Major Werner Schröer
© Dan & Nick’s Collaborative Experten Biographies

[photo credits | http://aufhimmelzuhause.com/]
Werner Schröer was the second most successful claimant of air victories after Hans-Joachim Marseille in the Mediterranean, and was decorated with the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
He was credited with shooting down 114 enemy aircraft claimed in 197 combat missions;


















He was born 12 February 1918 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, at the time in the Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was the son of Friedrich Johann Schröer and his wife Maria, née Schmitz.Schröer attended school from 1924 to 1937 and graduated with his Abitur (School Leaving Certificate).
Schröer joined the military service with the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1937. On 1 April 1938, he was transferred to the Flughafenbetriebskompanie (Airport Operation Company) of Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing) to Düsseldorf, serving with the ground personnel.
On 1 July 1938, Schröer was posted to the 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 234 (JG 234th—234th Fighter Wing) where his flight training began.
He then served with the Fliegerhorstkompanie (Airfield Company) in Düsseldorf from 13 August 1938 to 30 June 1939.
On 1 July 1939, Schröer was then transferred to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 26 “Schlageter” (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), where he was posted to the 6. Staffel.
From 1 September to 15 October 1939, Schröer attended an air observer course at the Aufklärungsfliegerschule (Reconnaissance Flying School) at Hildesheim.

On 20 August 1940, Schröer was transferred to the 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), a front line fighter unit. JG 27 at the time was under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Max Ibel and based in Plumetot, France on the Channel Front.
There, JG 27 was subordinated to Jagdfliegerführer 3 (Jafü 3), the fighter force commander of Luftflotte 3 under the command of Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) Hugo Sperrle, and fought in the Battle of Britain (10 July – 31 October 1940).
On 28 August 1940, JG 27 relocated from the vicinity of the Cotentin Peninsula to an airfield at Peuplingues, about 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) southwest of Calais and subsequently was placed under the command of Jagdfliegerführer 2.















I. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Channel Front on 30 September 1940. Relocation to Stade, west of Hamburg, began on 1 October. There, I. Gruppe was placed under the command of Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing).
During the following three weeks, I. Gruppe was tasked with flying combat air patrols over the German Bight.
In parallel, the Gruppe replenished its losses of 14 men killed or missing in action, four wounded and seven taken prisoner of war, losses sustained while fighting over Britain.
On 21 October, I. Gruppe was again ordered to France, then based at Dinan in northeastern Brittany under the command of Jafü 3 again.
On 3 December, I. Gruppe relocated again, this time to Döberitz with the orders to provide fighter protection for Berlin. Following the arrival in Döberitz, the majority of the flying and ground personnel were sent on vacation.


On 4 April 1941, the Gruppe relocated to Graz in preparation of operation Operation Marita, the Battle of Greece.
On 11 April, I. Gruppe flew fighter escort missions for Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers in this campaign.















On 15 April 1941, the first elements of 1. and 2. Staffel began relocation to North Africa to Tripoli. From Tripoli, the Staffeln were ordered to Ain el Gazala airfield, west of Tobruk, where they arrived between 18 April to 24 April 1941.




Nick Hector

19.4.41/1100-1245 (error?)
Hurricane
W of Tobruk
274 sqn. W9296 of P/O H J Baker baled out POW and V7811 of S/L J H Lapsley DFC forcelanded, WIA. Schroer is known to have been involved in strafing the wreck of V7811
Schroer claimed his first victory, a RAF Hurricane, on 19 April 1941, however, his Bf 109E (WNr 3790) was hit and he had to make a forced-landing near his airfield with 48 bullet holes in his aircraft.
That day, the Gruppe claimed its first four victories in Africa.



On 21 April, in an engagement with RAF Hurricanes, an aircraft collided with his Bf 109 E (WNr 4170) slightly injuring him and requiring him to make another forced-landing.


He managed to fly his aircraft back to Ain el Gazala, making another forced landing and slightly injuring himself.

On 25 June 1941, he claimed a Hurricane shot down, presumably from 2 Squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF).

25.6.41/1420
Hurricane
S of Sidi Barrani
DAF. Appears to be overclaiming


8.7.41
DAF. Believed these were actually claimed the previous day against 73 sqn, 5 losses in total. V7802 of F/L Aidan Crawley POW, Z4173 of F/L P O V Green POW, Z4649 of P/O S J Leach KIA, V7757 of P/O R W K White KIA, and M9197 of Sgt. G A Jupp KIA



On the way to the target, a large formation was seen, composed of 30 Ju 87s escorted by seven Bf 109 from I Gruppe, twelve of II Gruppe and two from III/JG 27, the Curtiss fighters being ordered to leave the Bostons and attack.

