IL2

Bf-110E Zerstörer NJG1.2 $Walter Ehle (G9+AC) St. Trond Belgium 01

Photo 01: The Gruppenkommandeur of II./NJG1, Hauptmann Walter Ehle (Left), with his Bordfunker, Hans Weng, photographed on the airfield at St. Trond, Belgium. Behind them is their Bf-110 coded G9+AC with a white Roman II next to the Nachtjagd emblem to indicate the Gruppe to which this machine belonged.

Pilots NJG1.3 $Walter Ehle 01

Photo 01: Walter Ehle (right) originally flew with 3./ZG1 and was credited with three daylight kills before the unit was redesignated 3./NJG1 and Ehle became a night fighter pilot. He is seen here as a Hauptmann with an NCO member of his crew and the tail of his Bf-110 G9+AC, showing nine victory bars. Following the first three bars representing day victories are six more bars, each with a black diagonal line to denote night victories. At the time of this photograph, Hptm. Ehle was the Kommandeur of II./NJG1 and his sixth night victory was a Blenheim which he shot down in the early hours of 2 June 1942. Ehle was one of the longest serving Kommandeure and led II./NJG1 from October 1940 until 17 November 1943 when he and his crew were killed near St. Trond. Since promoted to Major, he was landing when the airfield lights were extinguished; his aircraft crashed and he and his crew perished. Major Ehle was awarded the Knight's Cross on 29 August after 31 victories and at the time of his death he was credited with 39. He shot down a total of 38 enemy aircraft of which 36 where at night.

Pilots NJG1.3 $Walter Ehle 02

Photo 02: Another photograph of Walter Ehle (Left) who became the Kommandeur of II./NJG1 in October 1940. In the centre is Hptm. Wolfgang Thimrnig and on the right is Major Werner Streib.

Pilots NJG1.3 $Walter Ehle funeral 01

Photo 01: As a result of an accident while landing on the night of 17/18 November 1943, Major Walter Ehle, the Gruppenkommandeur of II./NJG1, and his crew, Ofw. Leidenbach (Bordfunker) and Uffz. Derlitzky (Bordschutze) were all killed. Here a guard of honour flanks the graves during the funeral ceremony, while three members of the unit present each of the crew's decorations on black cushions.The centre cushion carries the decorations of Major Ehle and is being held by Lt. Otto Fries.

Pilots NJG1.3 $Walter Ehle funeral 02

Photo 02: Undefeated by the enemy - the final resting place of Major Walter Ehle.