Lothar Linke | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 October 1909 |
| Died | 14 May 1943 (aged 33) |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  Luftwaffe |
| Service years | 1934–1943 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) |
| Unit | ZG 76, NJG 1, NJG 2 |
| Commands | 12./NJG 1 |
| Conflicts | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Lothar Linke (23 October 1909 – 14 May 1943) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Linke claimed 27 aerial victories, 24 of them at night. On 14 May 1943 Linke and his crew were forced to bail out after engine failure of their Messerschmitt Bf 110. He struck the tail end of the plane and was killed. On 19 September 1943, he was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross.
Early life and career
[edit]Linke was born on 23 October 1909 in Liegnitz, present-day Legnica, at the time in the Province of Silesia of the German Empire.[1] He was the son of a train driver who had died in 1924. Linke attended the Volksschule (elementary school) in Liegnitz from 1916 to 1919 and the Oberrealschule (secondary school) from 1919 to 1927, also in Liegnitz. From April 1927 to April 1928, he then attended a private school in Liegnitz. Linke joined the military service on 1 March 1934, serving with the 3. Eskadron (3rd squadron) of the Fahr-Abteilung (driving department) in Rendsburg.[2]
Linke transferred to the Luftwaffe and on 24 July 1939 was posted to 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing).[2] At the time, the Staffel was commanded by Hauptmann Josef Gutmann and was subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st group) of ZG 76 headed by Hauptmann Günther Reinicke. Based in Olmütz, present-day Olomouc in the Czech Republic, the Gruppe was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter.[3] Linke was promoted to Feldwebel (sergeant) of the Reserves on 25 August 1939.[4]
World War II
[edit]World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 19 April 1940, Linke contributed to the destruction of the Bristol Blenheim bomber P4906 from No. 107 Squadron. The bomber was on a mission to Stavanger, Norway and was shot down.[5] On 29 May during the Battle of Dunkirk, he claimed two Hawker Hurricane fighters shot down.[6] Linke was promoted to Oberfeldwebel (staff or master sergeant) of the Reserves on 1 July 1940.[4]
Night fighter career
[edit]
Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign.[7] By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.[8]
With the expansion of the night fighter force, a newly formed II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) was created from I. Gruppe of ZG 76 on 7 September 1940.[9] In consequence, Linke became a night fighter pilot with II. Gruppe of NJG 1, serving with 6. Staffel.[2] On 18 January 1941, Linke's commanding officer, Oberleutnant Helmut Lent, nominated Linke for a promotion to Leutnant (second lientenant). The nomination was supported by the Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe, Hauptmann Walter Ehle, and the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of NJG 1, Major Wolfgang Falck. On 1 March 1941, the nomination was approved by the Luftwaffe Personnel Office and Linke became an officer.[10]
Linke claimed his first nocturnal aerial victory on the night of 11/12 May 1941 over a Vickers Wellington bomber.[1] On 1 November 1941, II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing) was expanded from 4. Staffel of NJG 2, the Staffel had its origin from 1. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 2, and transfers from 4. and 6. Staffel of NJG 1.[11] In consequence, Linke's Staffel became the 5. Staffel of NJG 2.[1]
On 25/26 June 1942 during the third thousand-bomber raid which targeted Bremen, Linke claimed a Short Stirling bomber shot down.[12] In the night of 26/27 July, he shot down Avro Lancaster bomber R5748 from No. 106 Squadron. On 13/14 September, he was credited with shooting down Wellington HD991 from No. 22 Operational Training Unit.[13] On 1 October, II. Gruppe of NJG 2 became IV. Gruppe of NJG 1 at Leeuwarden.[11] By end 1942, Ruhl was credited with eleven nocturnal aerial victories.[14]
Squadron leader and death
[edit]Linke was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 12. Staffel of NJG 1 on 27 February 1943.[15] He succeeded Hauptmann Ludwig Becker who had been killed in action the day before.[16] The Staffel was subordinated to IV. Gruppe of NJG 1 commanded by then Major Lent.[17] On 12 April 1943, Linke was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold).[6] On 20/21 April, Linke shot down de Havilland Mosquito from DZ386 from No. 139 Squadron.[14]
On the night of 4/5 May, RAF Bomber Command dispatched 596 aircraft on an attack against Dortmund, losing 31 aircraft.[18] Linke claimed two Handley Page Halifax, one Lancaster and one Wellington bomber shot down.[19] On the night of 12/13 May, Bomber Command sent 238 Lancaster, 142 Halifax, 112 Wellington, 70 Stirling and ten Mosquito bombers on a raid against Duisburg-Ruhrort, one of the bombing of Duisburg in World War II missions. The RAF lost 34 aircraft on this mission.[20] That night, Linke claimed three aerial victories, two Lancaster and one Halifax bomber, his last claims.[21]
