Bernhard Jope

Bernhard Jope
Bernhard Jope
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1935–1945
Rank	Oberstleutnant
Unit	KG 30, KG 40, KG 100
Commands held	KG 40, KG 100
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain
Awards	Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work	Lufthansa pilot

Oberstleutnant Bernhard Jope (born 10 May 1914 in Leipzig; died 31 July 1995 in Königstein im Taunus) was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Biography

Bernhard Jope and Fritz Fliegel

In support of the Kriegsmarine, Jope flew the Fw 200 "Condor" on missions across the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. On 26 October 1940 he spotted the troop transport Empress of Britain and severely damaged her with two 250 kg bombs. The Empress of Britain was subsequently sunk by U 32, commanded by Hans Jenisch, on 28 October 1940.

During his time at Kampfgeschwader 100 (KG 100) Jope led an attack on 9 September 1943 on the Italian battle fleet that was sailing from La Spezia en route to Malta, to surrender to the Allies. Jope led a formation of eleven Dornier 217's armed with the Fritz X radio controlled glide bomb and in the ensuing action the 45,000 ton Italian battleship Roma was hit twice and sank. The Roma's sister ship, Italia, was hit by a single Fritz, but was able to make it to Malta. In later action, Jope and KG 100 scored hits with the Fritz on the British battleship Warspite and cruiser Uganda, and the US cruiser Savannah.

Awards

• German Cross in Gold (5 February 1942)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1939)
  • 1st Class (1940)
• Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 December 1940 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the 2./KG 40
  • 431st Oak Leaves on 24 March 1944 as als Major and Geschwaderkommodore of KG 100
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 29 October 1940

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Tuesday, 29 October 1940	Beim ersten Angriff auf den großen, stark geschützten Transportdampfer "Empress of Britain" zeichente sich die Besatzung eines Kampfflugzeuges unter Führung des Oberleutnants Jope besonders aus.	The crew of a combat aircraft under the leadership of Oberleutnant Jope distinguished itself in the initial attack on the large and heavily defended transport steamer "Empress of Britain".

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 (in German). Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2004). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld - Primozic (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-21-1.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.