German Fighter Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille: The Life Story of the Star of Africa (Schiffer Military History)

234 Pages·1994·10.98 MB·English

by  Franz Kurowski

GERMAN FIGHTER ACE
HANS-JOACHIM
MARSEILLE
The Life Story of the
"Star of Africa"
FRANZ KUROWSKI
Translated from the German by Don Cox
Schiffer Military History
Atglen, PA
Dust Jacket Artwork by Jerry Crandall, Sedona, AZ
Artwork courtesy of Eagle Editions Ltd.
Prints available through Eagle Editons Ltd., P.O. Box 1830, Sedona, AZ 86339
THE STAR OF AFRICA - Hans-Joachim Marseille Bf 109 F-2 Trop
"Jochen" Marseille was considered by some of his contemporaries to be the most
talented pilot in the Luftwaffe. General Adolf Galland even referred to him as the
"unequaled virtuoso of all fighter pilots." After a shaky beginning, enlisting at the
age of eighteen and with discipline problems, he achieved seven victories in the
Battle of Britain but was in turn shot down four times. In April 1941, he was sent
to Africa to fly with I./JG 27. Marseille soon developed his shooting ability and in
conjunction with his fearless flying, became the "Star of Africa." With a reputation
of being a rebel to military discipline and a ladies' man, plus his uncanny exploits
as a fighter pilot, he became a national hero to the German people. His accom-
plishments have become legend. On 1 September 1942, he shot down seventeen
British fighters on three missions, eight aircraft in ten minutes. Many times he had
multiple victories, eventually to become the most successful Luftwaffe pilot to fly
against Western opponents. He was then awarded Germany's highest honor, the
Diamonds to the Knight's Cross with Swords and Oak Leaves. Flying a new
Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 on 30 September 1942, the engine developed serious
problems and the cockpit began to fill with smoke. After struggling, Marseille jet-
tisoned the canopy and managed to get out but was struck by the tail section and
his parachute never opened.
Book Design by Robert Biondi
Translated from the German by Don Cox.
Published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
77 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
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Contents
Preface 7
Chapter I Early Years 9
Chapter II The North African Theater 23
Chapter III With JG 27 to Africa 29
Chapter IV JG 27 in Africa 47
Chapter V Luftwaffe Operations in the Summer of 1941 61
Chapter VI Desert Interval 97
Chapter VII JG 27 During the Winter of 1941/1942 105
Chapter VIII Rommel's New Offensive 123
Chapter IX The Star of Africa 165
Chapter X At Home 175
Chapter XI A Star Rises - & Falls 189
Afterword 216
Appendixes:
Appendix I: Hans-Joachim Marseille, Life Chronology 220
Appendix II: Holders of the Knight's Cross of JG 27 in Africa 222
Appendix III: JG 27, Duty Positions from April 1941 to May 1943 223
Appendix IV: JG 27 Pilots with 10 or More Victories 224
Appendix V: Brief Data for Aircraft in Africa 225
Appendix VI: The Thirty Top British Fighter Pilots in Africa 226
Appendix VII: Luftwaffe in Africa, Air Order of Battle as of 1 October 1942 227
Appendix VIII: Italian Air Force in Africa, Air Order of Battle as of 1 October 1942 228
Appendix IX: Western Desert Air Force, Air Order of Battle as of 1 October 1942 229
Appendix X: Abbreviations 230
Sources & Acknowledgements 231

PREFACE
T
he British Middle Eastern Army had gone on the coun-
teroffensive prior to the end of 1940. Cyrenaica was
torn from Italy after heavy fighting. By the beginning
of March 1941 Englishmen, both black and white, had
pushed beyond the El Agheila oasis at the edge of the Great
Sirte and stood on the soil of Tripolitania. Their goal was the
capital of Libya, Tripoli; their dream was Italy's eradication
from the African continent. But it was not to be.
Catching the British by surprise, on March 24th a small
band of German-Italian troops began to check the advances
of the British Middle Eastern Army. Units of the recently
landed Deutsches Afrikakorps carried out the first counter-
attacks.
Three weeks later Cyrenaica was free of enemy forces, a
large concentration of enemy troops found themselves iso-
lated in Tobruk, and both German and Italian troops were
in Egypt.
This engagement will forever remain a page of honor in
the annals of Germany's military history. For with vastly
inferior forces an enemy was beaten back, an enemy justifi-
ably proud of its experiences and decades-long tradition of
desert warfare.
To be sure, England made an attempt to reestablish her
prestige as 1941 turned into 1942. However, she was not able
to overshadow the victory of the Deutsches Afrikakorps.
Beginning in March and with nearly a half million men -
Australians, New Zealanders, Indians, Africans, Czechs,
Poles and Englishmen - she threw everything the Empire
could muster in the way of people, material, weapons and
pilots in a relentless struggle against the standing German
and Italian units.
In this hour the German soldier showed that he had not
only learned to fight on the offensive, but to fight with the
highest sense of soldierly duty while on the defensive as
well. Striking with a dogged tenacity, his trusted Italian
brother-at-arms stood at his side.
The last word on the African Front has yet to be spoken.
Therefore, the final verdict is still not in. Nor is a military-
historical perspective of the events in this secondary com-
bat theater on the African continent possible at this time. It
remains a matter for the future.
Rommel
1944

CHAPTER I
EARLY YEARS
Foundations
P
olitical chaos reigned in Berlin on the 13th of De-
cember 1919, a year following Germany's defeat in
the First World War. Nevertheless, both Frau Char-
lotte Marseille and her husband, Major Siegfried
Marseille, were happy. A son had been born to them, whom
they named Hans-Joachim. Hans-Joachim was a weak child
at first; at one point he nearly died from a severe case of
influenza.
As a result of the reduction of the Reichsheer to 100,000
men, Siegfried Marseille left the army and began service with
the Berliner Polizei starting on March 27, 1920, thus ensur-
ing that his family would have no worries. With one excep-
tion: both parents were filled with consternation over the
fact that Hans-Joachim was three years old before he was
able to walk properly.
An hour before Hans-Joachim would be delivered into
the world at home a wall hook came loose in the next room.
A glass case tipped over, bringing a crystal vase, bowls and
glasses crashing to the floor.
The expectant mother saw it as a good omen, for as they
say "broken dishes bring luck." Frau Charlotte comments
on Hans-Joachim as an infant and baby: "The boy already
possessed an independent spirit, even before he could walk.
He screamed to make the walls shudder. One time, when
we were moving into a larger and prettier apartment, I was
carrying him in my arms. I stood in the entry way in order
to oversee the movers and give them instructions on where
to put each piece. Jochen was screaming like a stuck pig."
"One of the strong movers, carrying a dresser on his back,
mentioned as he passed by/The little one has the mouth of
Fritz Ebert. He, too, will someday be a great man." (Friedrich
Ebert was given the Reich chancellorship by Reichskanzler
9