{{Short description|German fighter ace and Knight's Cross recipient}} {{Infobox military person |name=Walter Ehle |birth_date=28 April 1913 |death_date={{death date and age|1943|11|18|1913|4|28|df=y}} |birth_place=Windhuk, German South West Africa |death_place=St. Trond, German-occupied Belgium |burial_place=Lommel, Belgium |image=File:Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Lommel - Walter Ehle.jpg |caption=Grave 21-42 |nickname= |allegiance={{flag|Nazi Germany}} |branch={{air force|Nazi Germany}} |service_years=1935–1943 |rank=''Major'' (major) |commands=II./ NJG 1 |unit=Condor Legion<br/>ZG 1<br/>NJG 1 |battles={{hidden |''See battles'' |Spanish Civil War World War II<br>Land campaigns: * Invasion of Poland * Battle of France Air campaigns: * European air campaign ** Battle of Britain ** Defense of the Reich {{KIA}} |awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |- |headerstyle=background:#dbdbdb |style=text-align:center; }} |other_work= }}
'''Walter Ehle''' (28 April 1913 – 18 November 1943) was a Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Walter Ehle claimed 39 aerial victories, 35 of them at night.<ref group="Note">For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see ''List of German World War II night fighter aces''.</ref>
==Early life and career== Ehle was born on 28 April 1913 in Windhuk in German South West Africa, present-day Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia.{{sfn|Bowman|2016|p=26}}
==World War II== At the start of the war Ehle flew with 3./ZG 1 and was credited with three daylight kills before the unit was redesignated 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) and he became a night fighter.
===Night fighter career=== thumb|right|A map of part of the Kammhuber Line. The 'belt' and night fighter 'boxes' are shown. Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, RAF attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign.{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=9}} By mid-1940, ''Generalmajor'' (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a ''Himmelbett'' (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the ''Lichtenstein'' radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=27}}
===Group commander=== Ehle was appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of II. ''Gruppe'' of NJG 1 on 6 October 1940, succeeding ''Hauptmann'' Heinrich Graf von Stillfried und Rattonitz.{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=227}} His sixth night victory was a Bristol Blenheim shot down on 2 June 1942, and he had 16 victories in total by the end of 1942.
On 18 November 1943 Walter Ehle's Messerschmitt Bf 110 crashed near St. Trond, Belgium. As he was landing his airfield lights were extinguished; his aircraft crashed and he and his crew, Ofw. Leidenbach (''Bordfunker''—radio/wireless operator) and Uffz. Derlitzky (''Bordschütze''—aerial gunner), perished. He was succeeded by ''Major'' Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin as commander of II. ''Gruppe'' of NJG 1.{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=227}}
''Major'' Ehle was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ({{lang|de|Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes}}) 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 35 were at night.
==Summary of career==
===Aerial victory claims=== According to Obermaier, Ehle was credited with 39—four daytime and 35 nighttime—aerial victories.{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=106}} Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of ''Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 34 nocturnal victory claims.{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|pp=10–125}} Mathews and Foreman also published ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', listing Ehle with 34 claims, including three as a ''Zerstörer'' pilot, plus three further unconfirmed claims.{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2014|p=264}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders collapsible" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; text-align:right; width: 100%;" |- ! colspan="7" | Chronicle of aerial victories |- | colspan="7" style="text-align: left;" | {{legend2|#fbec5d;|This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Ehle an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day. |border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}<br /> {{legend2|#e3d9ff|This and the – (dash) indicates unwitnessed aerial victory claims for which Ehle did not receive credit.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}<br /> {{legend2|#faecc8|This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed in ''Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945'' and in ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims''.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} |- !scope="col"| Claim<br /><small>(total)</small> !scope="col"| Claim<br /><small>(nocturnal)</small> !scope="col" style="width:150px"| Date !scope="col"| Time !scope="col"| Type !scope="col"| Location !scope="col"| Serial No./Squadron No. |- ! colspan="7" | – 3. ''Staffel'' of ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 1 –{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2014|p=264}} |- | 1 | | 6 September 1939 | 05:15 | PZL P.11 | Warsaw | |- | 2 | | 8 September 1939 | {{center|—}} | PZL.37 Łoś | Radzymin | |- | 3 | | 1 June 1940 | {{center|—}} | Spitfire | vicinity of Dunkirk | |- ! colspan="7" | – 3. ''Staffel'' of ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 –{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2014|p=264}} |- | 4 | 1 | 21 July 1940 | 01:38 | Wellington | {{Convert|12|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Munster{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=10}} | |- ! colspan="7" | – ''Stab'' II. ''Gruppe'' of ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 –{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2014|p=264}} |- | 5 | 2 | 9 February 1941 | 23:35 | Wellington | {{Convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of Nunspeet{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=16}} | Wellington ''T2702''/No. 15 