Meet Unteroffizier Hugo Pankuweit

[Alex5k]

Hi All.

Long time no talk. I hope everyone is doing well. my collection has been stored away for the past two years as I have nowhere to display it in my current home, So I took a small break from collecting. I decided why not take something out and post it to see how everyone has been. I picked this grouping up around two years ago after reading one of TWS' "Meet" threads he posts when he has a grouping of a soldier. This is my mini version of that as I don't have too much information to go off of but enough to still make it interesting.

Hugo Pankuweit was born in Bonn,Germany on August 1st 1920. At some point he obviously joined or was conscripted into the Luftwaffe, Unfortunately I do not know when. Hugo was a member of the 3rd company of Kampfgeschwader 2. On December 29th 1941 he was awarded the fliegerschützenabzeichen (Air Gunner Badge). He was also awarded the EK2 at some point shown in the photo of him as a Gefreiter.

On July 14th 1943, Hugo would embark on his final flight over England where he was killed in action only 18 days away from his 23rd birthday...

Hugo now lies in Hull Northern Cemetery in England.

Below are his death notices and his award document along with a photo of him in 41 or 42 as a Gefreiter and his temporary grave in England. One death notice is made by the family for other family members and the other is from his commander to his family. I also managed to find a photo of his grave today.

One thing I find odd is his temporary grave is marked 2.3.43 could this just be a mistake by the British? Everything else lists his death date as July 14th 1943, Besides the family notice which lists July 13th 1943. Any insight on this would be much appreciated, it has always confused me.

Thanks for reading. I hope to begin collecting again when I get moved into my new house sometime this year.

- Alex

[TabsTabs1964]

Good work Alex. Thanks for sharing

Regards
Santi

[BlackCat1982]

A nice grouping and always more to ponder when the story can be told. Please excuse my jumping in, I thought you might like to see his casualty card from 1943 also:

[Alex5k]

Wow, I really appreciate this. where did you find it? I figured i squeezed all the information i could with what I had. I even googled the address on the family death notice to find his family's wartime home.

[BlackCat1982]

These are on the Ancestry website and also Fold3. There are several of us who have access to one or another. I'm personally more than glad to look them up if asked (although sometimes I do for my own curiosity anyway).

[BlackCat1982]

A little more on the circumstances of his death:

Dornier Bomber piloted by Stabs Feldwebel Wolk of 3 Staffel/KG-2, Do 217M-1 Werknummer # 56122 "U5 + IL" (damaged).

During the night of 13-14 July, 1943, Wolks Dornier collided with an unknown Night Fighter at Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire and wireless operator, Uffz Hugo Pankuweit, was killed when he was thrown out of the aircraft by the force of the impact. He is buried in Hulls Northern Cemetery, Compartment 202, Gr 86. The rest of the crew aborted their mission and returned safely to base.

I also found the fate of the Dornier aircraft, see below:

Date: 04-DEC-1943
Time: 15:00 Local time.
Type: Dornier Do 217 M-1
Owner/operator: 3./KG 2 Luftwaffe
Werknummer: 56122
MSN: U5+IL
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: 4 km southeast of Best, Noord-Brabant - Netherlands
Phase: Combat
Nature: Military
Departure airport: Eindhoven airfield (NL)

Narrative:
Shot down by a Hawker Typhoon of No. 198 Squadron RAF.
A formation of fifteen Do 217s was surprised during a non-operational flight 'in Pulkform' by eight Typhoons of No. 198 Squadron RAF and six Typhoons of No. 609 Squadron RAF in the vicinity of Eindhoven.

Crew:
Flugzeugführer Uffz. R. König Luftwaffe Ysselsteyn AA-3-62
Beobachter Gfr. G. Dressler Luftwaffe Ysselsteyn AA-3-63
Bordfunker Uffz. Schulz Luftwaffe Survived
Bordschütze Ogfr. K. Spieker Luftwaffe Survived Wounded

[Alex5k]

I'm speechless. I never knew this level of information could be attained. Thank you so much, you have added so much to this grouping. Is all of this information coming from the aforementioned Ancestry site? This is insane

-Edit

Wow, I never actually just googled his name... I figured nothing would come up but I see where you found the information now. I feel so dumb!
I wonder where these people found this information.

[BlackCat1982]

Glad to help, if the information is out there it's a pleasure to share it. I'm pleased it will enhance your little group and add to the sad story of Hugo and his death in action. Fortunately aircraft losses were documented by both sides during the war, the advent of the Internet makes it easier to bring all the pieces together.