Erbo Graf von Kageneck

Erbo Graf von Kageneck (2 April 1918 – 12 January 1942) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. A flying ace, he was credited with 67 aerial victories and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Early life Kageneck was born on 2 April 1918 in Bonn, at the time in the Rhine Province of the German Empire. He was the fourth of six children of Generalmajor Karl Graf von Kageneck and Freiin Maria von Schorlemer, daughter of Clemens Freiherr von Schorlemer-Lieser, an Imperial Secretary of Agriculture. He first name was Arbogast in homage to a distant 10th century Kageneck knight, which was quickly summed up to Erbo. His brothers included Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck (1913–2005), a captain in the army, and August von Kageneck (1922–2004), a lieutenant in the army, later a journalist and writer. World War II Kageneck joined the German air force, the Luftwaffe, in 1936. At the outbreak of World War II, he served with Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). On 5 July 1940, the Jagdwaffe (fighter force) of the Luftwaffe was reorganized and in consequence the I. Gruppe of JG 1 became the III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), subsequently his 2. Staffel of JG 1 became the 8. Staffel of JG 27. Two weeks later, on 19 July, Kageneck was wounded in aerial combat east of the Isle of Wight while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4. It is possible, that his opponent may have been Pilot Officer Frank Reginald Carey who claimed to have scored hits on two and to have shot down one Bf 109 that day. On 18 September 1940, Kageneck was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel of JG 27, replacing Oberleutnant Max Dobislav who was transferred. He was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 October 1940. On 10 November, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from Channel operations. The Gruppe was first ordered to Diepholz Airfield and then to Vechta for a period of replenishment and equipment overhaul.