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Peterburs, Hans

Date of birth:
October 9th, 1912 (Herne/Western Phalia, Germany)
Date of death:
January 11th, 1944 (Salerno, Italy)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Han Peterburs was as crewmember of a bomber involved in the battle for Poland and was after that trained as Zerstörerflieger. In the sprin of 1940 he was incorporated in the 6. / Zerstörergeschwader 1, that was later to become the 9. / Zerstörergeschwader 76. Here he took part in the Battles for France and England, where he shot down five British aircraft. His Staffel went as 6. / Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 to the Eastfront where he flew with Hauptmann Kaldrack and Hauptmann Tonne. He got wounded on 22nd June 1941. From 1st February 1943 he was placed with the Stab II. / Schlagtgeschwader 10 and trained for the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, after which he was send to the front in Italy. On 11th January 1944 he was, as Flugzeugführer with II. / Schlagtgeschwader 4, involved in a air battle with Spitfires of No. 145 Squadron, Royal Air Force near Tommaso and was shot down and killed in his Fw 190 3160370, Yellow C.

Promotions:
1st October 1936: Gefreiter
1st November 1937: Obergefreiter
1st July 1938: Unteroffizier
1st September 1940: Feldwebel
1st February 1941: Oberfeldwebel

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Gefreiter
Awarded on:
August 25th, 1937
Flugzeugführerabzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
May 28th, 1938
Pilot Badge
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
May 28th, 1938
Military Merit Medal
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Unteroffizier
Unit:
9. / III. / Zerstörergeschwader 76 / Jafü 3
Awarded on:
September 5th, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Feldwebel
Unit:
9. / III. / Zerstörergeschwader 76 / X.Fliegerkorps / Luftflotte 5
Awarded on:
November 19th, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
May 20th, 1941
Frontflugspange für Jäger in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Feldwebel
Unit:
6. / II. / Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 / Luftlotte 2
Awarded on:
August 23rd, 1941
Frontflugspange für Jäger in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberfeldwebel
Unit:
6. / II. / Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 / Luftlotte 2
Awarded on:
December 23rd, 1941
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 1st, 1942
Medaille
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberfeldwebel
Unit:
6. / II. / Zerstörergeschwader 1 / VIII.Fliegerkorps
Awarded on:
April 28th, 1942

Date according to the Wehrpass, according to Patzwall the award date was 24th April 1942.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberfeldwebel (Flight Sergeant)
Unit:
6. / II. / Zerstörergeschwader 1 / VIII.Fliegerkorps
Awarded on:
November 25th, 1942
By the time of his award of the Knight's Cross Peterburs had flown 220 sorties, during which he attained the following battlefield successes:

- 18 aerial victories (including 5 British aircraft)
- 26 aircraft on the ground destroyed
- 19 tanks knocked out.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Sources

  • Photo 1: H.-P. Rackete
  • - OBERMAIER, ERNST, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe, Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, Mainz, 1976.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
    - Award certificates, documents and Wehrpass via H.-P. Rackete