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Bowman|2016|p=26}} |- | 6 | 3 | 11 May 1941 | 00:57 | Wellington | {{Convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of Westerhever{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=20}} | |- | 7 | 4 | 30 June 1941 | 01:52 | Wellington | {{Convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of Bremen{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=23}} | |- | 8 | 5 | 30 June 1941 | 02:45 | Stirling | {{Convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Ellerbeck{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=23}} | |- | 9 | 6 | 2 June 1942 | 02:34 | Blenheim | north-northeast of Brussels{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=43}} | Wellington ''DV763''/No. 16 Operational Training Unit{{sfn|Bond|2014|p=78}} |- | 10 | 7 | 7 August 1942 | 02:40 | Halifax | {{Convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of Gruitrode{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=54}} | |- | 11 | 8 | 12 August 1942 | 03:12 | Wellington | northwest of Leuven{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=54}} | |- | 12 | 9 | 28 August 1942 | 23:02 | Wellington | east of Wihogne{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=56}} | |- | 13 | 10 | 28 August 1942 | 23:51 | Wellington | northeast of Liège{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=56}} | |- | 14 | 11 | 29 August 1942 | 02:52 | Wellington | Grez-Doiceau{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=57}} | |- | 15 | 12 | 2 September 1942 | 04:13 | Stirling | Nossegem (incorrectly spelled "Osseghem" in the reference book){{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=57}} | Stirling ''N3714''/No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF{{sfn|Stirling N3714}} |- | 16 | 13 | 3 September 1942 | 01:59 | Lancaster | {{Convert|22|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of Liège{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=57}} | |- | 17 | 14 | 7 September 1942 | 04:55 | Wellington | {{Convert|7|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Tilburg{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=58}} | |- | 18 | 15 | 17 September 1942 | 01:08 | Stirling | south of Tirlemont{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=59}} | |- | 19 | 16 | 11 April 1943 | 03:45 | Stirling | {{Convert|1|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Tongerlo{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=74}} | Stirling ''BK760''/No. 7 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Stirling BK760}} |- | 20 | 17 | 13 May 1943 | 02:44 | Lancaster | {{Convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Roermond{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=79}} | |- | style="background:#fbec5d;" | 21♠ | 18 | 26 May 1943 | 01:51 | Halifax | {{Convert|1|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Jülich{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=82}} | Halifax ''JB837''/No. 77 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Halifax JB837}} |- | style="background:#fbec5d;" | 22♠ | 19 | 26 May 1943 | 01:52 | Stirling | {{Convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Jülich{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=82}} | Stirling ''EF361''/No. 7 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Stirling EF361}} |- | style="background:#fbec5d;" | 23♠ | 20 | 26 May 1943 | 01:52 | Stirling | {{Convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Jülich{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=82}} | Stirling ''BF534''/No. 15 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Stirling EF361}} |- | style="background:#fbec5d;" | 24♠ | 21 | 26 May 1943 | 01:55 | Stirling | {{Convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Jülich{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=82}} | Stirling ''EH887''/No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF{{sfn|Stirling EH887}} |- | style="background:#fbec5d;" | 25♠ | 22 | 26 May 1943 | 02:35 | Wellington | {{Convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Nederweert{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=82}} | Wellington ''HE699''/No. 166 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Wellington HE699}} |- | 26 | 23 | 30 May 1943 | 00:37 | Halifax | {{Convert|9|km|mi|abbr=on}} southeast of Aachen{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=83}} | |- | 27 | 24 | 30 May 1943 | 01:05 | Halifax | {{Convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of Jülich{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=83}} | |- | 28 | 25 | 17 June 1943 | 01:18 | Lancaster | south-southwest of Jülich{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=86}} | |- | 29 | 26 | 22 June 1943 | 02:39 | Halifax | {{Convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Bortel{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=88}} | |- | 30 | 27 | 29 June 1943 | 02:33 | Stirling | {{Convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} west-southwest of Diest{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=91}} | Stirling ''EE880''/No. 149 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Stirling EE880}} |- | 31 | 28 | 28 July 1943 | 01:26 | Lancaster | west-southwest of Bremervörde{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=98}} | |- | 32 | 29 | 18 August 1943 | 01:44 | Lancaster | north-northwest of Peenemünde{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=103}} | |- | 33 | 30 | 18 August 1943 | 01:46 | Lancaster | north-northwest of Peenemünde{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=103}} | |- | style="background:#e3d9ff;" | {{center|—}} | style="background:#faecc8" | 31?{{Refn|According to ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', this claim was unconfirmed while ''Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945'' confirm this claim.{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|pp=107, 125}}{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2014|p=264}}|group="Note"|name="discrepancy"}} | 28 August 1943 | 02:00 | Stirling | northwest of Nuremberg{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=107}} | |- | 34 | 32 | 31 August 1943 | 03:45 | Lancaster | Giesenkirchen{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=108}} | |- | style="background:#e3d9ff;" | {{center|—}} | style="background:#faecc8" | 33?<ref group="Note" name="discrepancy"/> | 3 November 1943 | 14:25 | B-17{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=125}} | | |- | style="background:#e3d9ff;" | {{center|—}} | style="background:#faecc8" | 34?<ref group="Note" name="discrepancy"/> | 3 November 1943 | 19:40 | Lancaster | {{Convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} west-northwest of Cologne{{sfn|Foreman|Parry|Mathews|2004|p=125}} | |}
