Bf-109E JG2.1 (W9+) Reifferscheidt WNr 5159 crash-landed Sussex 1940 00
Profile 00: Bf109E-4 'White 9' flown by Oblt. Hermann Reifferscheidt, Staffelkapitan of 1./JG2, 1 November 1940. This aircraft, W.Nr. 5159, made a forced landing at Mapson's Farm, Sidlesham, Sussex, on 1 November 1940. The upper fuselage was 02/71 with no hard demarcation and the Blue 65 fuselage sides have been finished in one of the stipple patterns typical of JG2 in 1940. Clearly visible are the darker areas where earlier Stab markings have been painted out.

Bf-109E JG2.1 (W9+) Reifferscheidt WNr 5159 crash-landed Sussex 1940 01
Photo 01: This photograph shows Oblt. Reifferscheidt's Bf109E-4, WNr. 5159, after making a forced landing at Mapson's Farm, Sidlesham, Sussex. The overpainted staff markings suggest that this machine was previously flown by the Kommodore of JG2, Major Wolfgang Schellmann, or perhaps his predecessor, Obstlt. Harry von Bulow-Bothkamp. Reifferscheidt was replaced as Staffelkapitan of l./JG2 by Oblt. Anton Mader.

Pilots JG2.1 Hermann Reifferscheidt 01
Photo 01: Reichsmarschall Goring in conversation with Oblt. Reifferscheidt, second right, the Staffelkapitan of l./JG2. On this occasion, 28 October, Goring awarded Reifferscheidt, who had shot down a Hurricane the previous day, the EK 1. However on 1 November Reifferscheidt was himself shot down and became a PoW after his aircraft had been damaged by a 145Sqn. Hurricane flown by P/O Jean Offenberg.

Pilots JG2.1 Hermann Reifferscheidt 02
Photo 02: Oblt Hermann Reifferscheidt (third from left) photographed in a POW camp in Canada, 1941. Others are 1 to r: von Minnigrode, possibly ex-III./JG51; Oblt. Paul Temme, Gruppenadjutant of I./JG2 shot down 13 August 1940; Reifferscheidt; unknown; Ritterkreuztrager Oblt. Werner Machold, Staffelkapitan of 7./JG2, shot down 9 June 1941; Lt. Hermann Strasser, of 7./JG53, shot down 1 September 1940; unknown, and Oblt. Rudolf MolleRGriedrich of 6./JG2, shot down 18 August 1940.

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Experiences of a Prisoner of War

HERMANN REIFFERSCHEIDT, STAFFELKAPITAN I./JG2I joined the Navy school at Flensburg-Murvik early in 1935 where I received my basic training. In the Autumn, as a Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier, I was transferred to Berlin-Gatow to attend courses in order to become an officer in the new Luftwaffe. My pilot training began on 1 October 1936 in Schleissheim near Munich. In January 1938, I was finally transferred to JG'Richthofen' at Berlin-Doberitz where I first flew Heinkel and Arado biplanes before learning to fly the Me109 'Berta' and 'Dora' .At the end of Autumn 1939, our Gruppe was transferred to Frankfurt-Rebstock in order to protect the Franco-German border which we patrolled in small formations. My stay there was short and at the beginning of 1940, I was called back to Berlin in order to take over a Staffel at the jagdfliegerschule Berlin-Werneuchen. I remained with this unit until the end of September. On 1 October 1940, I was sent to France as Staffelkapitan of I./JG2 1 and during missions over the South of England I claimed my first Abschuss, a Spitfire 2.On 1 November 1940, my Me109, 'White 9', was hit and I had to land at Sidlesham, south of Chichester, where I was taken prisoner 3. I was eventually sent to PoW (Officers') Transit Camp No.13, also known as The Hayes, or Swanwick Camp after the nearest village, located about 20 km north of Derby. It was here that I got to know the successful escaper Franz van Werra. He had been transferred here from Grizedale Hall in the Lake District after one of his escape attempts. As soon as he arrived, he immediately began, with the help of several comrades, to build a tunnel. When it was ready, we assembled one evening in the hall and began singing soldiers' songs in order to cover the noises of escape. Posing as a Dutch officer, van Werra reached an RAF airfield and almost succeeded in stealing a Hurricane before he was recaptured.At the end of January 1941, we were taken to a port in Scotland and put aboard a large passenger ship being used as a troop-transport which was to take us to Canada. Conditions aboard were quite good; once or twice during the day we were allowed to go on deck to have some fresh air. Aboard our ship were some young RAF chaps going to Canada to complete their training and our vessel formed part of a large convoy which also included the Royal Navy battleship HMS Ramillies and other warships. The sea journey lasted 14 days and, in order to avoid U-boat attacks, we sailed far to the north and then, in mid-Atlantic, we turned south where some of the ships left us and sailed for Africa with supplies and reinforcements for the British forces there. Our part of the convoy, still with the Ramillies as escort, continued safely to Halifax although before we arrived we sailed through a terrible storm which lasted for several days. Oblt. Hermann Reifferscheidt (third from left) photographed in a PoW camp in Canada.In Halifax, we were put aboard two trains bound for the northern coast of Lake Superior. The journey lasted three days, during which time I helped a comrade to remove a plate covering a window. We had to work very carefully to avoid being seen by the guards, but eventually, after hours of work, we were able to open the window. We were not allowed to walk on the train, and there were many guards patrolling with guns and sticks, but we arranged to stand up to screen my comrade from view as he leaped from the train. Unfortunately, he was soon recaptured. I witnessed several other escape attempts 4 but only van Werra succeeded, mainly I think because he understood and could speak English.Our first PoW camp, a large square, was situated on the bank of Lake Superior and there was a lot of snow. The following year we were moved to Bowmanville, near Toronto, on Lake Ontario.1 Apparently to replace Oblt. Adolf-Friedrich van Gotz, taken PoW on 7 September.
2 This was, in fact, a Hurricane shot down at 17.55 hrs on 27 October 1940.
3 When interrogated, Reifferscheidt refused to discuss anything to do with the war and, when asked what he had done to qualify for the award of the EK 1 and EK II, replied, "Nothing in particular, just hard work and many war flights:'
4 There were many escape attempts. Guards caught most prisoners in the act of leaving the train but another eight escaped at various stages of the journey.

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The Messerschmitt Bf-109E