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Born:
12 February 1918 in Mülheim an der Ruhr
Units:
03.11.37-31.03.38 4. Kompanie Flieger-Ersatzabteilung 24 Quakenbrück
01.04.38-30.06.38 1. Flughafenbetreibskompanie, Düsseldorf
01.07.38-31.07.38 7. Jagdgeschwader 234, Düsseldorf
13.08.38-30.06.38 Fliegerhorstkompanie, Düsseldorf
01.07.38-29.08.39 II./Jagdgeschwader "Schlageter" 26, Schulstaffel Düsseldorf
01.09.39-15.10.39 Aufklärungsfliegerschule Hildesheim, Schülerkompanie
16.10.39-16.05.40 Flugkommando 23, Braunschweig
16.05.40-20.07.40 Jagdfliegerschule 1, 1 Staffel, Werneuchen
22.07.40-17.08.40 2./Ergänzungsjagdgruppe, Merseburg
23.08.40-01.03.41 I./ Jagdgeschwader 27, 2 Staffel
01.03.41-30.06.42 I./ Jagdgeschwader 27, 1 Staffel
01.07.42-20.04.43 III./ Jagdgeschwader 27, 8 Staffel
20.04.43-13.03.44 II./ Jagdgeschwader 27,
14.03.44-28.06.44 III./ Jagdgeschwader 54
29.06.44-13.02.45 Fr. Fl. S.G. Ouedlinberg?
05.11.44-05.02.44 Verbandsführerschule des Generals der Jagdflieger, Ausbilder
14.02.45-08.05.45 Stab./ Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"
Pages 7/8 from Schroer's Wehrstammbbuch.
Rank:
00.00.00 Flieger
01.10.38 Gefreiter
01.04.39 Unteroffizer
01.12.39 Feldwebel
01.03.41 Leutnant (Kr. O.)
01.03.42 Gruppenadjutant
01.07.42 Staffelkäpitan (8./ JG27)
01.11.42 Oberleutnant (Kr. o.)
01.02.43 Hauptmann (Kr. O.)
29.03.43 Gruppenkommodore (III. / JG27)
24.04.43 Gruppenkommodore (II. / JG27)
01.11.43 Major (Kr. O.)
14.03.44 Gruppenkommodore (III. / JG54)
14.02.45 Geschwaderkommodore (Stab JG3)
Awards:
00.00.37 Reichssportabzeichen in Bronze (Reich Sports Badge in Bronze)
00.00.39 Flugzeugführerabzeichen (Pilots Badge)
09.10.39 Medaille Zur Erinnerung An Den 1. Oktober 1938 (Commemerative Medal of 1.10.38)
19.04.41 Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd Class)
15.09.41 Eiserne Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st Class)
15.09.41 Frontflug-Spange für Jäger in Silber (Operational flying clasp in Silver for fighters)
06.08.42 Ehrenpokal fur besondere Leistung im Luftkreig (Honor Goblet)
09.09.42 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross in Gold)
15.09.42 Frontflug-Spange für Jäger in Gold (Operational flying clasp in Gold for fighters)
20.10.42 Ritterskreuz des Eisernes Kreuz (Knights Cross of the Iron Cross)
02.08.43 Ritterskreuz des Eisernes Kreuz Mit Eichenlaub (Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves, No. 268)
00.00.43 Ärmelband Afrika (Africa campaign cuff-title)*
16.04.45 Ritterskreuz des Eisernes Kreuz Mit Eichenlaub Und Schwertern (Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves And Swords, No. 142)**
Foreign awards:
05.11.41 Italienisch Kriegskreuz (Italian War Service Cross)
22.06.42 Italienisch Flugzeugführerabzeichen (Italian Pilots Badge)
25.02.43
02.08.43 Medaille Für Italienisch-Deutschen Feldzug in Afrika (The Italo-German Campaign Medal in Africa)
* Award not listed in Wehrstammbuch but eligible for cuff-title based on African service/awards in theater
** Award not listed in Wehrstammbuch but confirmed by other sources
Pages 44 from Schroer's Wehrstammbbuch.
