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Photo of Felke as an Unteroffizier ca.43
Born:
28 May 1917 in Bunkai (Wattenberg - Breslau)
Units:
01.12.38-31.12.38 3./ LL General Göring
01.01.39-30.04.39 III.Fallschirmjäger Rgt. 1, 11 Kompanie
01.05.39-24.08.39 9./ Regiment General Göring
25.08.39-25.10.39 6./ Regiment General Göring
26.10.39-09.10.40 4. le. Flakabteilung 73
10.10.40-28.02.42 6./ Regiment General Göring
01.03.42-30.09.42 6./ Flak Regiment Hermann Göring
01.10.42-30.10.42 Bordschützen-Anwärter-Batl. 1
31.10.42-31.01.43 Bordschützenschule 3, Schülerkompanie
01.02.43-05.02.43 Bordschützenschule 3, Schülerkompanie
06.02.43-17.03.43 4./Nachtjagdschule 1
18.03.43-18.07.43 4./Nachtjagdgeschwader 101
19.07.43-06.01.45 III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4, 7. Staffel
07.01.45-08.04.45 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4
09.04.45-07.05.45 III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4, 7. Staffel
Rank:
01.12.38 Jäger
01.05.39 Kanonier
01.03.39 Gefreiter
01.10.40 Obergefreiter
01.04.42 Unteroffizier
01.06.44 Feldwebel
01.05.45 Oberfeldwebel
Awards:
00.00.00 S.A. Sportabzeichen in Bronze (S.A. Sports Badge in Bronze)
00.00.00 Reichssportabzeichen in Bronze (Reich Sports Badge in Bronze)
00.00.39 Medaille Zur Erinnerung An Den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange (Commemerative Medal of 1.10.38 with Prague Castle Bar)
08.07.41 Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd Class)
17.04.43 Bordfunker-Abzeichen (Wireless Operators Badge)
28.02.44 Frontflug-Spange für Nachtjäger in Bronze (Operational flying clasp in Bronze for nightfighters)
31.05.44 Eiserne Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st Class)
06.03.45 Frontflug-Spange für Nachtjäger in Silber (Operational flying clasp in Silver for nightfighters)
Under Construction
History:
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
24 February 44
(1st victory)
28 February 44
31 March 44
Lancaster ND 361 took off from RAF Binbrook at 2153 hours on 30 March 1944 to bomb Nürnberg, Germany. Bomb load consisted of 1 x 4000lb bomb, 156 x 30lb and 420 x 4lb incendiaries. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Twenty four aircraft from the squadron took part in the raid and three including ND 361 failed to return. (2nd victory).
Crew:
RAAF 403438 Sqn Ldr Utz, E A G DFC and Bar Captain (Pilot)
RAAF 413641 PO McLeary, R J (Navigator)
RAAF 412774 PO Thomson, J H DFM (Bomb Aimer)
RAF Flt Sgt Dawson, T (Wireless Operator Air)
RAF Sgt Green, K E (Flight Engineer)
RAF FO Howarth, J (Mid Upper Gunner)
RAAF 412480 PO Chadwick-Bates, A G J DFC (Rear Gunner)
Post war it was established that the aircraft was shot down by an enemy night fighter and crashed on 31 March at Oberhausen, approx 60 miles south of Nuremberg. PO McCleary became a POW and the remaining six crew members were killed. They are buried in the Hanover War Cemetery, Germany.
3/4 May 44
Recollections from rear air gunner Sgt. Bryan Morgan of Lancaster LM531,"My name is Bryan Morgan, I was a Sergeant with 460 Sqaudron RAF at Binbrook. I was a Rear Gunner on the Mailly-le-Camp raid on 3rd/4th May 1944 and was shot down about midnight. I was in Lancaster LM531 AR-R. There were problems with communications from the Master Bomber and we kept circling the target. I could see aircraft going down all around me. Suddenly our fuel tanks were hit and I could see a mass of flames, my Mid-Upper Gunner in his turret in flames, there was no chance for him. I knew our communications had failed though the aircraft was still flying but losing height. There was no point waiting for an order to bail out so I opened the door, got my parachute and clipped it on. I turned the turret manually and jumped out. I pulled the cord and remember looking back at the aircraft and seeing it disintegrate. I later discovered we had been shot by a Focke Wulf 190 and 4 of our crew died, 3 got out. My Pilot died in there with my Wireless Operator, Mid-Upper Gunner and Engineer. I later met up with the Bomb Aimer. The Navigator got out and was hidden in a nearby village but we never met up"

Lancaster AR-R of 460 Squadron.
Sgt. Bryan Morgan
Morgan incorrectly indicates his attacker as flying an Fw 190.
