Buried at Lommel, Belgium Years of service 1935–43 Name Walter Ehle Service/branch Luftwaffe | Allegiance Nazi Germany Commands held II./ NJG 1 Place of burial Belgium Rank Major | |
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Unit Condor Legion
ZG 1
NJG 1 Battles/wars Spanish Civil War
World War II
Invasion of Poland
Battle of France
Battle of Britain
Defense of the Reich Died November 18, 1943, Sint-Truiden, Belgium Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Spanish Civil War, Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, Battle of Britain, Defence of the Reich, World War II | ||
Walter Ehle (28 April 1913 – 18 November 1943) was a German 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 was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Walter Ehle claimed 39 aerial victories, 35 of them at night.
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.
Ehle was one of the longest serving Gruppenkommandeur in the Luftwaffe, leading II./NJG 1 from October 1940 until his death in November 1943. 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 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 (Bordschutze—aerial gunner), perished.
Major Ehle was awarded the Knight's Cross 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.