Under Construction
History:
1918
12 February 18
Schröer was born in Mülheim an der Ruhr, at the time in the Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was the son of Friedrich Johann Schröer and his wife Maria (née Schmitz)
1924-37
Schröer attended school and graduated with his Abitur (School Leaving Certificate).
1937
3 April 37
Schroer begins his compulsory service with Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service) serving with RAD Stamm 6/191/5/3.
3 November 37
With the completion of his RAD service on 20 April 1937 Flieger Schroer's recruit training begins with the 4. Kompanie (4th company) of Fliegerersatzabteilung 24 (24th Flier Replacement Unit) in Quakenbrück.
1938
1 April 38
Flieger Schroer is transferred to the Flughafenbetriebskompanie (Airport Operation Company) of Jagdgeschwader 132 to Düsseldorf, serving with the ground personnel.
1 July 38
Schröer was posted to the 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 234 where his flight training began.
13 August 38
Schroer then served with the Fliegerhorstkompanie (Airfield Company) in Düsseldorf .
1 October 38
Schroer is promoted to the rank of Gefreiter.
1939
1 April 39
Schroer is promoted to the rank of Unteroffizer'
1 July 39
Unteroffizier Schröer is then transferred to II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" , named after the Nazi martyr Albert Leo Schlageter, where he was posted to the 6. Staffel where he made his first flight.
1 September 39
Unterofffizier Schröer attends an air observer course at the Aufklärungsfliegerschule (Reconnaissance Flying School) at Hildesheim.
16 October 39
Schröer continues his pilot training at the flight schools in Kamp and Schafstädt .
1 December 39
Schroer is promoted to the rank of Feldwebel
1940
On 16 May 1940, he completed his flight training with Flugkommando 23 (Flight Commando) in Braunschweig. During this training period, he was promoted to Feldwebel (sergeant) on 1 December 1939. Schröer then received fighter pilot training at the Jagdfliegerschule 1 (fighter pilot school) at Werneuchen. There he learned to fly the Arado Ar 68 and Ar 96, the Messerschmitt Bf 108 and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Bücker Bü 131, the Focke-Wulf Fw 56, and the Heinkel He 45 and He 51.[4] From 22 July to 17 August 1940, Schröer completed his fighter pilot training with the 2. Staffel of Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Merseburg, a supplementary training unit based in Merseburg.
1941
February-May 42
In February, Rommel launched his counter-offensive retaking a lot of the same ground all over again. So by March 1942, when Werner became Adjutant in I./JG 27 learning command under the experienced Eduard Neumann, they were back at Martuba, east of Derna.
19 April 41
(1st victory)
26 June41
(2nd victory)
8 July 41
(3rd victory)
19 July 41
Twelve Kittyhawks of 2 SAAF Squadron and twelve Tomahawks of 5 SAAF Squadron escorted twelve Bostons on a raid south-west of El Alamein. On the way to the target, a large formation was seen, composed of 30 Ju 87s escorted by seven Bf 109 from I Gruppe, twelve of II Gruppe and two from III/JG 27, the Curtiss fighters being ordered to leave the Bostons and attack.
The Kittyhawks made contact, Major Human and Captain Clifton each claiming a Ju 87, Lieutenant Wildsmith claiming a Bf 109 E, Lieutenant Hope a Bf 109 F and Lieutenants Higgo and Bryant each a probable Bf 109, though 27-year-old Lieutenant Ruper Alan Durose (SAAF no. 103189) was shot down and killed.
The Tomahawks were bounced before they could attack, Captain K. R. Coster and 27-year-old Second Lieutenant Lionel William Rapp (SAAF no. 206068) being shot down, and Rapp was killed while the aircraft of Lieutenant Lindbergh, 2nd Lieutenant Hinton and Major D. V. D. Lacey DFC were all badly damaged, the two former pilots being wounded.
On the return flight Major Human was attacked by three Bf 109s and force-landed in Allied lines.
The Luftwaffe fighters reported meeting a total of 40 to 45 British fighters, Unteroffizier Josef Vavra of 5 staffel claiming a Spitfire at 16:03 east of El Alamein. Feldwebel Heinrich Steis of 4 staffel claimed a Hurricane south of El Alamein at 16:05. At the same time claimed Leutnant Werner Schroer of 8 staffel, one Spitfire 10km south-east of El Alamein at 300 meters altitude, followed at 16:07 by Oberleutnant Ernst Börngen of 5 staffel, who claimed a Spitfire south-west of El Alamein.
