Werner Lucas

Werner Lucas

Werner Lucas
Born (1917-12-27)27 December 1917
Berlin
Died 24 October 1943(1943-10-24) (aged 25)
Hooigracht
Buried at Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands
(Block CW—Row 1—Grave 21)
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Years of service 1938–43
Rank Hauptmann
Unit JG 3
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Werner Georg Emil Lucas (27 December 1917 – 24 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 106 enemy aircraft shot down. All but one victory were claimed over the Eastern Front, which included 43 bombers and 31 Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft. His only victory claimed on the Western Front was over a four-engined heavy bomber.[1]

World War II

He joined 4./Jagdgeschwader 3 'Udet' on 8 Februar 1941 as an Unteroffizier, receiving the Luftwaffe Honour Goblet on 2 October 1941 (date from original Goblet); the German Cross in Gold on 27 March 1942; and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1942, as a Feldwebel with 57 air victories.

He was appointed Leutnant in November 1942 and held the rank of Hauptmann (Staffelkapitän) at the time of his death in October 1943. 105 of his claims were made against the Soviet Air Force in 1941–43 while serving on the Eastern Front with Jagdgeschwader 3. On 21 July 1943, Lucas was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 47th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[2]

Whilst with JG 3 flying from Schiphol, Holland, he was killed in combat with a Spitfire possibly escorting USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress bombers on 24 October 1943, and crashed in the city centre of Leiden Holland. He then, on purpose, crashed his Me 109-G (Werknummer 27080 —factory number— 'White 7') exactly in the courtyard of a hospital on the Hooigracht, thus taking no other people with him than his 106 kills. This made him an unsung hero. His body remains in his plane until this day. ( article on this in Verenigde Vleugels, nr 2 March 2012 )

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Obermaier on 2 April 1942.[1]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Obermaier 1989, p. 161.
  2. ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  3. ↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 138.
  4. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 286.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 296.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
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