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Helmut Wick
The head and shoulders of a young man. He wears a military uniform, an Iron Cross displayed at the front of his shirt collar and breast pocket.
Helmut Wick
Nickname(s)Sigfried
Born(1915-08-05)5 August 1915
Mannheim
Died28 November 1940(1940-11-28) (aged 25)
MIA-English Channel
AllegianceNazi Germany Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1936–1940
RankMajor
UnitJG 333, JG 53, JG 2
Commands heldJG 2
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsRitterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub

Major Helmut Paul Emil Wick (5 August 1915 – 28 November 1940) was a German Luftwaffe ace and the fourth recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded by the Third Reich to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. It was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Helmut Wick.[Note 1]

Wick was born in Mannheim on 5 August 1915. He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe in 1936 and was trained as a fighter pilot. Assigned to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), Wick participated in the Battles of France and Britain.[Note 2] He was promoted to Major (major) in October 1940 and was given the position of Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 2—the youngest in the Luftwaffe to hold this rank and position. He was shot down in combat in the vicinity of the Isle of Wight on 28 November 1940 and is missing in action (MIA) since, presumed dead. At this time he had been credited with 56 aerial victories—that is, 56 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft, which made him the leading German fighter pilot at the time. Flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109, he claimed all of his aerial victories against the Western Allies.

Early life and pre-war service

Helmut Paul Emil Wick was born on 5 August 1914 in Mannheim, Germany, youngest of three children of a civil engineer Karl Wick. His oldest brother Walter was born in Swakopmund, at the time in the German protectorate in South-West Africa. The outbreak of World War I forced the family to return to Germany and Helmut's sister, Doris, was born in Rohrbach, near Heidelberg.[2] Due to the demand for his father's skills and expertise building roads and bridges, Helmut Wick spent most of his childhood traveling throughout the German Reich. The Wick family moved to Hanover in 1919. Here his mother died in February 1922. His father then took his family to Oliva near Danzig and Königsberg in East Prussia, finally settling in Berlin in 1935.[3]

The same year, upon graduating from Gymnasium (high school), Wick, who initially considered a career as a forester, applied to the officer candidate course of the new German Air Force. Scoring well on the suitability tests he was accepted and joined the German military on 6 April 1936 at the Luftwaffe officer candidate school in Dresden after completing the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service). He swore the oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler on 16 April. After successfully passing officer training courses, Wick was assessed as "well suited to become an officer" on 13 July.[4] Wick then started flight training and shortly later soloed in a Focke-Wulf Fw 44 "Stieglitz". Wick was considered an average pilot and had difficulties with his theoretical training, especially those topics that were of little to no interest to him. In early May 1937, Wick was briefly transferred to the 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Kampfgeschwader 254 (254th Bomber Wing). A month later he returned to Dresden to complete his officers training.[5]

Wick had failed to pass the third course on the first attempt but was given a second chance and on 1 April 1938 reported to the officer candidate school at the Luftkriegsschule III (3rd air war school), Wildpark-West near Werder. He successfully completed the course and in the summer of 1938 started special pilot training at the Fighter Training facility at Werneuchen. On completion of his training, Wick was assigned to Jagdgeschwader 333 (333rd Fighter Wing) under Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Max Ibel at Herzogenaurach, flying obsolete Arado Ar 68 biplane fighters. On 8 November 1938 Oberfähnrich (senior ensign) Wick was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and on 1 January 1939 was transferred to 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 133 (133rd Fighter Wing) which was later renamed Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing).[6] It was there Wick began flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter planes under the tutelage of Werner Mölders, already a fighter ace of the Spanish Civil War and credited with 14 aerial victories. Under Mölders' guidance Wick became a Schwarmführer (flight leader).[7]

World War II

On 31 August 1939 Wick was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) "Richthofen", based in Döberitz near Berlin under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Gerd von Massow and was assigned Bf 109 E-3 with the tactical code Yellow 3. On 1 September 1939 he joined its 3. Staffel and served with the unit in the air defense of Berlin during the Polish Campaign. Following the German victory in Poland JG 2 was transferred to Frankfurt-Rebstock and tasked with protection of Germany's Western border during the Phoney War—the phase in the months following Britain and France's declaration of war on Germany in September 1939 and preceding the Battle of France in May 1940.[8] Flying his sixth combat mission, Leutnant Wick claimed his first, and the Geschwader's second, victory on 22 November 1939, when he shot down a French Curtiss Hawk 75 fighter near Nancy, piloted by Sergent Saillard of the Groupe de Chasse II/4 Armée de l’Air who was killed in action. For this feat, Wick received the Iron Cross 2nd Class ([Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)).[9]