Four P-40s were claimed at 16:10 one each by Leutnant Werner Schroer (4th victory) 10km south-east of El Alamein at 150 meters altitude, Unteroffizier Walter Timmerman of 1 staffel south of Mumin Busak, Leutnant Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt of 2 staffel, south-west of El Alamein and Feldwebel Heinrich Steis, west of El Alamein.
21 August 41
(5th victory)
29 August 41
(6th victory)
14 September 41
(7th victory)
1942
30 May 42
(8th victory)
10 June 42
(9th victory)
Hauptmann Werner Schroer's Bf 109 F-4/trop, while serving as Adjutant I./JG 27, MartubaLibya, June 1942
15 June 42
(10th and 11th victories)
22-23 June 42
On 22 June, the day after the fall of Tobruk, he was promoted to Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 27, based further forward at Gazala. The next day, 23 June, with Marseille having just reached 101 victories, Werner scored his 12th and finally started scoring regularly. With the Battle of Gazala well underway, and Rommel charging 500 km onto El Alamein, the airwar finally heated up.
23 June 42
(12th victory)
26 June 42
(13th, 14th and 15th victories)
July-November 42
Schroer scored 16 victories in July, then after a month away, a further 13 victories bringing his total to 44 (including six on 15 September).
2 July 42
(16th and 17th victories)
3 July 42
(18th, 19th and 20th victories)
4 July 42
(21st victory)
6 July 42
(22nd and 23rd victories)
11 July 42
(24th and 25th victories)
13 July 42
(26th, 27th and 28th victories)
14 July 42
(29th victory)
16 July 42
(30th victory)
17 July 42
(31st victory)
8 September 42
(32nd and 33rd victories)
9 September 42
Schroer is awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross in Gold) after his 32nd & 33rd victories the day before. However, German pilots in North Africa may have significantly over-reported kills. On 15 September 1942 for instance; DAF squadron records suggest that German units over-claimed by a margin exceeding 200% on some occasions.
He continued scoring regularly in October, downing a further 15 aircraft.
Leutnant Schroer in Africa wearing his recently
awarded German Cross in Gold.
13 September 42
(34th victory)
15 September 42
(35th, 36th, 37th, 38th, 39th and 40th victories)
16 September 42
(41st victory)
20 September 42
(42nd victory)
21 September 42
(43rd victory)
Oberleutnant Werner Schroer's Bf 109 F-4/trop, while serving as Staffelkäpitan 8./JG 27, Libya, September 1942
30 September 42
(44th victory)
2 October 42
(45th victory)
9 October 42
(46th, 47th and 48th victories)
20 October 42
(49th victory)
21 October 42
Leutnant Schröer is awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 49 victories, just before Montgomery launched his victorious Battle of El Alamein. In the frantic air battles overhead, Schroer shot down 10 aircraft in a week.
23 October 42
(50th and 51st victories)
24 October 42
(52nd and 53rd victories)
26 October 42
(54th victory)
27 October 42
(55th, 56th and 57th victories)
29 October 42
(58th victory)
30 October 42
(59th victory)
4 November 42
The new Oberleutnant Schröer shoots down his first four-engined bomber - a Boeing B-24 Liberator - west of Sollum (60th victory). However, the end in Africa was nigh, and with the Afrika Korps in full retreat, III./JG 27 handed over its aircraft to Jagdgeschwader 77 replacing it on the continent, and evacuated to Crete and the Aegean islands.
16 November 42
Fittingly, as the Gruppe's highest scorer, Werner scored one of its last African victories (61st victory) . Those 61 victories, all scored in Africa, made him the second-highest scoring ace of the Desert War, after Marseille (who had been killed in a flying accident on 30 September with 158 victories).
1943
Schröer was ordered to relocate his 8. Staffel to Rhodes Airfield. Here, the Staffel was tasked with protecting German and Italian shipping from attacks by RAF bombers and torpedo bombers in the Aegean
1 February 43
Schröer is promoted to Hauptmann while on Rhodes.
