I am a historian of the Second World War and the aim of this site is to enable others to access some of the research I have carried out over the past few years, and to encourage people to exchange ideas and views about a wide range of subjects relating to the conflict. On this site you will find an oral history archive with transcriptions of many of the interviews I have conducted with veterans of the war from many different countries, and there are also blogs, comment pieces, book reviews, suggested reading, and also contributions from other leading historians in this field.
I hope you find it interesting.

James Holland


Blog - Tuesday 18th November 2008

More Luftwaffe Battle of Britain Interviews

I have now posted up three more interviews with Luftwaffe pilots, all of which I did back in May.  Karl Spreitzer, a Stuka pilot in  St.G.2 and Knight’s Cross winner, who saw action in Norway, the Battle of Britain, Greece, Crete, Malta, North Africa and Russia and stacked up a stagging 600+ combat missions.  He was a delightful man, and his memories sharp and clear - but he was ill too.  I sensed he was dying from cancer, and I wonder whether he is still alive.  Johannes Naumann was also a Knight’s Cross winner but a fighter pilot with JG26, flyingunder Adolf Galland. He flew throughout the Battle for France and the Battle of Britain and later was involved in the ‘Channel Dash’ when he shot down and killed Swordfish pilot Euene Esmonde.  Finally, Julius Neumann was also a fighter pilot, but with JG27.  He was shot down over England in August 1940 and became a prisoner of war.  The photgraph of him taken at Victoria Station is one of the more famous to have been taken during this time.  Sadly, only Julius Neumann still has his logbook.  The other two had theirs ‘taken by the Americans’ at the end of the war.  Where they are now is anyone’s guess.

Posted by James Holland
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