August Geiger (pilot)

August Geiger
Born 6 May 1920
Überlingen
Died 29 September 1943(1943-09-29) (aged 23)
over Zuiderzee, Netherlands
Buried Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Years of service 1939–43
Rank Hauptmann
Unit NJG 1
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

August Geiger (6 May 1920 – 29 September 1943) was a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II and a night fighter ace. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Career

Geiger was born on 6 May 1920 in Überlingen, near Lake Constance.[1] Geiger joined the Luftwaffe in late 1939 and was posted in mid-1941 as Leutnant to 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1). Geiger claimed three aerial victories on the night 25/26 June 1942, a Vickers Wellington, a Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and a Stirling. By the start of 1943 Geiger had ten victories and been awarded the Iron Cross First Class. In early 1943 Geiger was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) and transferred to a 7./NJG 1, becoming Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) in May 1943, with some 40 confirmed victories.

On 1 March 1943, Geiger shot down a Halifax bomber from No. 35 Squadron with an almost intact H2S ground scanning radar system. This allowed the Germans to analyze the radar which led to the development of the FuG 350 (FuG—Funkgerät) Naxos radar detector, which allowed the night fighters to home on to the H2S emitting signals.[2]

On 29 September 1943 he was shot down by the Beaufighter VI of W/C Bob Braham of No. 141 Squadron RAF over the Zuiderzee, Netherlands.[3] Geiger managed to bail out of his Messerschmitt Bf-110 G but was drowned when his parachute dragged him under. He was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 2 March 1944.

Aerial victory claims

Geiger was credited with 53 nocturnal aerial victories claimed in 328 combat missions.[4]

Chronicle of aerial victories
Victory Date Time Type Location Serial No./Squadron No.
– III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
1 9 July 1941 23:32 Halifax[5] 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Nijmegen
– 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
2 20 June 1942 02:22 Stirling[6] 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Neuenhaus
3 26 June 1942 01:20 Wellington[7] 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Rheine
4 26 June 1942 01:30 Whitley[7] 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Lingen
5 26 June 1942 01:58 Stirling[7] 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of Nordhorn
6 28 June 1942 01:29 Wellington[8] north-northeast of Lingen
7 3 July 1942 02:49 Wellington[9] 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of Lochem
8 29 July 1942 02:35 Wellington[10] 5 km (3.1 mi) north-northwest of Neuenhaus
9 30 July 1942 00:58 Whitley[10] 8 km (5.0 mi) west-northwest of Rijssen Z9230/No. 138 Squadron[11]
10 6 August 1942 01:35 Halifax[12] 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Zwolle
11 10 August 1942 04:34 Wellington[12] 8 km (5.0 mi) south-southwest of Deventer
12 11 September 1942 00:02 Wellington[13] 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Osterwieck
– 7./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
13 1 March 1943 23:52 Halifax[14] 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of Zutphen
14 2 March 1943 00:37 Halifax[14] 1 km (0.62 mi) west of Markelo
15 4 March 1943 11:33 B-17[14]
16 29 March 1943 22:52 Wellington[15] 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Ahaus HE182/431 (Iroquois) Squadron
17 29 March 1943 23:15 Wellington[15] west-northwest of Borculo HE385/No. 196 Squadron
18 30 March 1943 03:47 Halifax[15] 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Zutphen
19 30 March 1943 04:27 Lancaster[15] 7 km (4.3 mi) northeast of Deventer
20 30 March 1943 04:46 Lancaster[15] 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Lieveide
21 30 March 1943 23:00 Lancaster[15] 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Gemen
22 27 April 1943 03:11 Wellington[16] Bornebroek
23 1 May 1943 03:21 Halifax[17] northwest of Nijmegen
24 5 May 1943 02:09 Halifax[17] west of Zwolle
25 13 May 1943 02:06 Halifax[18] Vreden No. 35 Squadron[19]
26 13 May 1943 02:06 Wellington[18] southwest of Eldenzaal HE321/428 Ghost Squadron[19]
27 13 May 1943 02:20 Halifax[18] 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Hengelo No. 77 Squadron[19]
28 24 May 1943 02:07 Lancaster[20] 48 km (30 mi) east of Meppel W4984/No. 460 Squadron[21]
29 24 May 1943 02:30 Lancaster[20] 18 km (11 mi) east of Devemer
30 13 June 1943 02:37 Lancaster[22] 7 km (4.3 mi) north-northeast of Raalte ED584/No. 49 Squadron[23]
31 15 June 1943 01:44 Lancaster[22] 7 km (4.3 mi) southeast of Terlet
32 23 June 1943 01:33 Wellington[24] 9 km (5.6 mi) north of Wesel
33 23 June 1943 01:35 Wellington[24] 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Rees HZ312/429 (Bison) Squadron[25]
34 23 June 1943 01:26 Stirling[26] Empe
35 23 June 1943 02:00 Lancaster[26] 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Steenwijk
36 23 June 1943 02:00 Lancaster[26] 25 km (16 mi) west of Volendam
37 10 July 1943 02:40 Halifax[27] Eprave, southeast of Dinant
38 14 July 1943 02:10 Lancaster[27] Forstes-Veneurs
39 24/25 July 1943
—
 Lancaster[28] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Cloppenburg
40 30 July 1943 01:25 Lancaster[29] 2 km (1.2 mi) southeast of Ahrensfelde
41 18 August 1943 02:08 Halifax[30] 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Greifswald
42 18 August 1943 02:08 Lancaster[30] 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Reinberg
43 28 August 1943 02:20 Stirling[31] Gerlachhausen
44 31 August 1943 23:28 Stirling[32] 9 km (5.6 mi) south-southwest of Enschede
45 3 September 1943 23:50 Stirling[33] 1 km (0.62 mi) southwest of Hanover
46 6 September 1943 00:24 Lancaster[34] Oppen
47 6 September 1943 00:45 Stirling[34] Rheinhausen
48 22 September 1943 22:35 Stirling[35] Gestorf
49 27 September 1943 22:10 Lancaster[36] Zuiderzee
50 27 September 1943 23:30 Halifax[37] near Munich
51 28 September 1943 00:01 Halifax[37] south Papenburg

