A brave night fighter: Unteroffizier Kurt Schmidt NJG 1

[RPN]

One of the Luftwaffe’s most successful night fighter crews in NJG 1 was led by RKT Hans-Heinz Augenstein with Feldwebel Gunther Steins (DK) his long-serving Bordfuncker.


Kurt Schmidt joined Hauptmann Augenstein’s team as Bordschutz in September 1943, and subsequently took part in the destruction of twenty-seven Allied bombers.


All of the crew were wounded when their BF110 was shot down over Roubaix, Northern France, in June 1944. However, they recovered to continue their significant part in the night conflict until the night of 7th December 1944 when their BF110 was shot down near Munster-Handorf by an RAF Mosquito. Only Uffz Schmidt successfully bailed out. Fw Stein’s body was hurled from the aircraft when it crashed, though in all probability he was fatally wounded by the initial enemy canon fire. Hptm Augenstein’s parachute failed to open and his body was found by a farmer three days later.


Uffz Schmidt wrote a detailed and vivid account of that fatal night and this is recorded in the Boiten / Bowman publication “Battles with the Nachtjagd” (2006).


Shown below is Kurt Schmidt’s certificate for the Frontflugspange in Bronze awarded in March 1944. It is signed by Hans-Joachim Jabs who became the NJG 1 Geschwaderkommodore and winner of the Oakleaves.


I would be delighted if any WAF member had any further information about Uffz. Schmidt they could share. Of course to see a photo of the Augenstein crew would be wonderful.


Regards,

Paul


(I am able to share the above because of the generosity of our mate Captain Tim Calvert who let me have Herr Schmidt’s document back earlier this year: Tim too was a very brave man.)

[stgeorge64]

Paul, that is a superb document indeed, not only are the Frontflug-Spange fur Nachtjager urkunden very rare in their own right, but to be signed by Hans-Joachim Jabs and to a recipient who is known in published literature, really is quite something.

Unfortunatly, I do not have any additional information on Unteroffizier Schmidt, perhaps Thoe Boiten will be covering this man in more detail in his multi-volume 'Nachtjagd Combat Archive' series.

Excellent document.

Regards Richard.

[RPN]

Thank you for responding to this thread Richard. Being able to research the "man behind the medal" (as British medal collectors say) brings another very enjoyable dimension to our collecting passion. I'll certainly be looking out for any future publications focussing on Night Fighter crews. If only I had persisted with my German language studies there could have been a whole lot more depth to my research pursuits!!

Thanks again for checking your references. I hope things are good with you.
Regards,

Paul

[stgeorge64]

I'll certainly be looking out for any future publications focussing on Night Fighter crews. Paul

Paul

In that case, and if you are not aware already, I would highly recommend the following;

https://www.wingleader.co.uk/series/...combat-archive

Very well researched (from the angle of both the RAF and the Luftwaffe) and highly detailed.

Regards Richard.

[RPN]

Thanks to you again Richard. I'll certainly be after some of these books (those focussing on September 1943 onwards).


Re Hans-Joachim Jabs: I also have a Nick Trudgeon print with his signature thereon. LW award docs give us two great opportunities for airman research .


Best wishes,


Paul

[Brian S]

Paul, didn't see this before, certificates to NJG very rare and this one also awesome. Richard, also thanks did not know they had expanded their book details.


Jabs a great signature on a doc. He was very identifiable in photos. The Kreta cuff title always sets him instantly apart.