27-year-old Lieutenant Ruper Alan Durose (SAAF no. 103189) was shot down and killed.

Rapp was killed while the aircraft of Lieutenant Lindbergh, 2nd Lieutenant Hinton and Major D. V. D. Lacey DFC were all badly damaged; the two former pilots being wounded.
On the return flight Major Human was attacked by three Bf 109s and force-landed in Allied lines.

Feldwebel Heinrich Steis of 4. staffel claimed a Hurricane south of El Alamein at 16:05.




Twelve Hurricanes from No. 73 Squadron RAF, augmented by P-40s from 2 Squadron SAAF, provided fighter escort for Allied shipping destined for Tobruk. In this encounter, the Germans claimed three victories without sustaining any losses.



19.7.41/1817
Hurricane (“P-40 Tomahawk”)
NE of Ras Asaz
73 sqn. W9270 of P/O Reynolds shot down and Sous Lt. Albert Littolf’s plane damaged
(Franzisket and Werfft also claimed)


21.8.41/1820
Hurricane
NE of Bardia
229 sqn. Only known loss was P/O Peter John Horniman KIA
(Foerster claimed some time beforehand)




29.8.41/1810
P-40 Tomahawk
NW of Sidi Barrani
AM493 of 250 sqn, P/O Clive Robertson “Killer” Caldwell, damaged but returned safely. (AHOTMAW gives AK493)
In the course of the battle Schröer damaged Caldwell’s P-40 “Tomahawk”.




14.9.41/1555
TacR Hurricane I
S of El Hambra
451 sqn RAAF. F/O W D “Paddy” Hutley returned safely and V7485 of Sgt. Rowlands WIA


On 1 March 1942, when Werner became adjutant in I./JG 27 learning command under the experienced Eduard Neumann, they were back at Martuba, east of Derna.

30.5.42/1405
P-40 Kittyhawk I
NE of Bir Hacheim
3 sqn RAAF, either F/L Andrew William “Nicky” Barr (returned) in AK889 or Sgt. Colin Shaw MacDiarmid MIA-KIA in AL153. – This one said to be “Nicky” Barr
(Rudi Sinner inflicted the other loss)

10.6.42/0749
Hurricane (“Curtiss P-40”)
5km W of Bir Hacheim
3 and 213 sqns. 73 lost BN370 of F/L T P K Scade WIA (awarded a DFC later), 213’s other losses were BN159/J of Sgt. D H Jackson KIA and BN562/F of F/O J A Sowrey safe
(versus 8 claims, of which one is attributed to Marseille)


15.6.42/1806 and 1811
2 x Curtiss P-40s
NW of El Adem
No matchable allied losses





23.6.42/1440
10km S of Sidi Omar
274 sqn Hurricanes. Overclaiming, no losses
On the 26th of June 1942, Schröer makes three more claims to register his 15th victory.


26.6.42/1140 and 1144
Hurricane and Curtiss P-40
SW of Mersa Matruh
Was this 238 sqn, Sgt. Lawrence-Smith?

26.6.42/1610
Curtiss P-40
SW of Marsa Matruh
Possibly Sgt. Carlile of 260 sqn







2.7.42/0700 and 0705
2 x Curtiss P-40s
SE and E of El Alamein
These appear to be overclaims, no matching losses



3.7.42/1440 and 1447
2 x Hurricane IIs
S of Imayid, SE of El Hammam

3.7.42/1450
P-40 Kittyhawk I
SE of El Hammam
AK920/GA- of 112 sqn. Sgt. Donald Jeffrey Birchall White, baled out and evaded capture.