Hauptmann Werner Schroer's Bf 109G-2/Trop "Red 1", while serving as Staffelkapitan
of 8./ JG27 then based on Rhodes, February 43. 1
1 February 43
(62nd victory)
11 February 43
On a shuttle flight from Rhodes to Crete, Schröer intercepted and claimed two light bombers which he identified as Bristol Beaufort bombers north-northeast Karpathos. RAF records show that two Martin B-26 Marauder bombers were lost on 15 February at the time of the claims filed by Schröer. Authors Prien, Rodeike and Stemmer argue that at the time the B-26 was a new and unknown aircraft type to Schröer while the date discrepancy cannot be explained. After that he had extended leave at home for his wedding.
A break in the action, Schroer on Rhodes February 43.
Italian pilots on Rhodes admiring Schroer's victory tally. Feb. 43
?? February 43
The newly promoted Hautpmann Werner Schroer is married.
Hauptmann Werner Schroer (shown wearing Oberleutnant rank) with his new bride February 43.
Hauptmann Werner Schroer's Bf 109G-2/Trop "Red 1"
24 April 43
Schroer is appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 27, replacing Gustav Rödel, who himself had been promoted to Kommodore of JG 27. II/JG 27 was now operating with the new Bf 109G in the dangerous skies over Sicily, as the Allies prepared for invasion with heavy preparatory bombing raids. Based at Trapani, on the western corner of the island, they were up against complete Allied air superiority and had the hopeless task of trying to protect transport aircraft makign desperate evacuation flights of remaining wounded and specialists our of the beleaguered Afrika Korps, now bottled up in Tunis. Just before Schroer took over command, on the evening of 18 April, only 6 transports had made it to Sicily out of 65 leaving Tunis. Flying at sea-level, half had been shot down and the remainder turned back damaged.Powerless to help, II./JG 27 claimed only one enemy fighter in response. However, with renewed vigour Werner led from the front and over the next two months, claimed 22 Allied aircraft shot down, including 12 four-engined heavy bombers. The surrender in May, of the Afrika Korps was of a comparable scale to the surrender of VI Army at Stalingrad only a few months earlier.
29 April 43
(64th, 65th victories)
5 May 43
(66th victory)
9 May 43
(67th and 68th victories)
11 May 43
(69th and 70th victories)
18 May 43
(71st victory)
19 May 43
(72nd victory)
21 May 43
(73rd and 74th victories)
25 May 43
(75th victory)
31 May 43
(76th victory)
7 June 43
Hauptmann Werner Schroer took off from Trapani at 0510 on a "Jabobegleitschutz" mission, and returned to the same airfield at 0715.During this sortie he claimed one Curtiss P40 (77th victory). He was flying "Bf 109G <<+-", (probably a 109 G6).
10 June 43
(78th, 79th and 80th victories)
July 43
Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, started on 10 July. Unable to influence the result to any great degree, II./JG 27 had already been ordered back to the Italian mainland. Soon after, on 28 July, the unit was ordered to hand its aircraft over to other units and the pilots and crews returned to Germany for much-needed rest and re-equipment.
2 August 43
For his courageous efforts against the odds, Schroer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), for 84 victories in defense of the Reich. Schröer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), his tally at the time was 85 victories. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler (see below) at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Ketrzyn in Poland. Five other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler, Hauptmann Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, Hauptmann Manfred Meurer, Hauptmann Heinrich Ehrler, Oberleutnant Joachim Kirschner, Oberleutnant Theodor Weissenberger were also awarded the Oak Leaves, and Major Helmut Lent received the Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.
Schroer receiving his Oakleaves from Hitler. 2 Aug. 43
Hauptmann Schroer displaying his recently awarded Oak Leaves.
Color photo of Hauptmann Werner Schroer
likely taken immediately after his award ceremony. 2 Aug. 43
August-September 43
In August, II./JG 27 was at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim in Germany, starting training for a completely different air-war: Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich) duties, at high altitude against the big, heavily-armed massed-formations of four-engined bombers, or Viermots.