Battle of France

On 10 May 1940 German forces launched an offensive in Western Europe, but Wick remained on the ground while his aircraft, Bf 109 Yellow 2, underwent an engine change. Finally, seven days later, he was back in the air recording three victories over French LeO 45 bombers in one mission. By 6 June, Wick had 10 confirmed and two unconfirmed victories, including four French Bloch 151/152 fighters shot down on 5 June to record his fifth through eighth victories. The two unconfirmed victories were the Royal Navy Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers claimed on 19 May and for which he had no witnesses. He was also awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class ([Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) by Oberstleutnant Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp. By the end of the French Campaign, Wick's total stood at 14 confirmed victories, trailing only Hauptmann (Captain) Werner Mölders of JG 53 with 25 victories and Hauptmann Wilhelm Balthasar of JG 27 with 23 victories as top scorer of the Luftwaffe. At the end of the French campaign, 3. Staffel was moved into the house of Louis Aston Knight, an artist who had fled a few days before the Germans arrived.[10]

Battle of Britain

Joachim Seegert (left), Helmut Wick (center), Erich Leie (right) on 22 October 1940[11]

Throughout the Battle of Britain against the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the summer of 1940 Wick rose quickly in rank and in profile both on the battlefield and as a public figure back home in Germany. On 21 July 1940 the just promoted Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) also became leader of the 3. Staffel succeeding Major Henning Stümpell.[12] Although the fighting in the air grew increasingly difficult, Wick kept adding victories to his tally. He recorded his 20th victory on 24 August and added two more fighters a day later. This achievement earned Wick a reference in the Wehrmachtbericht (his first of five in total), an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht. To be singled out individually in the Wehrmachtbericht was an honour and was entered in the Orders and Decorations' section of a soldier's Service Record Book. Twenty aerial victories also made Wick eligible for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ([Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), a higher grade of the Iron Cross. Wick was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 August 1940 at Karinhall by Reichsmarschall (Empire's Marshal) Hermann Göring.[13] He was also interviewed by an Adler (Eagle—the Luftwaffe weekly magazine) journalist prior to the presentation. Several articles appeared at the time.[14] Wick was granted four days of leave which he spent with his family in Berlin.[15]

Upon his return to France, Wick was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) and on 9 September was officially named Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe JG 2.[16] During September Wick continued accumulating victories over the RAF and on 5 October gained his 41st combat victory on his way to overtake his two closest rivals Major Adolf Galland and Oberstleutnant Werner Mölders. The 41st aerial victory also earned him his second reference in the Wehrmachtbericht on 6 October 1940. He also became the fourth member of the armed forces to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ([Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) directly from Adolf Hitler at Berghof in Bavaria on 8 September 1940.[17]

Wick received orders in the late afternoon of 6 October to report to the Reichsmarschall in Berlin by 3 p.m. the following day. Due to the bad weather conditions, Wick chose to drive the distance from Normandy to Berlin by car. Together with his wingman and friend Rudolf Pflanz they drove all night and arrived at the Reich Air Ministry right on time to meet with Hermann Göring, Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) Erhard Milch, Generaloberst (Colonel General) Ernst Udet, General der Flieger (General of the Flyers) Kurt Student and General der Flieger Karl Bodenschatz. After the meeting in Berlin, Wick and Göring drove to Berchtesgarden in the Reichsmarschall's personal train, where they arived at 5 p.m. On 8 October for the official Oak Leaves presentation.[18]

On 19 October 1940 Helmut Wick was officially promoted to Major and appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing). Wick had no personal ambition to leave his Gruppe in Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen". After giving this topic some thought he asked Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring not to transfer him to JG 27. He asked to remain with his Gruppe instead. The next day Göring revoked his decision and gave him the command of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen". Wick, 25 years of age, thus became the youngest Major and Geschwaderkommodore in the Luftwaffe. Major Wolfgang Schellmann, who had commanded JG 2 since the beginning of September 1940 was placed in command of JG 27 on Wick's behalf.[19]

Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" claimed its 500th aerial victory on 16 November, earning Wick another reference in the Wehrmachtbericht. To celebrate the 500th victory, Wick, the Gruppenkommandeure, all of the headquarters personnel, and the Staffelkapitäne went to Paris on 22 November—exactly one year after JG 2's first aerial victory. They visited the show at "Casino de Paris" and dined at the "Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild".[20]

