Siegfried Engfer Explained

Siegfried Engfer
Birth Date:	27 April 1915
Death Date:	April 1946 (age 30–31) (disappeared)
Birth Place:	Neuhof, Pomerania, Imperial Germany
Death Place:	Germany
Branch:	Army (1935–37) Luftwaffe (1937–45)
Serviceyears:	1935–45
Rank:	Oberleutnant (first lieutenant)
Unit:	JG 3
Battles:	World War II Eastern Front
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Siegfried Engfer (27 April 1915 – missing April 1946) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was credited with 58 victories, in over 348 missions.

Career

Engfer was born on 27 April 1915 in Neuhof, present-day Będlino, in the Province of Pomerania within the German Empire. On 4 June 1941, Engfer was injured during a takeoff accident in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 8247—factory number) at the airfield in Norrent-Fontes.

Eastern Front

The Wehrmacht launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, on 22 June 1941. III. Gruppe supported Army Group South in its strategic goal towards the heavily populated and agricultural heartland of Ukraine, taking Kiev before continuing eastward over the steppes of southern USSR to the Volga with the aim of controlling the oil-rich Caucasus.

Both Engfer and Feldwebel Heinz Kemethmüller from 8. Staffel of JG 3 claimed their 50th aerial victories on 18 September 1942. Consequently both pilots were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 2 October 1942. On 6 November, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and sent to Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield for a period of rest and replenishment. The first elements of the Gruppe arrived by train in Mannheim on 8 December, the transfer was completed a week later. There, the personnel was sent on home leave. Following the death of Generaloberst Ernst Udet, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring ordered JG 3 to be given the honorary name "Udet" on 1 December. The Gruppe received a full complement of 41 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 aircraft and on 6 January 1942 was ordered to relocated to Sicily. On 13 January, 7. Staffel and elements of 8. and 9. Staffel boarded a train to Bari in southern Italy while the rest of III. Gruppe headed for Sciacca, Sicily. The relocation progressed until 26 January when new orders were received, ordering the Gruppe to return to Germany. At Jesau near Königsberg, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, III. Gruppe began preparations for redeployment to the Eastern Front. On 28 May 1943, Engfer was posted to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost (Supplementary Fighter Group, East), a specialized training unit for new fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front, as an instructor. Shortly after, he fell seriously ill and was infected with Tuberculosis.

Engfer went missing on a train journey from Vienna to Munich in April 1946. Alternatively, according to Mathews and Foreman, he may have been killed in a car accident.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Engfer was credited with 58 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 58 aerial victory claims, all of which confirmed and claimed on the Eastern Front.