4.7.42/1840
P-40 Kittyhawk
SE of El Alamein
AK852 of 112 sqn. Sgt. J B Agnew. Badly damaged, pilot safe



6.7.42/1145 and 1148
2 x Curtiss P-40s
(Rosenberg claimed as well)
20km SW of El Alamein
2 sqn SAAF. Overclaiming, only one loss: AK970/C of Lt. A D Allen Cat II damaged



11.7.42/1605 and 1610
2 x Curtiss P-40 (“Spitfires”)
10km SE of El Alamein
2 and 5 sqns SAAF. 2 sqn lost ET1020(?)/B of Lt. Rupert Alan Durose KIA and ET912/H “Pinkie IV of Lt. L C H Hope slightly damaged. 5 sqn lost AK392 of Capt. K R Coster WIA-POW and AK382 of 2/Lt. Lionel William Rapp KIA whilst AK439 of Lt. Lindbergh WIA, AN451 of 2/Lt. Hinton WIA and AN394 of Maj. D V D Lacey DFC were all badly damaged. 2 sqn also had ET530/G of Maj. J D W Human forcelanded in Allied lines on the return flight






13.7.42/0957, 1002 and 1005
3 x Hurricane IIs
Overclaiming, all losses were in the evening


14.7.42/1015
SW of El Alamein
Likely 260 sqn. 3 losses: F/L W R McKay MIA, P/O J A Maclean and Sgt. N E McKee both safe. Serials not known
(Glaeser and Schoefbeck also claimed)

16.7.42/1830
Curtiss P-40
SW of El Alamein
AK537/S of 5 sqn SAAF. Lt. C Sommerville. Aircraft badly damaged, pilot safe
(Rosenberg also claimed, so this could be viewed as overclaiming)

17.7.42/1825
Hurricane IIB (“Curtiss P-40”)
W of El Alamein
P296/U of 238 sqn. S/L Richard George Arthur Barclay KIA



8.9.42/1245 and 1250
2 x Spitfires (one was actually a P-40)
Deir-el-Tarfa area
AK625 of 3 sqn RAAF. Sgt. K H Freer forcelanded in a minefield but safe. 145 sqn apparently also lost a Spitfire in this engagement, no details known







13.9.42/1725
P-40 Kittyhawk I
Possibly AK716 of 112 sqn. Sgt. J H Morrison crashlanded safe, aircraft destroyed by fire







15.9.42/1140
3 x Curtiss P-40s
260 sqn. Other, unidentified squadrons possibly involved. There don’t seem to have been any losses


15.9.42/1645 and 1650
2 x Curtiss P-40s
El Alamein/NW of Deir-el-Tarfa
112 and 250 sqns, plus 3 and 450 sqns, RAAF. 3 sqn lost 41-36599/EV345 of P/O Jack Donald and EV322/CV-I of Sgt. Gordon George Scribner KIA whilst P/O Keith Kildey and Sgt. Ken Bee (WIA) both had their planes damaged. 250 sqn lost P/O Thorpe and Sgt. Strong. 450 sqn lost Sgt. Peter Ewing POW

15.9.42/1703
Spitfire
El Alamein area
Sgt. Young said to have been hit by flak but it was probably a Bf 109. 450 sqn lost Sgt. Ewing POW




16.9.42/0925
Curtiss P-40
S of El Alamein
(Schoefbeck claimed as well)
3 sqn, RAAF. Overclaiming, only one loss: Sgt. Woods, WIA returned to base

20.9.42/1633
Curtiss P-40
8km SW of El Alamein
4 sqn SAAF. EV316 of Lt. T B Milne forcelandedand returned the next day, AK795/L of Lt. R B McKechnie crashlanded WIA and ET971 of P/O J D Howard POW
(Schneider and Keller also claimed, so these were legitimate victories

21.9.42/1630
Spitfire
N of El Hammam
92 sqn. Overclaiming, no loss

Hans-Joachim Marseille’s 3. Staffel visually sighted the RAF fighters but were unable to make contact. Marseille vectored Schröer onto the enemy aircraft. Marseille heard Schröer claim a Spitfire over the radio at 10:30. Both flights remained airborne over the next hour on patrol.

30.9.42/1030
P-40 Kittyhawk? (“Spitfire”)
near Abu Dweis
Possibly a Kittyhawk of 112 or 250 sqn. Overclaiming, no losses







Schröer arrived near 3. staffel in time to see Marseille’s Bf 109 hit the ground but saw no parachute. He later learned of Marseille’s death.