Death

Bf 109 E-4, Werknummer 5344, flown by Hauptmann Helmut Wick, October 1940

Helmut Wick, accompanied by his Stabsschwarm—including Oberleutnant Rudolf Pflanz, Leutnant Franz Fiby and Oberleutnant Erich Leie—claimed his 55th aerial victory over a Spitfire on the afternoon of 28 November 1940.[Note 3] His opponent could have been No. 602 Squadron's Pilot Officer Archibald Lyall, who was killed in the engagement. This made Wick the highest-scoring fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe, surpassing Werner Mölders of Jagdgeschwader 51 whose score stood at 54 aerial victories at the time. Returning from this mission to Cherbourg- Querqueville, Wick ordered the aircraft refueled and re-armed. Together with Erich Leie as his wingman, Wick took off at 4:10 p.m. and returned to the vicinity of the Isle of Wight. Spotting a flight of Spitfires he climbed to intercept from a more favorable attack position. In a diving to attack Wick shot down and killed Pilot Officer Paul A. Baillon from No. 609 Squadron flying Spitfire R6631.[22]

Wick was a real daredevil, He had excellent eyesight and therefore was usually the first to see enemy aircraft. Then he opened the throttle and simply went after them. I didn't do that, but that's probably why I'm still alive and he isn't.

Franz Fiby—Wick's wingman in the Stabsschwarm[21]

Shortly later, around 5 p.m., Wick's Bf 109 E-4 (Werknummer 5344 — factory number) was shot down, probably by Flight Lieutenant John Dundas of No. 609 Squadron in the vicinity of Isle of Wight but it is also possible that Wick was shot down by Pilot Officer Eric Marrs.[23] Oberleutnant Rudolf Pflanz observed a Spitfire shooting down a Bf 109. The pilot of the 109 bailed out. Pflanz then shot down the Spitfire, which he observed to crash in the sea with its pilot. Only later did he find out that it was Wick who he saw bailing out. Wick was never found and is missing to the present day. The Luftwaffe declared Wick missing in action, presumed dead on 4 December 1940, earning him his last reference in the daily Wehrmachtbericht.[24][25]

Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring had ordered Kriegsmarine torpedo boats on a search and rescue mission which throughout the night searched for Wick. The next day further naval vessels and the Seenotdienst (air-sea rescue) service, escorted by fighters of JG 2, continued searching for Helmut Wick in vain.[26] Helmut Wick, on his 168th combat mission, was the first Oak Leaves recipient to lose his life in combat.[27][28]

Family

On 5 August 1939, Wick married Ursel Rolfs (1916–1968) in Berlin. The marriage produced two children, Walter (born in October 1939) and a girl born after his death, in 1941.[29] On 23 January 1941 Helmut Wick's father received a telephone call from Karl Bodenschatz out of the the Führer Headquarters that Helmut Wick had been rescued and taken prisoner of war. Apparently an official Reuters report had indicated that a 25-year-old Luftwaffe Major, credited with 56 aerial victories, had been interred in a prisoner of war camp in Canada. Both Hitler and Göring initiated steps to receive confirmation of the report.[30] On 5 February 1941 a telegram from Ottawa informed Ursel that Helmut Wick was not interred in Canada. Ursel remarried a military doctor during the war.[21]

