Werner Schröer (12 February 1918 – 10 February 1985) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 114 enemy aircraft shot down in 197 combat missions. He claimed twelve aerial victories on the Eastern Front with the remaining claims filed over the Western Allies, including 26 four-engine heavy bombers.
Born in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Schröer joined the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1937. Initially serving as ground personnel, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) in August 1940. This unit was transferred to North Africa where on 19 April 1941, Schröer claimed his first aerial victory. In June 1942, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8. Staffel (8th squadron) of JG 27. Schröer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in October 1942 for 49 victories. In April 1943, Schröer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 27 and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in August for 85 victories. He then led III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) fighting in defense of the Reich. In February 1945, Schröer was given command of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) as Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander). With JG 3, he claimed twelve further aerial victories on the Eastern Front and was awarded Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords in April 1945. After the war, Schröer worked for Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm. He died on 10 February 1985 in Ottobrunn.
Early life and career Schröer was born on 12 February 1918 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, at the time in the Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was the son of Friedrich Johann Schröer and his wife Maria, née Schmitz. Schröer attended school from 1924 to 1937 and graduated with his Abitur (School Leaving Certificate). From April to October 1937, he then completed the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service). Schröer joined the military service with the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1937. His recruit training began on 3 November 1937 with the 4. Kompanie (4th company) of Fliegerersatzabteilung 24 (24th Flier Replacement Unit) in Quakenbrück. On 1 April 1938, he was transferred to the Flughafenbetriebskompanie (Airport Operation Company) of Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing) to Düsseldorf, serving with the ground personnel.
On 1 July 1938, Schröer was posted to the 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 234 (JG 234th—234th Fighter Wing) where his flight training began. He then served with the Fliegerhorstkompanie (Airfield Company) in Düsseldorf from 13 August 1938 to 30 June 1939. While serving with this unit, he was promoted to Gefreiter (airman first class) on 1 October 1938 and to Unteroffizier (corporal) on 1 April 1939.For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II. On 1 July 1939, Schröer was then transferred to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), named after the Nazi martyr Albert Leo Schlageter, where he was posted to the 6. Staffel where he made his first flight. From 1 September to 15 October 1939, Schröer attended an air observer course at the Aufklärungsfliegerschule (Reconnaissance Flying School) at Hildesheim. Schröer then continued his pilot training at the flight schools in Kamp and Schafstädt . On 16 May 1940, he completed his flight training with Flugkommando 23 (Flight Commando) in Braunschweig. During this training period, he was promoted to Feldwebel (sergeant) on 1 December 1939. Schröer then received fighter pilot training at the Jagdfliegerschule 1 (fighter pilot school) at Werneuchen. There he learned to fly the Arado Ar 68 and Ar 96, the Messerschmitt Bf 108 and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Bücker Bü 131, the Focke-Wulf Fw 56, and the Heinkel He 45 and He 51. From 22 July to 17 August 1940, Schröer completed his fighter pilot training with the 2. Staffel of Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Merseburg, a supplementary training unit based in Merseburg.
World War II World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 20 August 1940, Schröer was transferred to the 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), a front line fighter unit. JG 27 at the time was under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Max Ibel and based in Plumetot, France on the Channel Front. There, JG 27 was subordinated to Jagdfliegerführer 3 (Jafü 3), the fighter force commander of Luftflotte 3 under the command of Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) Hugo Sperrle, and fought in the Battle of Britain (10 July – 31 October 1940). On 28 August 1940, JG 27 relocated from the vicinity of the Cotentin Peninsula to an airfield at Peuplingues, about southwest of Calais and subsequently was placed under the command of Jagdfliegerführer 2. Operating over the English Channel and southern England, Schröer flew his first combat missions and claimed three aerial victories which were not confirmed.
I. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Channel Front on 30 September 1940. Relocation to Stade, west of Hamburg, began on 1 October. There, I. Gruppe was placed under the command of Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). During the following three weeks, I. Gruppe was tasked with flying combat air patrols over the German Bight. In parallel, the Gruppe replenished its losses of 14 men killed or missing in action, four wounded and seven taken prisoner of war, losses sustained while fighting over Britain. Also the losses in aircraft had to be replenished and the equipment underwent a maintenance overhaul. On 21 October, I. Gruppe was again ordered to France, then based at Dinan in northeastern Brittany under the command of Jafü 3 again. On 3 December, I. Gruppe relocated again, this time to Döberitz with the orders to provide fighter protection for Berlin. Following the arrival in Döberitz, the majority of the flying and ground personnel were sent on vacation. Between end-February to early March 1941, the I. Gruppe relocated to Munich-Riem where it stayed for four weeks. On 24 February, the pilots of 1. and 2. Staffel were temporarily sent to Sicily where they flew missions against Malta, protecting the German naval convoys taking the Afrika Korps to Tripoli. During this period, 2. Staffel was based at Comiso. From 7 to 10 March, the pilots returned to Munich-Riem. During this brief interlude, Schröer was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and transferred to 1. Staffel on 1 March. On 4 April 1941, the Gruppe relocated to Graz in preparation of operation Operation Marita, the Battle of Greece. On 11 April, I. Gruppe flew fighter escort missions for Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers in this campaign. The next day, the unit deployed to Zagreb before transferring to Africa.