2.10.42/1540
P-40 Kittyhawk
NNE of Deir-el-Tarfa
3 sqn RAAF and 112 sqn. Overclaiming no losses
(Schoefbeck and Gruber also claimed)




9.10.42/0925
Baltimore II (“Boston”)
NE of El Daba
AG975 of 223 sqn. Sgt. B V Ekbery, Sgt. W E Bates, Sgt. E R Moss and Sgt. W R Johnstone all POW, attributed to flak by the British


9.10.42/1615 and 1620
Spitfire and Hurricane
El Daba and Bir el Abd
14 losses by WDAF this day. They include: 4 sqn, SAAF lost Lt. Shulz (Schulz?), 2sqn SAAF had two Kittyhawks badly damaged. 3 sqn, RAAF had P/O Clabburn attacked by 5 Bf109s and Sgt. Holloway
(Canadian with 450 sqn) shot down and POW. 5 Sqn, SAAF lost Lts. Thornley and Murdock. 250 sqn lost P/O Rogerson and F/O Tribken’s machine was damaged (said to be by MC202) as were 3 others.


20.10.42/1412
Hurricane (“Curtiss P-40”)
SW of Deir-el-Tarfa
238 sqn. P/O Ormerod’s machine known to be damaged
(versus 3 claims in total)






23.10.42/0800 and 0830
2 x P-40 Kittyhawk (“P-46”)
NE of El Alamein
Overclaiming? No matchable losses

24.10.42/0825
P-40 Kittyhawk
NE of El Alamein
Enemy unit uncertain

24.10.42/1645
Hurricane
SW of El Alamein
Enemy unit uncertain – 33 sqn definitely in action this day in any case

26.10.42/1310
Curtiss P-40
W of El Alamein
112 sqn, losses were P/O Drake and FR263/GA-X F/O Keith Ronald Gardener (who was KIA). One of the serials lost this day was P-40F 41-14009/FL337, crashlanded near LG 21 after being damaged by Bf109s



27.10.42
3 x Kittyhawks
Quotifiya – El Daba
64th and 65th Fighter Squadrons with Spitfires from 601 sqn. No losses, but Hurricanes from both 33 and 213 sqn were also involved losing F/S S G Brooks and BP398 of S/L R M Lloyd (243 Wing) plus P/O Gardner (of 33 sqn top flight). Sgts Bates and Marcus had their machines damaged

29.10.42/1225
P-40 Kittyhawk (“Spitfire”)
S of El Alamein
2 sqn SAAF or 260 sqn. 2 sqn suffered AK568/V damaged and EV166 of Lt. John Graham Hunter Wilmot KIA was lost. 260 sqn lost 41-13760/FL223 of unknown pilot, believed downed by Bf109s

30.10.42/0920
P-39 Airacobra
SSE of El Daba
Probably a misidentified Spitfire. EP643 certainly missing presumed shot down by Bf109 this date. F/O Howard James Phillips MIA-KIA














Out of 15 verifiable four engine bomber claims located by Nick Hector, ONLY 3 out of 15 claims have attributable losses.
3
Confirmed & Verified

12
Over Claims

Sorry
Adrienne Messer
…


4.11.42/121
B-24 Liberator
Between Sollum and Benghazi
Halverson detachment? Overclaiming? Can’t find an attibutable loss

Schroer, with Alfred Stückler (10 victories), shot down two four-engined B-24s.






16.11.42/1520
Curtiss P-40
S of Tecis
Overclaiming, no attributable losses


In the few months they were in the Aegean, including a posting with the Italian forces on Rhodes, the newly promoted Hauptmann Schroer shot down two light bombers on 11 February.

(Schroer reportedly shot down two RAF Beauforts, although he claimed them as B-26s.)




2 x B-26 Marauders? (“Beauforts”)
Believed by some sources to be 14 sqn B-26A-1-MA Marauder Is reported missing on 15.2.43 (….why the discrepancy in dates??) one was 41-7377/FK150, P/O Colin Carl Truman RAAF and crew all MIA. The other was FK142, force landed in Turkey with crew interned in Ankara.
They do not appear to have been the result of enemy action and the losses took place hours later at around 1600 BT
Possible overclaiming






On 22 April 1943, a number of command position were changed, impacting Schröer. The Geschwaderkommodore, Eduard Neumann, was ordered to the staff of the General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland.
The vacancy in the Geschwaderkommodore position was back-filled by the Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 27 Gustav Rödel, who surrendered his command to Schröer.
II./JG 27 was now operating with the new Bf 109G out of Trapani, on the western corner of the island, in the dangerous skies over Sicily, as the Allies prepared for invasion with heavy preparatory bombing raids.

Powerless to help, II./JG 27 claimed only one enemy fighter in response.