Awards

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Bowman 2016a, p. 86.
  2. ↑ Bowman 2016b, pp. 37–38.
  3. ↑ Scutts 1998, pp. 54–55.
  4. ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 61.
  5. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 25.
  6. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 46.
  7. 1 2 3 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 47.
  8. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 48.
  9. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 49.
  10. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 52.
  11. ↑ Bowman 2016a, p. 92.
  12. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 54.
  13. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 58.
  14. 1 2 3 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 68.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 72.
  16. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 77.
  17. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 78.
  18. 1 2 3 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 79.
  19. 1 2 3 Bowman 2016a, p. 146.
  20. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 82.
  21. ↑ Bowman 2016a, p. 151.
  22. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 85.
  23. ↑ Bowman 2016a, p. 155.
  24. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 88.
  25. ↑ Bowman 2016a, p. 157.
  26. 1 2 3 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 90.
  27. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 93.
  28. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 96.
  29. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 98.
  30. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 104.
  31. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 108.
  32. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 109.
  33. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 110.
  34. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 111.
  35. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 114.
  36. ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 116.
  37. 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 118.
  38. ↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 83.
  39. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 132.
  40. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 192.
  41. 1 2 Scherzer 2007, p. 329.
  42. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 79.

Bibliography

  • Bowman, Martin (2016a). Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940–1943. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-4738-4986-0. 
  • Bowman, Martin (2016b). Voices in Flight: Path Finder Force. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-4738-8117-4. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Foreman, John; Matthews, Johannes; Parry, Simon (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0. 
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3. 
  • 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 [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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Scutts, Jerry (1998). German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-696-5. 
  • Shores, Christopher F. and Clive Williams (1994). Aces High: a Tribute to the most notable fighter pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1-898697-00-0.
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