===Awards=== * Aviator badge * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold * Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939){{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2014|p=264}} * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class * German Cross in Gold on 20 October 1942 as ''Hauptmann'' in the II./''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1{{sfn|Patzwall|Scherzer|2001|p=98}}{{refn|According to Obermaier on 9 November 1942.{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=106}}|group="Note"}} * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 August 1943 as ''Major'' and ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1{{sfn|Fellgiebel|2000|p=143}}{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=289}}
==Notes== {{reflist|group="Note"}}
==References==
===Citations=== {{Reflist|25em}}
===Bibliography=== {{Refbegin|30em}} * {{Cite book |last1=Aders |first1=Gebhard |year=1978 |title=History of the German Night Fighter Force, 1917–1945 |location=London |publisher=Janes |isbn=978-0-354-01247-8 }} * {{Cite book |last=Bond |first=Steve |year=2014 |title=Wimpy: A Detailed History of the Vickers Wellington in service, 1938-1953 |publisher=Grub Street Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-1-90980-814-0 }} * {{Cite book |last=Bowman |first=Martin |year=2016 |title=Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940–1943 |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |publisher=Pen and Sword Books |isbn=978-1-4738-4986-0 }} * {{Cite book |last=Fellgiebel |first=Walther-Peer |author-link=:de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel |year=2000 |orig-year=1986 |title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile |trans-title=The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches |language=de |location=Friedberg, Germany |publisher=Podzun-Pallas |isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Foreman |first1=John |last2=Parry |first2=Simon |last3=Mathews |first3=Johannes |year=2004 |title=Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945 |language=en |location=Walton on Thames |publisher=Red Kite |isbn=978-0-9538061-4-0 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Mathews |first1=Andrew Johannes |last2=Foreman |first2=John |year=2014 |title=Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F |location=Walton on Thames |publisher=Red Kite |isbn=978-1-906592-18-9 }} * {{Cite book |last=Obermaier |first=Ernst |year=1989 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945 |language=de |location=Mainz, Germany |publisher=Verlag Dieter Hoffmann |isbn=978-3-87341-065-7 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Patzwall |first1=Klaus D. |last2=Scherzer |first2=Veit |year=2001 |title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II |trans-title=The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 |language=de |location=Norderstedt, Germany |publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall |isbn=978-3-931533-45-8 }} * {{Cite book |last=Scherzer |first=Veit |year=2007 |title=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 |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives |language=de |location=Jena, Germany |publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2 }} * {{wikicite |ref={{sfnRef|Halifax JB837}} |reference={{ASN accident|title=Halifax JB837|id=211402|accessdate=14 April 2022|wikibase=yes}} }} * {{wikicite |ref={{sfnRef|Stirling BK760}} |reference={{ASN accident|title=Stirling BK760|id=209063|accessdate=14 April 2022|wikibase=yes}} }} * {{wikicite |ref={{sfnRef|Stirling EE880}} |reference={{ASN accident|title=Stirling EE880|id=217883|accessdate=14 April 2022|wikibase=yes}} }} * {{wikicite |ref={{sfnRef|Stirling EF361}} |reference={{ASN accident|title=Stirling EF361|id=211405|accessdate=14 April 2022|wikibase=yes}} }} * {{wikicite |ref={{sfnRef|Stirling EH887}} |reference={{ASN accident|title=Stirling EH887|id=211406|accessdate=14 April 2022|wikibase=yes}} }} * {{wikicite |ref={{sfnRef|Stirling N3714}} |reference={{ASN accident|title=Stirling N3714|id=236314|accessdate=14 April 2022|wikibase=yes}} }} * {{wikicite |ref={{sfnRef|Wellington HE699}} |reference={{ASN accident|title=Wellington HE699|id=51835|accessdate=14 April 2022|wikibase=yes}} }} {{Refend}}
==External links== *[https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/29918 TracesOfWar.com] *[http://www.luftwaffe39-45.historia.nom.br/ases/ehle.htm Luftwaffe 39-45] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223170552/http://www.luftwaffe39-45.historia.nom.br/ases/ehle.htm |date=2011-02-23 }}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |before=''Hauptmann'' Heinrich Graf von Stillfried und Rattonitz |after=''Major'' Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin |title=''Gruppenkommandeur'' of II. ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 1 |years=6 October 1940 – 17 November 1943 }} {{s-end}}
{{Top German World War II night fighter aces}} {{Knight's Cross recipients of NJG 1}} {{Subject bar | portal1=Aviation | portal2=Biography }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehle, Walter}} Category:1913 births Category:1943 deaths Category:People from Windhoek Category:Condor Legion personnel Category:German World War II flying aces Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Category:White Namibian people Category:Colonial people of German South West Africa Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in Belgium Category:Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Category:Burials at Lommel German war cemetery Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943