25 June 44
An Me.110-G-4 of 7 Nachtjagdgeschwader 7 (3C+BR) as crewed by Feldwebel Felke. ca.1944 1
1945
14 January 45
Leutnant Joseph Springer
13/14 February 45
The Nachtjagd only employed 27 night fighters on that night due to poor weather conditions and fuel restrictions, and the Springer crew was one of them. Joseph Springer mentioned in a post war interview that they managed to get over Dresden while a raid was in progress and got behind a bomber, but it exploded in mid-air before he could make an attack. As it happens, there were two seperate raids - a couple of hours apart - on Dresden during both raids a bomber exploded over the target.
3/4 March 45
It is likely that the Springer crew participated in Special Undertaking Gisela - the mass night fighter intruder operation over England. Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 along with Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 were earmarked to continue these intruder operations over England as a part of Special Undertaking Adelheid, hence the Springer crew sortie on 4-5 March. After that, before any more such intruder operations could be carried out, NJG4 was ordered to halt intruder operations on 12 March 1945 (NJG2 did continue with two further ops over the following week-and-a-half). 3.3.45 22.51-02.54
Ipswich (South England) attack on enemy airfields + road convoys.
Flight over transmitter Hilversum, 276o, 40 minute approach flight over Channel. 3 trucks destroyed on roads.. (Gisela operation)
Lt. Springer, Feldw. Beckmann
4 March 45
4.3.45 18.21-22.42
South England - ('sorry I can't translate the context of 'Startbetrieb auf Flugplätzen gestört.')
Flight over transmitter Hilversum, 276o, 55 minute approach flight over Channel. Very strong heavy flak. Flak hits in fuselage, left engine and ailerons.
Lt. Springer, Feldw. Beckmann
24/25 March 45
From the night of 24-25 March 1945 starting at 22:10, Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 along with much of the Nachtjagd was used almost exclusively in the night ground attack (Nachtschlacht) role against the Allied forces crossing the Rhine and beyond, and likely that all of the Springer crews' operational sorties from that date were ground attack. NJG4 moved to northern Germany to get away from the advancing Allies in late-March/early April 1945 (by the way, III./NJG4.was disbanded at the end of March 1945. Thus the 8th and 9th Staffels were disbanded and the 7th Staffel continued with a reduced number of crews. This explains Felk's Wehrpass entry transferring from the disbanded 8. Staffel to 7./NJG4). Wesel Bridgehead Night fighter-ground attack operation. Attack on enemy convoys with weapons fire. 3 trucks destroyed. Lt. Springer, Feldw. Beckmann.
25 March 45
At 22:57 Wesel Bridgehead Night fighter-ground attack operation. Attack on enemy convoys with weapons fire. 1 freight train + 2 trucks destroyed. Lt. Springer, Feldw. Beckmann
27 March 45
27.3.45 01..15
Attack against Wesel Bridgehead + convoys behind the Maas
Night ground attack operation. Attack on enemy convoys with low-level attacks (weapons fire). 4 trucks destroyed.
Lt. Springer, Feldw. Beckmann
Victory claims
Date
|
Rank
|
Unit
|
Cl #
|
Aircraft
|
Place
|
Time
|
Opponent
|
Conf.
|
1-7**
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Unteroffizier
|
7./NJG 4
|
1**
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
24.02.44
|
Feldwebel
|
7./NJG 4
|
1
|
Lancaster*
|
5km N Tuebingen: Alt Unknown
|
22:40
|
?
|
Yes
|
31.03.44
|
Feldwebel
|
7./NJG 4
|
2
|
Lancaster*
|
 |
 |
467 or 550 Sqn.
|
Yes
|
31.03.44
|
Feldwebel
|
7./NJG 4
|
3
|
Lancaster*
|
 |
 |
460 Sqn.
|
Yes
|
04.05.44
|
Feldwebel
|
7./NJG 4
|
4
|
Lancaster*
|
 |
-
|
460 Sqn.
|
Yes
|
04.05.44
|
Feldwebel
|
7./NJG 4
|
5
|
Lancaster*
|
 |
 |
460 Sqn.
|
Yes
|
04.05.44
|
Feldwebel
|
7./NJG 4
|
6
|
Lancaster*
|
20km SW-SE Chalons-sur-Marne: Alt 100m
|
00:31
|
460 Sqn.
|
Yes
|
25.06.44
|
Feldwebel
|
7./NJG 4
|
7
|
Lancaster*
|
1km E Senlis, or Abbeville-Doullens: Alt 2,500m
|
00:38
|
?