6 September 43
The II. Gruppe flew its first operational combat mission when the USAAF VIII Bomber Command targeted Stuttgart. Four bombers were claimed shot down by II./JG 27, three of them by Schröer. At 10:45, the Gruppe intercepted a B-17 formation near Stuttgart. In this encounter, pilots of II. Gruppe claimed nine aerial victories, six were later confirmed including three by Schröer.From August to March, Schroer shot down 14 aircraft, 11 of them being Viermots - an indication of the type of air-combat in which he was now fighting. The unit's first operational sortie in the Reich, 6 September, was their most successful with nine bombers claimed, including three for Schröer (86th-88th victories).
12 September 43
II. Gruppe was ordered to Saint-Dizier Airfield in France.
14 October 43
During the second Schweinfurt raid at 13:28, II. Gruppe was scrambled at Saint-Dizier and intercepted approximately 150 bombers without escorting fighter protection shortly after 14:00 over the Palatinate. During this aerial battle, Luftwaffe pilots of II. Gruppe claimed nine bombers shot down, including a B-17 by Schroer near Alzey (89th victory).
1 November 43
Hauptmann Schröer is promoted to Major.
Major Werner Schroer wearing his Knights Cross
with Oakleaves as well as his Italian decorations.
18 November 43
The Gruppe returned to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Airfield.
29 November 43
The USAAF attacked Bremen. Defending against this attack, Schröer claimed his 90th aerial victory when he shot down a B-17 south-southwest of Bremen (90th victory) .
Schroer's Me109 rudder displaying his ninety (90) aerial victories.
(Militär Historische Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow)
1944
7 January 1944
Schroer leads a stab flight from II. JG27 and intercepts bombers of the USAAF attacking Osnabruck. The bombers were escorted by P-38's from the 55th Fighter Group, 338th Fighter Squadron. During the action Schroer managed to shoot down two of the escorting P-38's (92nd and 93rd victories) one of which was flown by Captain Joseph Marsiglia. Marsiglia had to bail out and was apprehended near Holz, his aircraft crashed not far from there, near Riegelsberg, in a wooded area. Marsiglia was able to survive the ordeal and later recounted his parachute landing and subsequent capture, "As usual flak over the target area was intense and as the big birds withdrew cripples started to trail. My flight of four had gotten scattered in the twisting and turning and I found myself very much alone and out of radio contact. I was with the main bomber stream however and continued to turn enemy fighters away as well as I could by turning toward them. One 17 however was trailing smoke from the port side and losing altitude when four 109s started a gunnery pattern on it. I turned toward this attack which was about 5 thousand feet below, and off to my left and started a run on the fighters, calling for others in the escort to come down. No luck. My left engine was hit, flamed, and I was forces to bail out. I landed near the town of Fischbach, high up in a tree, right arm injured, in a driving rain. I managed to get to the ground and disposed of all military items. I buried them. I was picked up about an hour later by a forest ranger and his dog who had seen me coming down and who had alerted the military." Marsiglia's aircraft is believed to have been P-38H 42-67048
Image of Joseph Marsiglia with
his P-38 in happier times.
11 January 1944
March-June 44
On 14 March 1944, Major Schröer (with 99 victories) was appointed Gruppenkommandeur, III./Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter WIng), based in the north at Lüneberg. In April the unit retrained and transferred onto the Focke Wulf Fw 190. On 24 May, Schröer claimed a P-51 Mustang and two P-47 Thunderbolts to reach his century (100th –102nd victories). But the worsening situation and the intense pressure was taking its toll, and he was sent on a month's stress-leave in early June just as Allied attention turned to Normandy, possibly saving his life as the unit took very heavy losses in France.
Major Werner Schroer's Fw 190 A-8, while serving as Kommandeur III./JG 54 "Grünherz" Villacoubly/France, March 1944
4 August 44
Major Schroer was leading 2 Staffeln of his Gruppe against a "US-Bomberpulk" of B-17s, when attacked by escorting Mustangs. During the ensuing battle, Schroer's FW190 was struck by defensive fire from one of the bombers which inflicted severe damage to his aircraft, shattering the cockpit canopy and severely wounding him in the process. Not wishing to risk bailing out, he elected to make an emergency landing, spending 3 months in hospital recuperating from his wounds.
