Wilhelm Batz

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Wilhelm Batz
Unterfranken
Buried
Leverkusen-Opladen
Allegiance
Service/branch
Years of service
  • 1935–1945
  • 1956–1972
Rank
UnitFlugzeugführerschule "S"
Commands held
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

Awards
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Wilhelm Batz (21 May 1916 – 11 September 1988) was a German

Ploieşti oil fields. Following the war, he served in the German Air Force
of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Born in

Unterfranken
.

Early life and career

Batz was born on 21 May 1916 in

basic training at Neubiberg, he was posted to the flight school at Kaufbeuren Airfield on 1 February 1936. Following flight training, he became a flight instructor with Fliegerausbildungs-Regiment 23 (23rd Aviators Training Regiment).[Note 1] In November 1939, Batz was posted to at Jüterbog-Damm and later to Reinsdorf Airfield.[5][Note 2]

In June 1940, Batz returned to Fliegerausbildungs-Regiment 23 in

Luftkriegsschule 2 in Berlin–Gatow. On 1 November 1940, Batz was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant). He continued to serve as a flight instructor, logging more than 5,000 flying hours, until 31 October 1942. On 1 November, Batz was posted to the Jagdfliegerschule (fighter pilot school) in Bad Aibling. On 20 December, Batz moved on to 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost (Supplementary Fighter Group, East) which was based at Saint-Jean-d'Angély in France.[6][7]

World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces

Slavyansk-na-Kubani. Due to weather, II. Gruppe moved to Kerch on 16 February.[9] Here flying with the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit), Batz claimed his first aerial victory on 11 March when he shot down a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter. Two days later, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Anapa.[10] During the relocation flight, he was credited with the destruction of a Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, also known as "Boston".[11] On 1 April, Batz was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant).[12]

Flying from Anapa, Batz claimed two LaGG-3 fighters shot down on 15 April, the second near

ground-attack aircraft. A LaGG-3 fighter claimed near Gelendzhik remained unconfirmed while a further claim over another LaGG-3 fighter shot down near Kabardinka, located approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Gelendzhik and an Il-2 ground-attack aircraft destroyed west of Gelendzhik were approved.[13] On 24 April, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) for seven aerial victories.[14] On 9 May, Batz was credited with shooting down a Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter.[15]

Squadron leader

On 26 May 1943, Batz was appointed

ace-in-a-day" achievements on 1, 2 and 5 December.[20] On 7 December, Batz attacked small vessels off the coast of Eltigen (Heroyevskoe), part of Kerch. During the strafing attack, his Bf 109 was hit by anti-aircraft fire resulting in a forced landing. Batz sustained injuries to his shoulder and was sent on home leave. His home leave and convalescence ended in February 1944.[21] On 28 January 1944, Batz received the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold).[22]

Batz claimed his first three aerial victories of 1944 on 10 February when he shot down a Yak-1 and two Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters.[23] At the end of February, his number of aerial victories had increased to 88, putting him in second place in II. Gruppe tied with Leutnant Heinrich Sturm and Leutnant Helmut Lipfert. On 19 March, the Gruppe was ordered to Grammatikowo located near Sovietskyi.[24] Here on 22 March, Batz claimed his 100th aerial victory when he shot down a Yak-9 and Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter.[25] He was the 67th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve a hundred victories.[26] Batz was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 26 March.[27][28] With 101 aerial victories to his credit, he was the third most successful fighter pilot in II. Gruppe. Barkhorn with 251 aerial victories was in the lead and Leutnant Otto Fönnekold was second with 116 claims.[29]

Group commander and surrender

III./JG 52 emblem

Batz was promoted to

Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive. In these battles, Batz claimed six aerial victories on 8 April,[30] five on 10 April, reaching his 120th victory on 13 April. One day later, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Cape Chersonez located at the Sevastopol Bay. That morning, the airfield came under aerial attack and Batz was wounded by bomb splinters. Although his injuries were minor, he was grounded for two weeks and banned by the doctor from flying operationally. During his convalescence, Batz succeeded Günther Rall as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 52 on 19 April 1944.[31][32][33] By end April, his number of aerial victories had reached 121 claimed.[34] III. Gruppe was also based at Cape Chersonez located at the Sevastopol Bay.[32] Here on 2 May, Batz became an "ace-in-a-day" again when he claimed three P-39s, a Yak-1 and an Il-2 shot down.[35] On 31 May, Batz became a triple "ace-in-a-day" when during the course of seven combat missions he claimed fifteen aerial victories which included six Il-2s, five P-39s and four Lavochkin La-5 fighters. This raised his total to 155 aerial victories claimed.[36]

On 1 June, III. Gruppe relocated to

Herbert Lamprecht.[45] Following the Oak Leaves presentation, Batz was granted home leave when Batz attended Erich Hartmann's wedding at Bad Wiessee on 10 September.[46]

By the end October 1944, Batz had claimed 226 aircraft shot down, placing him second behind Hartmann in III. Gruppe.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 21 April 1945. The bestowal of the Swords to his Knight's Cross cannot be verified via the records held in the German Federal Archives. Batz presented evidence of the conferment which was confirmed by the Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger (Association of German Armed Forces Airmen).[52]