|
Yes
|
*while Felke was serving with Delakowitz crew
** probable listed in Felkes Flugbuch but not confirmed by contemporary sources
Sources:
1. Website "Wings Palette", Artist Unknown
2 .Felke's Flugbuch/Leistungsbuch and Nachtjagd War Diaries Vol 1 & 2 by Theo E.W.Boiten
Oberfeldwebel Kurt Felke's document group
2) 31 March 1944 - Lancaster - Malmedy-St Vith-Gahlem area: Alt Unknown - Time 0013 - 467 Sqdn LM376 or 550 Sqdn LM425
3) 31 March 1944 - Lancaster - 10km S Fulda: Alt Unknown - Time 0050 - Probably 460 Sqdn Lancaster ND361
4) 4 May 1944 - Lancaster - 12km SW-E Chalons-sur-Marne: Alt 2,800m - Time 0021 - possible 460 Sqdn Lancaster LM531
5) 4 May 1944 - Lancaster - 12km SW-E Chalons-sur-Marne: Alt 3,300m - Time 0022 - possible 460 Sqdn Lancaster LM531
6) 4 May 1944 - Lancaster - 20km SW-SE Chalons-sur-Marne: Alt 100m - Time 0031 - possible 460 Sqdn Lancaster JB741
An interesting tally with a couple of nights showing multiple kills including 2 on the night RAF Bomber Command suffered its highest losses of the war during a raid on Nuernberg. And it seems as if he had a grudge against 460 Sqdn!!
It looks like with Kills 4 & 5, one of them is unknown as the same aircraft is listed for both and an interesting altitude for kill number 6.
Source: Nachtjagd War Diaries Vol 1 & 2 by Theo E.W.Boiten
Felke1.Tif
- Bordschütz Uffz. Kurt Felke, seen here cira 1943, had 7 Abschussbeteiligungen between February-May 1944 in the crew of Oblt. Richard Delakowitz of 7./NJG4. Between 1939 and 1942, Ogefr. Felke served in the Flakkorps and was awarded the EK II on 8 July 1941 while serving with 6./Regiment General Göring in Russia. In October 1942, he transferred to flight training before graduating as a Bordschütz and joining III./NJG4 in July 1943. He flew 47 operational flights with Oblt. Delakowitz between August 1943 – September 1944, being awarded the EK I on 31 May 1944, and a further 22 operational flights with Maj. Hans Hoppe. Lt. Joseph Springer and Fw. Bruno Neuhäuser between October 1944 – April 1945.
Felke2.Tif
- Oblt. Richard Delakowitz (centre) of 7./NJG4, and his crew of Bordfunker Uffz. Beckmann (right) and Bordschütz Uffz. Kurt Felke (left). The Delakowitz crew were credited with two Abschüsse on the night of 30-31 March 1944 during the RAF raid on Nürnberg, and another three Abschüsse on the night of 3-4 May 1944 during the RAF on Mailly-le-Camp.
Some years ago I did receive some information (but I don't have the e-mail any more) from a German researcher who had once interviewed Joseph Springer. It concerned the night Dresden was attacked on 13-14 February 1945. The Nachtjagd only employed 27 night fighters on that night due to poor weather conditions and fuel restrictions, and the Springer crew was one of them. Joseph Springer mentioned that they managed to get over Dresden while a raid was in progress and got behind a bomber, but it exploded in mid-air before he could make an attack. As it happens, there were two seperate raids - a couple of hours apart - on Dresden during both raids a bomber exploded over the target, so the details from Felke's FB will confirm which of the two raids that Joseph Springer mentions.
Anyway, off-hand I expect that the Springer crew participated in Special Undertaking Gisela - the mass night fighter intruder operation over England - on 3-4 March 1945. NJG4 along with NJG2 were earmarked to continue these intruder operations over England as a part of Special Undertaking Adelheid, hence the Springer crew sortie on 4-5 March. After that, before any more such intruder operations could be carried out, NJG4 was ordered to halt intruder operations on 12 March 1945 (NJG2 did continue with two further ops over the following week-and-a-half).
From the night of 24-25 March 1945, NJG4 along with much of the Nachtjagd was used almost exclusively in the night ground attack (Nachtschlacht) role against the Allied forces crossing the Rhine and beyond, and I expect that all of the Springer crews' operational sorties from that date were ground attack. NJG4 moved to northern Germany to get away from the advancing Allies in late-March/early April 1945 (by the way, III./NJG4.was disbanded at the end of March 1945. Thus the 8th and 9th Staffels were disbanded and the 7th Staffel continued with a reduced number of crews. This explains Felk's Wehrpass entry transferring from the disbanded 8. Staffel to 7./NJG4).
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