29.4.43/1808 and 1810
2 x P-38F Lightnings
S of Marettimo
82nd FG. 95th FS lost 2/Lts. Charles R Curran, James P Reding and William P White KIA. 2/Lt. Louis E Curdes and Robert L Wells both crashlanded. 97th FS lost 2/Lt. James F Conners III and Robert C Delp KIA






5.5.43/1500
B-24D Liberator
NW of Marettimo
Overclaiming, no losses this date



9.5.43/1310
B-24 Liberator
1km E of Capo Gallo
Appears to be overclaiming, several were damaged this date but on a later raid

OR, IF A MISIDENTIFICATION/MIS-ATTRIBUTION OR OTHER ERROR:
B-17F 42-5147 “Old Ironsides” damaged by fighter and collided with 41-24415 (both of 414th BS, 97th BG. Both crews all safe except one man baled out MIA). One other attributed to flak with crew all KIA, one force landed after Flak hit and 21 others lesser damage attributed to Flak

9.5.43/1340
P-38 Lightning
70km NW Cap San Vito @ 8500m
Overclaiming, no losses of P-38s mentioned this date

11.5.43/1146
P-38G-15-LO Lightning
60km NE of Cap Bon @ 6500m
43-2334 of 49th FS, 14th FG. Wayne M Chavis KIA. Last seen upside down with left engine on fire. Not seen to crash. Approx. 1200 hrs., 15-20 mi. SW of Marsala
(Either Schroer or Clade – more likely – might have downed him)


11.5.43/1214
B-17 Flying Fortress
25km S of Marsala @ 3000m
Overclaiming, no losses this date



18.5.43/1345
B-17 Flying Fortress
50km NW of Trapani @ 4500m
Overclaiming, no losses


19.5.43/1342
P-38 Lightning
10km W of Marettimo @ 1000m
14th FG. Includes John L Woolford of 49th FS KIA around 1230 (turned into Bf109s to allow two crippled planes to escape), Robert B Benton of 48th FS KIA and Frank C Howk Jr of 49th FS KIA by fighters near Trapani


21.5.43/1121
B-17 Flying Fortress
35km S of Marsala @ 7000m
Overclaiming, no losses


21.5.43/1128
Spitfire
20km NW of Pantalleria @ 800m
Said to be a USAAF machine (31st or 52nd FG?). No losses at this time in any case. Overclaiming


25.5.43/1117
B-17F Flying Fortress
40km NW of Marettimo @ 2200m
Losses attributed to fighters include B-17F-25-BO 41-24576 of 341st BS, 97th BG, 1/Lt. William Albright and 7 others safe, 1 WIA and 1 MIA. 49th BS, 2nd BG had 42-29638 damaged and forcelanded at Bizerta. 2/Lt. William J Valentine and six safe, three WIA. Possibly to fighters: B-17F-30-DL 42-3174 “Thunderbird” of 416th BS, 99th BG, Capt. Robert E L Goad and crew all KIA
347th BS had 42-29489 “Persuader” and 42-29490 “Axis Ass Ache” both damaged, crews safe



31.5.43/1444
B-17F-25-VE Flying Fortress
WNW (300 deg) of Trapani @ 100m
(Kampe, Kapp and Buschek also claimed)
Only loss was 42-5831 “The Virgin” of 32nd BS, 97th BG. 1/Lt. Victor J Lewin and six others safe, two or three (sources vary) KIA


During this sortie he claimed one Curtiss P40 (77th victory).


7.6.43/0644
P-40 Kittyhawk
5km N of Pantellaria
Overclaiming, no losses at this time



10.6.43/0926 and 0927
2 x P-40s
SSW of Granitola Torreta
Overclaiming, no losses at this time



15.6.43/0823
B-17F Flying Fortress
2km W Favignana @ 3600m
No mention of any B-17 losses. Overclaiming





11.7.43/1320
B-24 Liberator
into the sea 25km S of Crotone @ 5500m
Overclaiming, no losses to fighters (only loss was due to an accident)





16.7.43/1300 and 1315
2 x B-24D Liberators
SW of Santeramo in Colle/WSW of Bari
11 claims for just three losses in total:
42-40649/73 of 514th BS, 376th BG. 1/Lt. Samuel D Rose and eight others baled out POW, one man KIA
42-40236 “Fyrtle Myrtle” of 513th BS, 376th BG. 1/Lt. Charlie G Hinson and six others KIA, 3 POW
42-40110/53 “Pink Lady” of 513th BS, 376th BG. 1/Lt. Roger Smith Jr and four others POW, 1 returned and 3 POW





23.7.43/1410
B-17 Flying Fortress
20km N of Stromboli
Overclaiming, no losses

On 28 July 1943, the unit was ordered to hand its aircraft over to other units and the pilots and crews returned to Germany for much-needed rest and re-equipment. At Foggia, the remaining aircraft were handed over to Jagdgeschwader 3, Jagdgeschwader 53 and Jagdgeschwader 77.
The pilots took a train to Vienna-Aspern.