On 4 May 1945, II. Gruppe moved to

prisoners of war. He and II. Gruppe personnel were then taken to Fürstenfeldbruck where most of the men were released in June 1945. Batz was taken to Bad Aibling where the ground personnel had surrendered and released shortly after.[52]

Later life

LTG 63 emblem

In 1955, Batz applied for service in the

Karl Rammelt as commander of a training squadron of Flugzeugführerschule "S" (FFS "S"—Pilot Training School) from 1 June to 31 December 1958.[54] In January, pilot training on the Dornier Do 27 was relocated from Memmingen Air Base to Friedrichshafen.[55] On 15 November, FFS "S" was reoganized with Ausbildungsgruppe A (training group A) under command of Batz relocating to Diepholz Air Base.[56] Batz later commanded this training facility at Diepholz Air Base from 1 January 1959 to 15 December 1961. He was succeeded by Oberstleutnat Karl-Horst Meyer zum Felde.[57]

Batz was then appointed

Unterfranken. He was buried on the cemetery in Quettingen, a borough of Leverkusen-Opladen.[60]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Main article: List of aerial victories claimed by Wilhelm Batz

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Batz was credited with 237 aerial victories.[61] According to Spick, Batz was credited with 237 aerial victories claimed in 445 combat missions. Of this figure, 232 aerial victories were claimed on the Eastern Front and five over the Western Allies, including two four-engine bombers.[62] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 233 confirmed and eight unconfirmed aerial victories, numerically ranging from 1 to 233, omitting the 223rd claim. All these victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.[63]

Awards

Dates of rank

Wehrmacht
1 November 1940: Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)[7]
1 April 1943: Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)[14]
1 April 1944: Hauptmann (Captain)[31]
April 1945: Major (Major)[52]
Bundeswehr
1964: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)[52]

Notes

  1. ^ Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[4]
  2. ^ Jüterbog-Damm referred to the Luftwaffe airfield in Jüterbog.[5]
  3. ^ According to Obermaier on 14 November 1943.[2]
  4. ^ According to Scherzer as leader of the III./Jagdgeschwader 52.[68]
  5. Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR).[72]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
  2. ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 41.
  3. ^ Toliver & Constable 1996, p. 165.
  4. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  5. ^ a b Stockert 2012, p. 92.
  6. ^ Kurowski 1996, p. 173.
  7. ^ a b c Stockert 2012, p. 93.
  8. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 114.
  9. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 124.
  10. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 125.
  11. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 342.
  12. ^ Stockert 2012, pp. 93–94.
  13. ^ a b Barbas 2005, p. 343.
  14. ^ a b c Stockert 2012, p. 94.
  15. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 346.
  16. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 374.
  17. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 135.
  18. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 135, 152.
  19. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 153.
  20. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 153, 356–357.
  21. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 96.
  22. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 288.
  23. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 359.
  24. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 156.
  25. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 157, 361.
  26. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  27. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 287.
  28. ^ Weal 2001, p. 75.
  29. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 46.
  30. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 47.
  31. ^ a b Stockert 2012, p. 97.
  32. ^ a b Schreier 1990, p. 190.
  33. ^ Weal 2004, p. 105.
  34. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 159.
  35. ^ Barbas 2010, pp. 184, 375.
  36. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 55.
  37. ^ Barbas 2010, p. 189.
  38. ^ Barbas 2010, p. 378.
  39. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 56.
  40. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 99.
  41. ^ Barbas 2010, p. 191.
  42. ^ Barbas 2010, p. 379.
  43. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 82.
  44. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 3.
  45. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 100.
  46. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 101.
  47. ^ Barbas 2010, p. 195.
  48. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 194.
  49. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 285.
  50. ^ Schreier 1990, p. 188.
  51. ^ Barbas 2010, p. 279.
  52. ^ a b c d e Stockert 2012, p. 102.
  53. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 200.
  54. ^ Ahrens 2019a, p. 239.
  55. ^ Ahrens 2019b, p. 150.
  56. ^ Ahrens 2019b, p. 156.
  57. ^ Ahrens 2019b, p. 497.
  58. ^ Ahrens 2019b, p. 456.
  59. ^ Ahrens 2019b, p. 495.
  60. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 103.
  61. ^ Zabecki 2019, p. 328.
  62. ^ Spick 1996, p. 227.
  63. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 53–57.
  64. ^ a b c Berger 1999, p. 23.
  65. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 45.
  66. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 26.
  67. ^ a b Thomas 1997, p. 23.
  68. ^ a b c Scherzer 2007, p. 204.
  69. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 123.
  70. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 85.
  71. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 48.
  72. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 48, 49.

Bibliography

Military offices
Preceded by
Oberst
Joachim Pötter
 Commander of Flugzeugführerschule "S"
January 1961 – September 1961 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
none
 Commander of
Lufttransportgeschwader 63

November 1961 – 31 January 1964 		Succeeded by
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