Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt - Death

Death

On 7 September 1942 Stahlschmidt, flying Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 (W.Nr. 8704) "Red 4", was part of a Schwarm that had taken off on a freie Jagd (fighter sweep) south east of El Alamein. They intercepted a tactical reconnaissance Hurricane covered by a strong escort of Hurricane MK IICs from No. 33 Squadron RAF and No. 213 Squadron RAF. However, Stahlschmidt's flight had failed to notice a flight of Spitfire Mk Vcs of No. 601 Squadron RAF, which had been flying "up in the sun". Diving on the Bf 109s, the Spitfires shot down Oberleutnant Karl von Lieres und Wilkau (24 kills) and Stahlschmidt. The former survived a torrid crash landing. His commander, Eduard Neumann, dispatched the 1st and 2nd Staffeln to search for the missing ace, but Stahlschmidt was nowhere to be found. He was posted as missing in action, and his exact fate remains unknown to this day. Recent research suggests that he may have been shot down by an American ace, Flight Lieutenant John H. Curry (RCAF; 7.5 claims), of 601 Sqn.

In over 400 combat missions in North Africa Stahlschmidt scored 59 kills, all but four being single engine fighters. On 3 January 1944 he posthumously became the 365th recipient of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross and was promoted to Oberleutnant on that date.

In the space of three weeks I. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 27 had been rocked by the deaths of its three top aces, Stahlschmidt's death only 24 hours after the death of JG 27 ace Günter Steinhausen (40 kills) and was followed on 30 September 1942 by the death of Hans-Joachim Marseille (the "Star of Africa"; 158 kills). I./JG 27 claimed 588 aircraft shot down in April 1941–November 1942. Stahlschmidt, Steinhausen and Marseille accounted for 250 of these; 42% of the unit's total.

Understandably morale fell so low that the Gruppe was withdrawn to Sicily in October. It returned briefly to North Africa but was withdrawn from the theatre for the final time in December 1942.