Ralph von Rettberg (1 March 1911 – 25 February 2004) was a

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

German

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

pilot and

wing commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

. As a fighter ace, he claimed eight enemy aircraft shot down.

Early life and career

On 7 April 1931, he began his pilot training at the ''

Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule The Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule (DVS), German Air Transport School, was a covert military-training organization operating as a flying school in Germany. It began during the Weimar Republic in Staaken, Berlin in 1925 and its head office was tra ...

'' (DVS—German Air Transport School) at

Schleißheim Schleißheim is a municipality in the district Wels-Land in the Austrian state of Upper Austria Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine states or of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria border ...

. He and 29 other trainees were part of ''Kameradschaft'' 31 (camaraderie of 1931), abbreviated "K 31". Among the members of "K 31" were future

staff officers A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military u ...

Bernd von Brauchitsch,

Günther Radusch Günther Radusch (11 November 1912 – 29 July 1988) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot and wing commander. As a fighter ace, he claimed 65 enemy aircraft shot down in over 140 combat missions. He claimed one victory in the Spanish Civil Wa ...

Günther Lützow Günther Lützow (4 September 1912 – 24 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe aviator and fighter ace credited with 110 enemy aircraft shot down in over 300 combat missions. Apart from five victories during the Spanish Civil War, most of his cl ...

Wolfgang Falck Wolfgang Falck (19 August 1910 – 13 March 2007) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot and wing commander and one of the key organisers of the German night fighter defences. As a fighter ace, he claimed eight enemy aircraft shot down in 90 c ...

and

Hannes Trautloft Johannes "Hannes" Trautloft (3 March 1912 – 11 January 1995) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, and general in the postwar German Air Force. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 58 enemy airc ...

. von Rettberg graduated from the DVS on 19 February 1932. On 1 March 1937, von Rettberg was appointed adjutant to ''Oberst''

Kurt-Bertram von Döring Generalleutnant Kurt-Bertram von Döring (18 February 1889 in Ribbekardt – 9 July 1960 in Medingen) was a German World War II Generalleutnant of Luftwaffe. He began his career as a flying ace in World War I, became a flying soldier of fortune ...

, the '' Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 134 "Horst Wessel" (JG 134—134th Fighter Wing). On 1 April 1938, he was appointed ''

Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank. In the ...

'' of 1. '' Staffel'' (1st squadron), a squadron of I. '' Gruppe'' (1st group) of JG 134, which was based at Dortmund and commanded by ''Oberstleutnant''

Hermann Frommherz Generalmajor (Major General) Hermann Frommherz (10 August 1891 – 30 December 1964) Military Order of St. Henry, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross of the Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order, began his military career in World W ...

who was succeeded by ''Hauptmann'' Karl Kaschka on 1 February 1939. On 1 November 1938, I. ''Gruppe'' was renamed to I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 142 (ZG 142—142nd Destroyer Wing), a unit which became the I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 26 (ZG 26—26th Destroyer Wing) on 1 May 1939. In consequence, von Rettberg commanded the 1. ''Staffel'' of ZG 142, and later the 1. ''Staffel'' of ZG 26. The ''Gruppe'' was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D-1 fighter. During the prelude of

in August 1939, I. ''Gruppe'' of ZG 26 deployed to an airfield at

Varel Varel () is a town in the district of Friesland, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Jade River and the Jade Bight, approximately south of Wilhelmshaven and north of Oldenburg. With a population of 23,984 (2020) it is the bigge ...

World War II

On Friday 1 September 1939, German forces invaded Poland starting World War II in Europe. I. ''Gruppe'' of ZG 26 was tasked with patrolling the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...

. In October, the ''Gruppe'' began equipping with the

Messerschmitt Bf 110 The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engine (Des ...

heavy fighter A heavy fighter is a historic category of fighter aircraft produced in the 1930s and 1940s, designed to carry heavier weapons, and/or operate at longer ranges than light fighter aircraft. To achieve performance, most heavy fighters were twin-eng ...

. In December, I. ''Gruppe'' was moved to Lippstadt. Von Rettberg was appointed '' Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of II. ''Gruppe'' of ZG 26 on 1 April 1940. He let this unit during the Battle of France,

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

and the Invasion of Yugoslavia.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and state that Rettberg is credited with approximately eight aerial victories. This number includes three claims on the Eastern Front and five on the Western Front.

Awards

* Flugzeugführerabzeichen *

Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe (german: Frontflugspange) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to aircrew and certain other Luftwaffe personnel in recognition of the number of operational flights flown. It was instituted by ...

Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by Hermann Göring, ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luft ...

(''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'') (28 September 1940) *

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

(1939) 2nd and 1st Class * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 June 1941 as ''

Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...

'' and '' Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./''Zerstörergeschwader'' 26 "Horst Wessel" *

German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...

in Gold on 7 October 1942 as '' Major'' in Zerstörergeschwader 2

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rettberg, Ralph Von 1911 births 2004 deaths Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross People from Bad Homburg vor der Höhe Military personnel from Hesse-Nassau Military personnel from Hesse