Description
Wehrpass belonging to Uffz Werner Engelhardt
Born on the 14th of July 1920 in Nürnberg, Germany. He spoke English and French as well as his native language.
He was a student when volunteered in 1938, but arrived at a training school in late 1939, serving in various Luftwaffe airports he commenced pilot training in September 1941.
He was proficient on the following Aircraft: Fw 44, KL35, Bü131, go145, He56, H45, Ar96b, Hs126. Engelhardt also completed Fighter pilot school in August 1943.
By September 1943, Engelhardt was posted to Jagdgeschwader 77 , 4.Staffel.
Engelhardt piloted a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 ( With the work number: WNr. 26129, also known as, ‘White 7’)
Events on the 7.4.1944
According to ghostbombers.com & Combined Sevices Detailed Interrogation Centre (CSDIC) AFHQ.
”Engelhardt was Shot down while escorting SG 4 to Palombaro on 7 April 1944, Engelhardt was flying as wingman to his Staffelkapitän, Oblt. Dudek.
Picking up the fighter-bombers south of Viterbo, they headed for the target at 400 m. At 17.45 hours, turning for home after the bombs had been dropped, Engelhardt’s Bf 109 G-6 (WNr. 26129, white 7) was hit in the tail by AA fire, he lost control and only managed to bale out with some difficulty.
He landed on a mountainside and attempted to get back to his own lines. Near midnight when he asked an Italian civilian to guide him and was led to a British unit near Fara San Martino.
Engelhardt told his interrogators that 4./JG 77 had only six operational pilots and that Dudek was its only officer. He estimated that the Gruppe had 22 pilots in all and was critical of the inexperience of the new pilots arriving in II./JG 77 from the flying schools, blaming this for the high rate of fighter losses over the Italian front. He said that his Gruppe regarded anyone who survived 10 sorties as a veteran.
In Engelhardt’s opinion, the supply of new and reconditioned replacement aircraft was not a problem.”
Lastly in the rear of the Wehrpass can be found three separate pieces of paper, stating that Hauptmann Neumann told him on 1940, he was speaking carelessly about state secrets. Bad radio discipline, 8.1943 was warned again.
Signatures:
In the Wehrpass, Oblt Dudeks signature can be found on page 26, reporting Engelhardt as missing.
Here is some info on Oblt Dudek from the Luftwaffe Officer Career Archives:
DUDECK, Hans-Heinz. (DOB: 02.03.16 in Karlsruhe). 01.08.39 promo to Lt. (Tr.O./Fl.)(RDA withheld), RLM/Ob.d.L. pool (Sch.Etat). 01.09.39 RDA as Lt., II./JG 2. 15.11.39 Lt., RLM pool (Sch.Etat), with Erg.JSt. 1. 18.07.40 Lt. Nachr.Offz. in Stab II./JG 2, WIA – Bf 109 E-3 in combat with a Blenheim north of Le Havre. 19.08.41 Lt., 4./JG 2. 27.08.41 Lt., 4./JG 2. 01.42 Oblt., appt Staka 1./JFS 5 (to 24.02.43). 06.01.43 WIA – Bf 109 E-7 in a crash at Salon a/f, details unknown. 01.03.43 Oblt., trf from JG 105 to JG 77. 22.03.43 appt Staka 4./JG 77 (to 06.44). 27.03.43 Oblt., 4./JG 77 MIA – Bf 109 G-6 trop (White 8) shot down vic El Hamma – later returned. 02.04.43 Oblt., 4./JG 77 unhurt – Bf 109 G-6 belly-landed after combat – no details. 08.05.43 Oblt., 8./JG 77. 19.08.43 Oblt., II./JG 77. 01.01.44 promo to Hptm. 06.44 appt Staka 14./JG 27. c.13.07.44 Hptm., appt Kdr. IV./JG 27 (to 01.01.45). 02.11.44 Hptm., Kdr. IV./JG 27 unhurt – Bf 109 G-14 hit in the motor, belly-landed – no details. 17.12.44 Hptm., Stab IV./JG 27. 01.01.45 Hptm., Kdr. IV./JG 27 WIA – his Bf 109 G-10 (Black <3 + ~) was shot down by AA fire near Venray/Holland on return from the Operation Bodenplatte New Year’s Day attack on Allied airfields in Belgium – parachute ripped but slowed by tree branches and became a POW). 02.11.44 unhurt – Bf 109 hit in the engine and belly-landed. 27.11.44 Hptm., Kdr. IV./JG 27 unhurt – Bf 109 G lost in combat in the area of Münster – bailed out. 29.11.44 lost another Bf 109 but unhurt. 17.12.44 Hptm., Stab IV./JG 27. 01.01.45 Hptm., Kdr. IV./JG 27 POW – Bf 109 G-10 (White 10 + ~) lost to AA in the area of Brussels. (n.d.) retired from Bundeswehr as a Maj. †09.04.98. Credited with 12 victories
