Luftwaffe fighter ace Hauptmann Herbert Ihlefeld was liberated from serbian captivity in Blace, Yugoslavia, 14 April 1941. The photo came from the album of 5. Panzer-Division during Balkanfeldzug. Hauptmann Ihlefeld was Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe (Jagd) / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2) at the time of the Balkan Campaign. His group was equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighters. In the first day of the invasion, 6 April 1941, Ihlefeld was brought down by Yugoslavian Anti-Aircraft guns. The pilot landed near Nis, and got slight head injuries. In the words of Ihlefeld himself: "In early 1941 we found ourselves operating in the Balkans and here, during a deep penetration mission on 6 April, I was shot down by flak, badly wounded and placed in a Yugoslav prisoner of war camp, from which I was freed, eight days later, by advancing German troops. I then travelled to the Eastern Front to rejoin my unit after six weeks rehabilitation."
Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Bf-109E/LG2-Stab.html
http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/belgra/belgra.htm
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=31421
https://www.militarysignaturearchive.co.uk/pilot/herbert-ihlefeld/
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