Fighter Pilot Franz Xaver Baron von Werra

*July 13, 1914 in Leuk Kt.Wallis Switzerland Killed on †October 25, 1941 North of Vlissingen.

Franz von Werra was Born as the seventh of eight Children of a Swiss noble Family in the Kanton of Valais Switzerland. His Father was the Notary Leo Baron von Werra and his Mother was Henriette, née von Wolff. Due to Financial Difficulties, Franz was given up for Adoption at the Age of 15 Months and his Sister Emma-Charlotte. They came to Germany to live with the Childless Family of the Prussian Major Oswald Carl and his wife Louisa Baroness von Haber. There he spent his Childhood in the Villa Donaueck (now Haus Maria Trost) in Beuron.

In 1925 the Family moved to Cologne, but by 1932 this Family was also Financially ruined; the Adoptive parents separated. Franz von Werra tried to get to America via Hamburg as a Stowaway on the Cargo Ship Niederwald, but was Discovered.

When he Found out that he had been Adopted as a Small Child, he took his Birth Name again at the Age of 18. He left high School and, after Various odd Jobs, Attended

In the Summer of 1933 he Attended the SA Sports School in Hamm. In 1934 he was Appointed SA Leader and needed Proof of Aryan ancestry. Through his Research (the priest of St. Stephan in Leuk issued him with Written Proof of his ancestry), Franz von Werra Learned Details of his Biological Family.

Military Career

When the Wehrmacht began to be built up, he Signed up as an Officer Candidate for the Luftwaffe and was Trained at the Flying School near Berlin. In 1936 he was Promoted to Lieutenant. When the war began, he was already deployed in Poland with a Squadron (I. Group/JG 1) of Messerschmitt Bf 109 Fighters. In the French campaign that Followed in the 2nd Squadron of Jagdgeschwader 3, he Achieved his first Aerial Victories by Shooting down two French Bombers with his Bf 109. For this, he Received the Iron Cross 2nd Class a Few Days Later and the 1st Class in the same

Year. On December 14, 1940, he was Awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the French Campaign,he was Appointed to the Staff of the II.Group/JG 53, Promoted to First Lieutenant on August 1,1940, and became Adjutant of the II.Group of Jagdgeschwader 53.On September 5,1940, Franz von Werra was Shot down during a Mission in the Battle of Britain near Winchet Hill South of London and was taken Prisoner of war by the British after an emergency landing.

Escape

As a Prisoner of war, Franz von Werra was taken to London, where he was initially Interrogated and a Few Weeks Later Transferred to the Grizedale Hall Prisoner of war camp in the Lake District. There he Made his first Escape Attempt on October 7th. He was able to Hide from his Pursuers on foot for Seven Days before he was caught. He was then Transferred to the Swanwick camp in Derbyshire, from where he Made a Second Escape Attempt on December 20th, 1940. Disguised as a Dutch Pilot, he Made it to the cockpit of a Waiting Fighter plane at a near by Royal Air Force Airfield in Hucknall, but was caught again.

On January 10th, 1941, the British Transferred most of their Prisoners to Canada on the Duchess of York. During a Train Journey in Canada, von Werra Made his Third, this time successful, Escape Attempt near the Town of Smiths Falls. He Managed to Escape Across the Frozen St. Lawrence River to the then neutral United States and Made his Way back to Germany via South America, Africa, Spain and Italy, where he reached Germany in April 1941.

Fallen

From June Onwards he Flew again as a Fighter Pilot, this time initially in the Russian campaign. After Marrying his Girlfriend Elfi Traut on August 22, 1941, he was Promoted to Captain. In the Autumn of 1941 he became Commander of the I. Group of the 53rd Fighter Wing (JG 53 "Pik As") in the Coastal Defense in the Netherlands to Fight British Bombers. On October 25, the Engine of his Messerschmitt Bf E-4 Failed during a Reconnaissance Flight near Katwijk over the North Sea. His plane Crashed into the Water and sank Immediately. Unlike his Sister Emma, he never got to Know his Biological Family, Especially his Father Leo Baron von Werra, who was still Alive at the time.

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