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim		Claim#	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim		Claim#	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1	1	6 July 1941	19:40	V-11 (Il-2)
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" – Eastern Front – 10 February 1942 – 14 April 1942
2	2	12 March 1942	17:50	R-5
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" – Eastern Front – 19 May 1942 – March 1943
3	3	20 May 1942	04:50	Il-2	west of Wesseloje	33		7 September 1942	16:55	La-5	1km (01miles) southwest of Vladimirovka
	4	27 May 1942	16:02	unknown		34		7 September 1942	16:57	Il-2	1km (01miles) west of Orchisodschi
4	5	29 May 1942	18:41	R-10 (Seversky)		35	30	8 September 1942	06:33	La-5?	Kotluban railway station
5		30 June 1942	10:06	MiG-1	southeast of Kshen		31	8 September 1942	10:20	unknown
6	6	10 July 1942	04:05	MiG-1	Voronezh		32	8 September 1942	10:30	unknown
7	7	16 July 1942	13:10	R-5		36		8 September 1942	16:48	P-40	2km (01miles) northeast of Kotluban train station
8	8	17 July 1942	05:50	MiG-1			33	8 September 1942	16:55	unknown
9	9	22 July 1942	14:58	Il-2			34	9 September 1942	16:45	unknown
10	10	24 July 1942	08:50	Il-2		37	35	9 September 1942	16:56	Il-2?	15km (09miles) north-northeast of Stalingrad
11	11	26 July 1942	12:27	Il-2	Kalach	38		9 September 1942	16:58	Il-2	20km (10miles) northeast of Stalingrad
12	12	26 July 1942	12:34	Il-2	Kalach		36	10 September 1942	06:18	unknown
13	13	26 July 1942	18:13	MiG-1	Kalach		37	10 September 1942	06:21	unknown
14	14	28 July 1942	09:55	Il-2	northwest of Kalach	39		10 September 1942	11:18	MiG-1	Stalingrad
15		9 August 1942	06:01	Su-2 (Seversky)	southeast of Kalach	40	38	10 September 1942	17:10	MiG-1?	15km (09miles) northeast of Stalingrad
16		9 August 1942	06:03	LaGG-3	northwest of Stalingrad	41	39	11 September 1942	05:55	Pe-2?	10km (10miles) northeast of Katschalino
17		9 August 1942	18:05	LaGG-3	southeast of Kalach	42		11 September 1942	13:56	Il-2	western edge of Stalingrad
18		11 August 1942	17:05	LaGG-3	southwest of Stalingrad	43		12 September 1942	09:22	Il-2	20km (10miles) north of Stalingrad
19		17 August 1942	09:35	LaGG-3	north of Pasow		40	12 September 1942	14:10	unknown
20		18 August 1942	17:20	LaGG-3	east of Akatow	44		12 September 1942	15:56	Il-2	east of Stalingrad
21		19 August 1942	11:35	LaGG-3?	south of Prudkij	45		13 September 1942	13:11	Il-2	Olchowatka train station
22		19 August 1942	11:44	LaGG-3?	north of Kaschinka	46	41	13 September 1942	16:07	Il-2?	10km (10miles) northeast of Stalingrad
	15	19 August 1942	17:55	unknown		47	42	13 September 1942	16:14	Il-2?	Stalingrad
	16	19 August 1942	17:56	unknown			43	14 September 1942	16:25	unknown
23	17	21 August 1942	05:48	Pe-2?	northeast of Ssoldatskaja	48		14 September 1942	16:27	Il-2	2km (01miles) southeast of Stalingrad
24		23 August 1942	12:55	I-180 (Yak-7)	Akhtuba		44	14 September 1942	16:28	unknown
25	18	24 August 1942	11:55	LaGG-3?	Stalingrad	49		14 September 1942	16:29	Il-2	central Stalingrad
	19	24 August 1942	11:56	unknown			45	15 September 1942	07:10	unknown
	20	27 August 1942	05:25	unknown			46	16 September 1942	08:10	Il-2
26		27 August 1942	07:40	LaGG-3	northwest of Leninsk		47	16 September 1942	08:11	Il-2
27		28 August 1942	11:00	LaGG-3	north-northwest of Stalingrad		48	16 September 1942	16:20	Il-2
	21	29 August 1942	06:05	unknown		50		15 September 1942	16:12?	Il-2	3km (02miles) west of Stalingrad
28		31 August 1942	08:58	Yak-1	Finzuta	51	49	18 September 1942	05:45	Il-2	5km (03miles) northeast of Opotschka
29		31 August 1942	09:05	Yak-1	southeast of Sarepta		50	18 September 1942	05:55	Il-2
	22	31 August 1942	10:45	unknown			51	18 September 1942	06:03	Il-2
	23	2 September 1942	06:38	unknown		52		18 September 1942	17:00	Il-2	western edge of Stalingrad
30		2 September 1942	09:45	Pe-2	3km (02miles) north of Karpatsch		52	18 September 1942	05:55	MiG-1
	24	2 September 1942	17:10	unknown			53	20 September 1942	09:15	unknown
31		3 September 1942	05:25	Il-2	east of Stalingrad		54	23 September 1942	10:40	unknown
	25	3 September 1942	05:26	unknown		53		24 September 1942	12:49	Il-2	5km (03miles) north of Chalshuta
	26	5 September 1942	06:07	unknown			55	27 September 1942	16:05	unknown
32	27	6 September 1942	17:03	LaGG-3?	30km (20miles) north-northwest of Stalingrad		56	12 February 1943		unknown
	28	7 September 1942	16:41	unknown			57	28 February 1943	11:30	unknown
	29	7 September 1942	16:42	unknown			58	2 March 1943	10:37	unknown

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 21 September 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 October 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot in the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"

See also

• List of people who disappeared

References

Bibliography

• Book: Dixon , Jeremy . 2023 . Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1939–1942 . . 978-1-52677-864-2.
• Book: Fellgiebel , Walther-Peer .

  de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

  . 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 . German . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Book: Mathews . Andrew Johannes . Foreman . John . 2014 . Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F . Walton on Thames . Red Kite . 978-1-906592-18-9.
• Book: Obermaier , Ernst . 1989 . Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945 . de . Mainz, Germany . Verlag Dieter Hoffmann . 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . 2008 . Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg . The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War . German . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . 1996 . Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945 . Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-33-5.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2002 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-63-2.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2003 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-69-4.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2005 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-76-2.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2006 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-77-9.
• Book: 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 . German . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Book: Weal , John . 2007 . More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front . Aircraft of the Aces . 76 . Oxford, UK . . 978-1-84603-177-9.
• Book: Weal , John . 2013 . Aces of Jagdgeschwader 3 'Udet' . Aircraft of the Aces . 116 . Oxford, UK . . 978-1-78096-300-6.
• Book: Zabecki . David T. . David T. Zabecki . Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History . Santa Barbara, California . . 2014 . 978-1-59884-981-3.