Hans-Wilhelm Bertram

Hans-Wilhelm Bertram
Born	17 May 1918 Breitenhof
Died	1 October 2007 (aged 89) Hamburg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	?–1945
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	Kampfgeschwader 6
Battles/wars	World War II Channel Front North African Campaign Italian Campaign Operation Steinbock
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans-Wilhelm Bertram (17 May 1918 – 1 October 2007) was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Bertram flew 169 combat missions in the west.

Career

Bertram was trained as a naval aviator in 1938 and 1939. He received his flight training at the Pilot School (Sea) (Flugzeugführerschule (See)) in Warnemünde and at the Weapons Aviator School (Sea) (Flieger-Waffenschule (See)) in Parow near Stralsund. He was then transferred to the 2./Küstenfliegergruppe 406 in List on the island of Sylt.^[1]

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold (24 May 1941)^[2]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1 July 1940)^[2]
  • 1st Class (6 April 1941)^[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 29 March 1944 as Oberleutnant in the 5./Kampfgeschwader 6^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 January 1945 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Kampfgeschwader 6^[4]

References

Citations

1. Kaiser 2010, p. 96.
2. MacLean 2007, p. 66.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 39.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 111.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Kaiser, Jochen (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Bomber Fliers—Volume 1] (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-07-4.
• MacLean, French L. (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports — For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
• 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.