[45] 71 8 November 1942 12:13 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost 1176[46]
63 6 June 1942 17:14 Spitfire[45] Cherbourg-Cap Lévi 72 23 November 1942 13:46 B-17 southwest of Belle Île[46]
64 6 June 1942 17:16 Spitfire[45] Cherbourg-Cap Lévi 73 23 November 1942 11:52 B-17 southwest of Île de Groix[46]
65 26 June 1942 17:43 Spitfire[45] Fécamp-Étretat
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[43]
On the Western Front — 1 January – 1 April 1943
74 3 January 1943 11:42 B-17 PQ 14 West 4869[47]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Saint-Nazaire
75 3 January 1943 11:47 B-17 PQ 14 West 3877[47]
Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[43]
Defense of the Reich — 1 May – 31 December 1943
76 21 May 1943 12:38?[Note 6] B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/74/1/1[48]
7 km (4.3 mi) southeast of Jever
82 27 July 1943 20:12 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Zandvoort[48]
77 21 May 1943 12:52?[Note 7] B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/75/7/2[48] 83 27 July 1943 20:22 Typhoon 20 km (12 mi) west of Haarlem[48]
78 13 June 1943 09:30 B-17 Preetz[48] 84 30 July 1943 10:18 B-17* PQ 05 Ost S/HM-9[48]
north of Arnhem
79 25 July 1943 15:04 Spitfire north of Amsterdam[48]
500 m (1,600 ft) north of Broek
85 30 July 1943 10:37 P-47 PQ 05 Ost S/JK-7[48]
southwest of Dordrecht
80 25 July 1943 15:07 Typhoon 40 km (25 mi) west of Bergen[48]
northwest of IJmuiden
86 9 October 1943 14:27 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/PF-1[49]
81 25 July 1943 20:12 Typhoon 25 km (16 mi) west of Zandvoort[48]
Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[43]
Defense of the Reich — 1 January – 11 February 1944
87 11 January 1944 12:00 B-17[43]
11 January 1944
B-17[43]
11 January 1944
B-17[43]

Awards

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Notes

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  1. ^ Until late September 1941, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves was second only to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), which was awarded only to senior commanders for winning a major battle or campaign, in the military order of the Third Reich. Its place as the highest military order was officially surpassed on 28 September 1941 by the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern), however the first presentation of the Swords to Adolf Galland had been made prior to this date on 21 June 1941.[1]
  2. ^ For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  3. ^ a b According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim is unconfirmed.[33]
  4. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed on 25 June 1941.[33]
  5. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 13:45.[33]
  6. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 12:36.[43]
  7. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman, claimed at 12:50.[43]
  8. ^ According to Scherzer as Leutnant of the Reserves and pilot in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen".[53]
  9. ^ According to Scherzer as Leutnant of the Reserves and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen".[53]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Williamson & Bujeiro 2004, pp. 3, 7.
  2. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 46.
  3. ^ Goss 2018, p. 168.
  4. ^ Prien et al. 2001a, p. 75.
  5. ^ Weal 2000, p. 28.
  6. ^ Prien et al. 2001b, p. 107.
  7. ^ Weal 2000, p. 34.
  8. ^ Prien et al. 2001b, p. 109.
  9. ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 109.
  10. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2002, p. 121.
  11. ^ Weal 2000, p. 68.
  12. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 454.
  13. ^ Prien et al. 2003, pp. 447, 460.
  14. ^ Weal 1999, pp. 15–16.
  15. ^ Weal 2000, p. 76.
  16. ^ Weal 2000, pp. 82–83.
  17. ^ Weal 2000, p. 90.
  18. ^ Weal 1996, pp. 25–26.
  19. ^ a b Stockert 2012, p. 128.
  20. ^ Prien et al. 2009, p. 281.
  21. ^ Prien et al. 2010, p. 496.
  22. ^ Weal 2001, p. 89.
  23. ^ Goss 2018, p. 170.
  24. ^ a b Weal 2001, p. 118.
  25. ^ Weal 2006, p. 67.
  26. ^ Page 2020, p. 89.
  27. ^ Weal 2001, pp. 107–108.
  28. ^ Weal 1996, p. 93.
  29. ^ Spick 1996, p. 234.
  30. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1614.
  31. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1158–1160.
  32. ^ Planquadrat.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1159.
  34. ^ a b Prien et al. 2001b, p. 116.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Prien et al. 2002, p. 122.
  36. ^ a b Prien et al. 2002, p. 124.
  37. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2003, p. 438.
  38. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1159–1160.
  39. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 460.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2003, p. 461.
  41. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2003, p. 463.
  42. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 464.
  43. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1160.
  44. ^ a b Prien et al. 2004, p. 288.
  45. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Prien et al. 2004, p. 289.
  46. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2004, p. 291.
  47. ^ a b Prien et al. 2010, p. 500.
  48. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2009, p. 284.
  49. ^ Prien et al. 2009, p. 285.
  50. ^ a b Thomas 1998, p. 277.
  51. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 419.
  52. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 385.
  53. ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 678.
  54. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 54.

Bibliography

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