1945
16 April 45
While serving as Geschwaderkommodore of Jadgeschwader 3, Major Werner Schroer becomes only the 142nd recipient of the Ritterskreuz des Eisernes Kreuz Mit Eichenlaub Und Schwertern (Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves And Swords).
The Experten Major Werner Schroer wearing the Swords to the Knights Cross mid-late April 45.
8 May 45
The war in Europe comes to an end with the unconditional surrender of all German armed forces. Werner Schröer was the 144th recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He was credited with 114 victories, claimed in only 197 combat missions. His tally of 26 four-engined bombers ranked him the 5th most successful pilot against that formidable type. Likewise, his score of 102 victories against the Western Allies, including 61 claimed over North Africa, make him the 5th-equal ranked pilot, alongside Joachim Müncheberg and Egon Mayer.
Post war
1946
Schroer was kept a prisoner-of-war until release in February 1946, and did not return to the military. In his later years, he ran a campaign to get a memorial erected to his friend Hans-Joachim Marseille, but passed away before he could see that mission completed.
1973
Werner Schroer is interviewed about his experiences with the Lutwaffe during the air phase known as the Defense of the Reich for the English television series "The World At War", a 26 episode series which aired in 1973.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYgCDcyAogs&feature=PlayList&p=AA4E5FC983CD32F7&index=4
1985
10 February 85
Werner Schroer dies in Ottobrun (Munich) at the age of 67.
Schröer joined the Luftwaffe in 1937 as ground crew (with 4.Kompanie Flieger-Ersatzabteilung 24). However, in 1938 as a Gefreiter he enrolled in basic flight training, which he completed, as a Feldwebel, in May 1940. He then spent two months posted with Jagdfliegerschule 1 getting advanced fighter training, graduating on 20 July 1940. In August he was assigned to 2./Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), which at the time was heavily engaged in the Battle of Britain. Operating over the Channel and southern England he got three victories, but they could not be officially confirmed.
Mediterranean theater of operations
After attending officer-training over winter, and as a Leutnant, he and the rest of I./JG 27 was sent to North Africa, via Sicily, in March 1941 to support the Afrika Korps. The first aircraft arrived at Ain-el-Gazala airfield, west of Tobruk on the 18th April. So it was mildly surprising that after 8 months without success that Schroer's first victory was one of the four claimed the next day in the first missions by the Gruppe in Africa: a Hurricane shot down over Gazala, although he had to force-land his own Messerschmitt Bf 109E ('Black 8', Werknummer 3790—factory number) near his airfield, with 48 bullet-holes in it. Two days later, on 21 April, he collided with another aircraft while combatting Hurricanes, slightly injuring himself and requiring another forced-landing. On 23 April Marseille opened his account with JG 27 scoring his first victory in Africa (and 8th overall).
Schröer's scoring progress was slow, as he adapted to the wide open spaces of desert aerial combat - his second victory was another Hawker Hurricane on 25 June, and by the end of 1941 his tally was just seven. On 29 August 1941 Schroer engaged in aerial combat with the top Australian ace Clive Caldwell of No. 250 Squadron RAF north-west of Sidi Barrani. In the course of the battle Schröer damaged Caldwell's P-40 Tomahawk. Caldwell suffered bullet wounds to the back, left shoulder, and leg but was still able to shoot down Werner Schroer's wingman and heavily damage Werner's own aircraft and thus forced him to disengage. The arrival in September of II Gruppe from the Eastern Front allowed I./JG 27 to rotate its pilots back to Germany, a squadron at a time, for rest and re-equipment with the improved Bf 109F. However, this could not prevent the Axis forces being routed out of Cyrenaica by the British Operation Crusader.
Returning to duty, from 29 June 1944 to February 1945, Schröer was senior instructor at the DES Kommandersschule for fighter leaders. But in the desperate final days of the Reich, Werner was recalled to active service as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), taking command on 14 February. He then claimed 12 Russian aircraft destroyed - his only victories not on the Western front. On 19 April 1945 he received the Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (Schwertern), then, finally, on 8 May he surrendered his unit to British forces.
1. Aircraft profiles by Chris Davey, Keith Fretwell and John Weal
Victory Claims:
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