Awards

References in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
Monday, 26 August 1940 [Das Jagdgeschwader Richthofen hat in den gestrigen Luftkämpfen den 250. Abschuß überschritten. Oberleutnant Wick errang seinen 19. und 20. Luftsieg.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[35] The Fighter Wing Richthofen exceeded its 250th victory in yesterdays aerial battles. Oberleutnant Wick achieved his 19th and 20th aerial victory.
Sunday, 6 October 1940 [Hauptmann Wick schoß am gleichen Tage fünf Jäger im Luftkampf ab und errang damit seinen 41. Luftsieg.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[36] Hauptmann Wick shot down five fighters in aerial combat on the same day, hereby achieving his 41st aerial victory.
Friday, 8 November 1940 [Major Wick errang im Laufe des 6. und 7. November durch den Abschuß von sechs feindlichen Flugzeugen seinen 48. bis 53. Luftsieg.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[37] Major Wick achieved his 48th to 53rd aerial victory on the 6th and 7 November by the shooting down six enemy aircraft.
Saturday, 16 November 1940 [Das Jagdgeschwader Freiherr von Richthofen errang unter Führung des Major Wick seinen 500. Luftsieg.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[38] The Baron von Richthofen Fighter Wing under the leadership of Major Wick achieved its 500th aerial victory.
Wednesday, 4 December 1940 [Der Kommodore des Jagdgeschwaders Richhofen, Major Wick, kehrte nach seinem 56. Luftsieg vom Feindflug nicht zurück. Damit hat die deutsche Luftwaffe einen ihrer kühnsten und erfolgreichsten Jagdflieger verloren. Major Wick, der für seinen heldenhaften Einsatz im Kampf für die Zukunft des deutschen Volkes mit dem Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes ausgezeichnet war, wird im deutschen Volke und vor allem in der der deutschen Jugend als Vorbild fortleben.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[25] The Commodore of Fighter Wing Richhofen, Major Wick, failed to return from a combat operation after recording his 56th aerial victory. Major Wick, who was decorated with the Oak leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his heroic actions and struggle for the future of the German people, will live on as an example to the German people and especially to the German youth.

Notes

  1. ^ In 1940, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves was second only to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross ([Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes] Error: [undefined] Error: {{Lang}}: no text (help): text has italic markup (help)), which was awarded only to senior commanders for winning a major battle or campaign, in the military order of the Third Reich. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves as highest military order was surpassed on 28 September 1941 by the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords ([Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern] Error: [undefined] Error: {{Lang}}: no text (help): text has italic markup (help)).[1]
  2. ^ See Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II for an explanation of the Luftwaffe structure.
  3. ^ The book Helmut Wick—Das Leben eines Fliegerhelden (Helmut Wick—Life of a Flying Hero), published in 1943, was based in large part on Franz Fiby's diary.[21]

References

Citations
  1. ^ Williamson and Bujeiro 2004, pp. 3, 7.
  2. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 10.
  3. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 11.
  4. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 12.
  5. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 14.
  6. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 16.
  7. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 17.
  8. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 18.
  9. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 20.
  10. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 31.
  11. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 83.
  12. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 47.
  13. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 64.
  14. ^ Michulec 2002, p. 36.
  15. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 66.
  16. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 68.
  17. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 87.
  18. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, pp. 85–87.
  19. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 97.
  20. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 111.
  21. ^ a b c Ringlstetter 2005, p. 142.
  22. ^ Weal 2000, p. 69.
  23. ^ Michulec 2002, p. 36.
  24. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, pp. 124–127.
  25. ^ a b Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 375.
  26. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 9.
  27. ^ Helden der Wehrmacht 2004, p. 210.
  28. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 45.
  29. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 17.
  30. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 140.
  31. ^ a b "Helmut Wick". World War 2 Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  32. ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 783.
  33. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 445.
  34. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 53.
  35. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 288.
  36. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 321.
  37. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 354.
  38. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 361.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Hagen, Hans-Peter (1998). Husaren des Himmels Berühmte deutsche Jagdflieger und die Geschichte ihrer Waffe (in German). Rastatt, Germany: Moewig. ISBN 3-8118-1456-7.
  • Michulec, Robert (2002). Luftwaffe at War/Luftwaffe Aces of the Western Front. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-486-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939–1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
  • Ringlstetter, Herbert (2005). Helmut Wick, An Illustrated Biography Of The Luftwaffe Ace And Commander Of Jagdgeschwader 2 During The Battle Of Britain. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0-7643-2217-6.
  • 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Weal, John (2000). Jagdgeschwader 2 'Richthofen'. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-046-3.
  • Williamson, Gordon and Bujeiro, Ramiro (2004). Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves Recipients 1939–40. Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84176-641-0.
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
  • Helden der Wehrmacht — Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten (in German). München, Germany: FZ-Verlag GmbH, 2004. ISBN 3-924309-53-1.
Further reading
  • unknown - Helmut Wick - das Leben eines Fliegerhelden - Scherl, Berlin for Der Adler, 1943
  • unknown - Horrido - Walter Zuerl, München, 1940
  • Nauroth, Holger (2005). Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", A Photographic History. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0-7643-2094-7.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen
20 September 1940 – 28 November 1940 		Succeeded by

Template:KCwithOL Template:Knight's Cross recipients of JG 2

Template:Persondata

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Helmut_Wick&oldid=463821914