North Africa On 15 April 1941, the first elements of 1. and 2. Staffel began relocation to North Africa to Tripoli. From Tripoli, the Staffeln were ordered to Ayn al-Ġazāla airfield, west of Tobruk, where they arrived between 18 and 24 April 1941. Schröer was credited with his first aerial victory on 19 April, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter of the No. 274 Squadron shot down near Tobruk. That day, the Gruppe claimed its first four victories in Africa. In this encounter, Schröer was shot down in his Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 3790—factory number), resulting in a forced landing at Ayn al-Ġazāla. Schröer's victor was Pilot Officer Spence. Schröer was the first German Bf 109 pilot shot down in Africa. For this, Schröer was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (). Two days later, on 21 April, I. Gruppe engaged in combat with Hurricane fighters over Tobruk, claiming one victory by Oberfeldwebel Albert Espenlaub for the loss of Unteroffizier Hans Sippel who was killed in action. Schröer's Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 4170—factory number) also sustained combat damage in this encounter. He managed to fly his aircraft back to Ayn al-Ġazāla, making another forced landing and slightly injuring himself. It is possible that his victor was Pilot Officer Spence, making it the second time in 48 hours the RAF pilot shot him down.
Schröer claimed his second aerial victory over two months later. On 25 June, he claimed a Hurricane shot down, presumably from 2 Squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF). On 8 July, Schröer claimed another Hurricane shot down in combat west of Bardia. On 19 July 1941, a flight of three Schwärme, flights of four aircraft, from I. Gruppe encountered a mixed flight of Hurricanes and Curtiss P-40 "Tomahawk" fighters on a combat air patrol north of Sidi Barrani. Twelve Hurricanes from No. 73 Squadron RAF, augmented by P-40s from 2 Squadron SAAF, provided fighter escort for Allied shipping destined for Tobruk. In this encounter, the Germans claimed three victories without sustaining any losses. Schröer was credited with his fourth victory that day, a P-40 claimed at 18:17 northeast Ras Asaz. On 21 August, Schröer claimed his fifth victory, a Hurricane from No. 229 Squadron on an escort mission for a flight of Martin Maryland bombers from 24 Squadron SAAF on a bombing mission to Menastir, near Bardia.
On 29 August 1941, Schröer engaged in aerial combat with the top Australian ace Clive Caldwell of No. 250 Squadron RAF north-west of Sidi Barrani. In the course of the battle Schröer damaged Caldwell's P-40 "Tomahawk". Caldwell suffered bullet wounds to the back, left shoulder, and leg but was still able to shoot down Schröer's wingman and heavily damage Schröer's own aircraft and thus forced him to disengage. According to Prien, Rodeike and Stemmer, authors of Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945 [Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945], I. Gruppe did not record any loss or damaged aircraft in this encounter. On 3 September, Schröer was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (). In support of German ground forces on 14 September, Schröer claimed his seventh aerial victory when he shot down a Hurricane. The next day, he received the Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Silver (). In late October, I. Gruppe was reequipped with the Bf 109 F-4/trop. To retain operation status, 1. and 3. Staffel left North Africa on 22 October while 2. Staffel stayed. In Italy they handed over their Bf 109 E variants and continued the journey back home by train. The pilots were sent on a short home-leave before returning to Ayn al-Ġazāla on 10 November.
On 21 January 1942, Generalleutnant Erwin Rommel launched his counter-offensive in the area of Ajdabiya. Within one week, German forces reached Msus and from here they advanced towards Benghazi on 27 January, reaching Timimi on 10 February. This offensive negated much of the territory lost during Operation Crusader fought from 18 November to 30 December 1941. In March, Schröer became Gruppen-Adjutant, adjutant in I. Gruppe of JG 27 learning command under the experienced Eduard Neumann, they were back at Martuba, east of Derna. He succeeded Leutnant Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt who was transferred in this capacity. Schröer claimed his first aerial victory while flying with the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) on 30 May over a P-40 northeast of Bir Hacheim during the Battle of Gazala. On 10 June, he claimed another P-40 near Bir Hacheim. On 15 June, I. Gruppe escorted Ju 87s to Acroma. On this mission, Schröer claimed two P-40s shot down near Al Adm.
Squadron leader