The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf’s Lair, Hitler’s headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland.
On August 1943, II./JG 27 was transferred to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim in Germany and starting training for a completely different air-war:
Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich) duties, at high altitude against the big, heavily armed massed-formations of four-engined bombers, or Viermots.




On 6 September, Schroer led the Gruppe on an interception of a formation of over 260 B-17s.















Now into the beginning of 1944, on 7 January 1944, III./JG 54 was based at Lüneberg and flew the Messershmitt Bf 109G-6.








“As usual flak over the target area was intense and as the big birds withdrew cripples started to trail. My flight of four had gotten scattered in the twisting and turning and I found myself very much alone and out of radio contact. I was with the main bomber stream however and continued to turn enemy fighters away as well as I could by turning toward them.
One 17 however was trailing smoke from the port side and losing altitude when four 109s started a gunnery pattern on it. I turned toward this attack which was about 5 thousand feet below, and off to my left and started a run on the fighters, calling for others in the escort to come down.
No luck. My left engine was hit, flamed, and I was forces to bail out. I landed near the town of Fischbach, high up in a tree, right arm injured, in a driving rain.
I managed to get to the ground and disposed of all military items. I buried them. I was picked up about an hour later by a forest ranger and his dog who had seen me coming down and who had alerted the military.”
Marsiglia’s aircraft is believed to have been P-38H 42-67048.







From Jean-Louis Roba’s bio in ‘Histoire de Guerre’ (defunct Belgian magazine) entitled ‘The second star of Africa’- in May, Schroer was hospitalised because of illness.
But the worsening situation and the intense pressure was taking its toll, and he was sent on a month’s stress-leave in early June just as Allied attention turned to Normandy, possibly saving his life as the unit took very heavy losses in France.
On 21 July 1944, Schroer relinquished command of III./JG 54 to Hauptmann Robert “Bazi” Weiss (121 victories, RK-EL, killed in action 29 December 1944).




Not wishing to risk bailing out, he elected to make an emergency landing when his engine malfunctioned. He ended up spending 3 months in hospital recuperating from his wounds.




On 14 February, Schröer was officially appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 3 “Udet”.
The Geschwader was deployed in eastern Germany, initially subordinated to Luftflotte 6 and then under Luftwaffenkommando Nordost, where it fought over the lower Oder in the Battle of the Oder–Neisse.








The Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) withdrew along the Baltic coast into Schleswig-Holstein.

Schröer was kept in British custody until 7 February 1946.



This figure includes 26 four-engined bombers, four of which claimed as Herausschüsse (separation shots).
















Initially he worked as a Taxicab driver in Frankfurt to help finance his family. In parallel, he attended university attaining a Master of Business Administration (Diplom-Kaufmann).
Together with his family, he then lived and worked in Rome, Italy for eleven years. In 1968, the spelling of his last name changed from Schroer to Schröer, with the Umlaut “ö”.

Schroer’s famous later years were devoted to work on a Marseille monument, who was a contemporary and a friend, but he passed away before the project was completed.

He was buried with military honors at the Parkfriedhof (park cemetery) in Ottobrunn on 15 February 1985.





•in Silver (15 September 1941)
•in Gold (15 September 1942)





•2nd class (19 April 1941)
•1st class (9 September 1941)












1 October 1938: Gefreiter
1 April 1939: Unteroffizier
1 December 1939: Feldwebel
1 March 1941: Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)
1 November 1942: Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)
1 February 1943: Hauptmann (Captain)
1 November 1943: Major (Major)
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owners © Dan & Nick’s Collaborative Experten Biographies.
AWG Team would like to thank Dan Case & Nick Hector for their contribution and continuous support for our Project.
More Biographies from Dan Case and Nick Hector | ‘Dan & Nicks’ Luftwaffe Aces’ Biographies/Claims Vault’.