Looking for JG27 unit history

[Flatlander]

Hi everyone,

Specifically I'm looking for information about an engagement which occurred over Halfaya Pass, near Sollum/Bardia and the Libyan/Egyptian border on October 5th, 1941.
The reason I'm looking is to fill in what information there might be these days in the story of a distant relative.

P.O. Donald Lush joined RAF 33 Sqn and had just arrived in the theater, maybe two weeks prior to this date when he was shot down; his Hurricane with great holes in the wing.
He survived the event and a personal diary indicates he was picked up by a German patrol and taken to a hospital in Bardia. The interesting part of the story is that while in hospital, he received a visit from Gen. Erwin Rommel who had heard they had a Canadian pilot. Apparently Canadian pilots were a rarity in the area at the time.

I have the 33 Sqn Operations Records for the time period in question and in it P.O. Lush is listed as missing from patrol on Oct 5th 1941.

I am curious to see if there are any corresponding information from the German side, which I believe should have been JG27 at this time.
I understand there may also have been Italian Regia Aeronautica in the region at the time. However, P.O. Lush describes the damage his Hurricane took as that of cannon fire, which would ID the attacking aircraft as a Bf109, most likely anyway. I suppose the recollection and identity of cannon-fire might be dodgy as he had only spent two weeks in Egypt, but its what information I have.

Can anyone point me to the unit history records for JG27 on this date?
I'd be interested to know if the engagement was noted and whether any claims were made on this date.

Any assistance would be gratefully appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Milosh]

If you Google 'Books > JG27 you will find several books.

 

[slaterat]

Here you go. Taken from " Hurricanes Over the Sands" , part one, by Michel Lavigne and James F Edwards, pub by Lavigne Publications, May 2003.

 

[Snautzer01]

Jagdgeschwader 27

 

[Stig1207]

According to Meditteranean Air War vol. 1 it was Reuter and Dûllberg of 5/Jg 27 that shot down the two 33 Sqd Hurricanes, as described in the article attached by Slaterat.

 

[Flatlander]

@ slaterat @ S Stig1207 @ Snautzer01

Outstanding information!
Just what I was looking for. The internet is a wonderful thing.
Thank you.

@ M Milosh I have an appointment to see the library at my local Military museum. They have Meditteranean Air War vol 1 - as recommended by Google.

 

[Flatlander]

"I landed not too far from Halfaya Pass and I was picked up in, oh, about fifteen minutes by an Italian armored patrol. Then a German patrol showed up and claimed me and they took me to a German dugout for the night. Then they took me to Bardia, to a hospital where they took out the flak.

I was there for three or four days and just about every night we were bombed by Wellingtons. Being twenty-one and not knowing what things were baout, I found the Germans pretty honourable in the early days. And they looked on the whole thing as a game. They were pretty confident. When the Germans first caught me, they coudn't understand what the hell I was doing over there as a Canadian. So I found myself quite a novelty in hospital.

I met Rommel in hospital in Bardia. He had just dropped in on one of his flying trips and heard they had a Canadian air force guy in hospital. And he came and shook my hands and wanted to know how I was, how I was being treated. Spoke great English. And of course he was looked upon as God by the Germans. I was very impressed with him.

Then they flew me by Junkers 52 to Athens. And that was a flight I really dreaded because I knew that a a favourite run for our fighters.
..."

Thanks again for the great info.