On 14 May during the Battle of the Ruhr, Linke was killed in a flying accident when his Bf 110 G-4 (Werknummer 4857—factory number) suffered engine failure. He and his radio operator Oberfeldwebel Walter Czybulka bailed out. While Czybulka landed with some injuries, Linke collided with the tail section of his aircraft and was killed.[22] His aircraft had received combat damage from Halifax BB252 from No. 10 Squadron. Posthumously, Linke was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes) on 19 September 1943.[14][23] Linke is buried at the German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn (Block AR—Row 4—Grave 92) at Venray.[24]
Summary of career
[edit]Aerial victory claims
[edit]According to Spick, Linke was credited with 27 aerial victories claimed in over 100 combat missions. This number includes 24 aerial victories claimed during nocturnal combat missions and three during daytime operations.[25] Boiten also lists him with 27 aerial victories, 24 by night and three by day.[26] Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 25 nocturnal victory claims, not documenting those aerial victories claimed as a Zerstörer pilot.[27] Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Linke with 27 claims, including two as a Zerstörer pilot.[6]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Serial No./Squadron No. |
| – 5. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 76 –[6] | |||||
| 1 | 29 May 1940 | 14:15 | Hurricane | English Channel, off Dunkirk | |
| 2 | 29 May 1940 | 14:19 | Hurricane | English Channel, off Dunkirk | |
| – 6. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[6] | |||||
| 3 | 12 May 1941 | 01:16 | Wellington | southeast of Estenfeld[28] southeast of Ostenfeld |
|
| – 4. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[6] | |||||
| 4 | 25 July 1941 | 23:57 | Hampden | Schiermonnikoog[29] | Hampden AD835/No. 83 Squadron RAF[30] |
| – 5. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –[6] | |||||
| 5 | 12 March 1942 | 23:44 | Whitley | north of Terschelling[31] | Whitley Z9293/No. 77 Squadron RAF[32] |
| 6 | 22 April 1942 | 11:00 | Hudson | west-northwest of Texel[31] | |
| 7 | 26 April 1942 | 00:04 | Hampden | northwest of Ameland[31] | Hampden P5330/No. 420 Squadron RCAF[33] |
| 8 | 26 June 1942 | 01:32 | Stirling | northeast of Wieringen[12] | Stirling W7442/No. 1651 Conversion Unit RAF[34] |
| 9 | 27 July 1942 | 02:05 | Lancaster | 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Leeuwarden[35] | Lancaster R5748/No. 106 Squadron RAF[36] |
| 10 | 5 September 1942 | 04:03 | Wellington | north of Vlieland[37] | Wellington Z1214/No. 142 Squadron RAF[38] |
| 11 | 14 September 1942 | 02:54 | Wellington | Zuiderzee[37] | |
| – Stab of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[6] | |||||
| 12 | 22 November 1942 | 21:54 | Ventura | 25 km (16 mi) north of Terschelling[39] | Hudson EW903/No. 320 (Netherlands) Squadron RAF[40] |
| – 12. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[6] | |||||
| 13 | 17 December 1942 | 21:18 | Halifax | north of Petten[41] | Lancaster W4382/No. 50 Squadron RAF[42] |
| 14 | 9 January 1943 | 18:22 | Halifax | Schiermonnikoog[43] | Halifax BB252/No. 10 Squadron RAF[44] |
| 15 | 3 February 1943 | 22:19 | Wellington | 25 km (16 mi) west of Vlieland[45] | Wellington BK511/No. 300 Polish Bomber Squadron[46] |
| 16 | 3 February 1943 | 22:34 | Halifax | west of Vlieland[45] | |
| 17 | 3 March 1943 | 22:21 | Halifax | 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Ameland[47] | Halifax W7678/No. 76 Squadron RAF[48] |
| 18 | 5 March 1943 | 22:52 | Wellington | west of Texel[49] | Wellington BK401/No. 426 Squadron RCAF[50] |
| 19 | 21 April 1943 | 02:07 | Mosquito | east of Middenmeer[51] | Mosquito DZ386/No. 139 Squadron RAF[52] |
| 20 | 27 April 1943 | 03:36 | Wellington | Bergen aan Zee[53] | Wellington HE737/No. 429 Squadron RCAF[54] |
| 21 | 5 May 1943 | 00:58 | Wellington | 7 km (4.3 mi) east-southeast of Meppel[19] | Wellington HE530/No. 466 Squadron RAAF[55] |
| 22 | 5 May 1943 | 01:14 | Halifax | 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Workum[19] | Halifax JB898/No. 408 Squadron RCAF[56] |
| 23 | 5 May 1943 | 01:40 | Lancaster | southeast of Utrecht[19] | Lancaster W4888/No. 101 Squadron RAF[57] |
| 24 | 5 May 1943 | 02:10 | Halifax | southeast of Vlieland[19] | |
| 25 | 13 May 1943 | 02:02 | Halifax | 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Harlingen[58] | Halifax DT645/No. 51 Squadron RAF[59] |
| 26 | 13 May 1943 | 23:22 | Lancaster | 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Lemmer[60] | Lancaster W4981/No. 83 Squadron RAF[61] |
| 27 | 13 May 1943 | 23:51 | Lancaster | 13 km (8.1 mi) west of Sneek[60] | Lancaster ED589/No. 9 Squadron RAF[62] |
Awards
[edit]- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class[4]
- Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 25 January 1943 as Leutnant and pilot[63]
- German Cross in Gold on 12 April 1943 as Leutnant in the 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[64]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelführer of the 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[65][Note 1]
Notes
[edit]- ^ According to Scherzer as Staffelkapitän of the 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1.[66]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c Bowman 2016, p. 47.
