Reinhold Knacke

Reinhold Knacke
Born	1 January 1919 Strelitz Alt
Died	3 February 1943 (aged 24) Achterveld, Netherlands
Buried at	Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–43
Rank	Hauptmann (Posthumously)
Unit	NJG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Defense of the Reich †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Reinhold Knacke (1 January 1919 – 3 February 1943) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Knacke claimed 44 aerial victories.

Knacke was shot down in aerial combat with a Halifax bomber on 3 February 1943. His radio operator, Unteroffizier Kurt Bundrock, managed to bail out from the burning aircraft. Knacke was found dead next to his crashed Messerschmitt Bf 110-F4 (Werksnummer 4683—factory number) "G9+DK" 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) east of Achterveld, Netherlands.

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 July 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (1940)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 14 April 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 2./NJG 1^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 1 July 1942 as Oberleutnant and pilot of the 3./NJG 1^[3][4]
  • 190th Oak Leaves on 5 February 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 3./NJG 1^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 379.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 236.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 215.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 452.

Bibliography

• 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.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 1, 1 September 1939 to 31 December 1941] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.