- ^ a b c MacLean 2007, p. 216.
- ^ Prien et al. 2000, p. 376.
- ^ a b c MacLean 2007, p. 217.
- ^ Shores, Foreman & Ehrengardt 1992, p. 274.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 756.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 9.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 27.
- ^ Aders 1978, p. 17.
- ^ MacLean 2007, pp. 216–217.
- ^ a b Aders 1978, p. 224.
- ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 47.
- ^ Bowman 2016, pp. 47–48.
- ^ a b c Bowman 2016, p. 48.
- ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 159.
- ^ Aders 1978, p. 88.
- ^ Aders 1978, p. 227.
- ^ Bowman 2016, p. 144.
- ^ a b c d e Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 78.
- ^ Bowman 2016, p. 151.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 79–80.
- ^ Bf 110 4857.
- ^ Page & Roba 2025, p. 105.
- ^ MacLean 2007, p. 215.
- ^ Spick 1996, p. 246.
- ^ Boiten 2024, p. 62.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 20–80.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 20.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 26.
- ^ Hampden AD835.
- ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 38.
- ^ Whitley Z9293.
- ^ Hampden P5330.
- ^ Stirling W7442.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 51.
- ^ Lancaster R5748.
- ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 58.
- ^ Wellington Z1214.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 62.
- ^ Hudson EW903.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 63.
- ^ Lancaster W4382.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 64.
- ^ Halifax BB252.
- ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 66.
- ^ Wellington BK511.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 68.
- ^ Halifax W7678.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 70.
- ^ Wellington BK401.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 76.
- ^ Mosquito DZ386.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 77.
- ^ Wellington HE737.
- ^ Wellington HE530.
- ^ Halifax JB898.
- ^ Lancaster W4888.
- ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 79.
- ^ Halifax DT645.
- ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 80.
- ^ Lancaster W4981.
- ^ Lancaster ED589.
- ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 136.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 281.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 293.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 509.
Bibliography
[edit]- Aders, Gebhard (1978). History of the German Night Fighter Force, 1917–1945. London, UK: Janes Publishing. ISBN 0-354-01247-9.
- Boiten, Theo (2024). Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies (1st ed.). Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-88-2.
- Bowman, Martin (2016). Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940–1943. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-4738-4986-0.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (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.
- Foreman, John; Parry, Simon; Mathews, Johannes (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
- MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Vol. One. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
- 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.
- Page, Neil; Roba, Jean-Louis (2025). Night Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1940–43. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-63624-490-7.
- 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.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 1—Vorkriegszeit und Einsatz über Polen—1934 bis 1939 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 1—Pre-War Period and Action over Poland—1934 to 1939] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-54-0.
- 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.
- Shores, Christopher; Foreman, John; Ehrengardt, Chris (1992). Fledgling Eagles. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-42-7.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces: The Jadgflieger and their Combat Tactics and Techniques. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
- Accident description for Bf 110 4857 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Halifax BB252 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Halifax DT645 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Halifax JB898 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Halifax W7678 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Hampden AD835 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Hampden P5330 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Hudson EW903 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Lancaster ED589 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Lancaster R5748 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Lancaster W4382 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Lancaster W4888 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Lancaster W4981 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Mosquito DZ386 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Stirling W7442 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Wellington BK401 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Wellington BK511 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Wellington HE530 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Wellington HE737 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Wellington Z1214 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- Accident description for Whitley Z9293 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
Further reading
[edit]- Molder, Harald (13 May 2013). "Vor 70 Jahren starb die Duisburger Altstadt in der Nacht vom 12. zum 13. Mai 1943" [Seventy Years Ago, the Old Town of Duisburg Died on the Night of 12 to 13 May 1943]. Wochen Anzeiger (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2025.
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
|  | |
1Knight's Cross with Zerstörergeschwader 76. 2Knight's Cross with Nachtjagdgeschwader 6. | ||
