ENGBRECHT, Sergeant Peter (R140754, later C88377) - Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) - No.424 Squadron - Award effective 4 August 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 2101/44 dated 29 September 1944. Born in Poltavka, Russia, 27 January 1923. Home in Summerside, Prince Edward Island (blacksmith with his father). Enlisted for General Duties in Winnipeg, 17 November 1941 and posted to No.2 Manning Depot, Brandon, that date. To No.12 SFTS, Brandon, 28 November 1941. Promoted AC1, 17 February 1942. Promoted LAC, 17 May 1942. To No.1 GRS, Summerside, 19 July 1942. To “Y” Depot, Halifax, 17 November 1942. To RAF Training Pool, 10 December 1942. Taken on strength of No.3 PRC, 19 December 1942. To No.3076 SE (whatever that is), 14 January 1943. To Fairwood Common, 29 January 1943. To Middle Wallop, 8 February 1943. To Kenley, date uncertain. To No.127 Airfield, 12 July 1943. To No.14 Initial Training Wing, 31 July 1943 on remuster to aircrew. To No.7 Air Gunner School, 18 September 1943. Graded as Air Gunner and promoted Sergeant, 30 October 1943. To No.82 OTU, 2 November 1943. To No.61 Base, 9 March 1944. Attached to No.1659 Conversion Unit, 2 April to 12 May 1944. To No.424 Squadron, 12 May 1944. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 30 July 1944. Commissioned, with effect from 23 July 1944 as per Appointments, Promotions and Retirements Order dated 2 October 1944. To No.1659 Conversion Unit, 21 October 1944. Promoted Flying Officer, 23 January 1945. Repatriated 8 April 1945. To No.2 Air Command, Winnipeg, 17 April 1945. To No.5 Release Centre, 3 June 1945. Released 28 June 1945. Rejoined RCAF, 22 July 1948 (16972) in Summerside as Mess Orderly. Promoted LAC, 23 July 1948. To Station Clinton, 31 July 1948. To No.4 Loran Unit, 17 December 1948. Posted from Northwest Air Command to Summerside, 5 October 1949. To No.26 Maintenance Unit, Calgary, 17 September 1950. Promoted Corporal, 1 August 1951. Reclassified as Mechanical Technician, 14 March 1952. To No.2 PSU, London, 28 January 1953. Commissioned in Fighter Control Branch, 7 February 1953 in rank of Flying Officer. To No.3 ADCC, Scarborough, 11 April 1953. To No.33 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Falconbridge, 11 May 1953. To No.221 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Sydney, 1 August 1954. Retired 6 February 1958 on completion of fixed term of commission. Re-engaged in Regular Force, 7 February 1958 in Fighter Control Branch and with rank of Leading Aircraftman. To No.2402 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 26 February 1958. Promoted Corporal, 29 March 1958. To Station Dawson Creek, 30 March 1958. To Station Falconbridge, 24 June 1961. To Station Ramore, 17 December 1962. To Station Falconbridge, 17 December 1963. To Station Pagwa, 16 June 1966. To Station Beausejour, 12 November 1966.Died in Whitewater, Manitoba, 25 April 1991 as per Airforce Magazine of October-November-December 1991. RCAF photo PL-22101 (ex UK-4933 dated 19 August 1943) shows him as he was completing his air gunner training. See also photo PL-30467 (UK-11494) showing him and Gillanders; PL-32404 and PL-35919 are portraits. Photo RCAF photo PL-31147 (ex UK-12480 dated 10 July 1944) shows (left) FS J.P. Florence of Montreal (rear gunner, DFM) and Sergeant Peter Engbrecht of Whitewater, Manitoba (CGM Flying); caption says that one Engbrecht’s victories had been scored with one of his four guns jammed. RCAF photo PL-31259 (ex UK-12511dated 14 July 1944) shows Florence and Engbrecht playing pool. Photo PL-32774 (ex UK-14593 dated 9 September 1944) taken after a raid on Brest; he is shown reviewing the night’s work with Master Sergeant Charles Gunn (Portland, Oregon, RCAF trained and recently transferred to American forces). // As mid-upper gunner this airman has participated in several sorties and has proved himself to be an exceptionally cool and confident member of aircraft crew. On one occasion during a sortie his aircraft was subjected to fourteen separate attacks by fighters. In the ensuing fights, Sergeant Engbrecht defended his aircraft with great skill and two of the attackers fell to his guns. In June 1944 he took part in an attack on a target in Northern France. On the return flight his aircraft was attacked on two occasions by fighters. Sergeant Engbrecht engaged the enemy aircraft with deadly effect each time and his brilliant shooting caused their destruction. His feats have been worthy of the greatest praise. // Engbrecht’s score as an air gunner has been the subject of some confusion and error. The RCAF Overseas: The Fifth Year records his action of 13 August 1944 twice (on pages 218 and 223), and although the book indicates that the team of Engbrecht and Gillanders shot down two enemy aircraft, it is evident from the Combat Report that Gillanders accounted for one with no fire added by Engbrecht. Even more misleading is a short obituary article by Bert Chiffins (“Gunner Ace Remembered”, Airforce, October-November-December 1991) which credited him with participating in the destruction of two enemy aircraft on 27 May 1944 (correct), two more shot down “two weeks later” (correct), and then “two victories during a raid on Brunswick” (he engaged only one with Gillanders). Finally, the article states, “He added two more kills during a raid on the Falaise Gap, 14 September.” In fact, the Falaise Gap had been three weeks previous, and no further kills directly involving Engbrecht can be traced (although Gillanders scored a “probably destroyed” on the night of 16/17 August 1944). // Combat Reports held in the Directorate of History and Heritage detail his successful actions as follows: // 27/28 May 1944: Two enemy aircraft claimed destroyed (one Me.110 and one FW.190). Halifax HX316 (D/424), captain Flight Officer James Grant Keys, USAAF (later awarded DFC). Target was Bourg-Leopold. Action began at 0218, height 8,000 feet, position 50̊ 48" North 04̊ 40" East. There was slight flak and fighter flares; good visibility, half moon and no cloud. Rear Gunner was Sergeant Gillanders (who fired negligible rounds), Mid-Upper Gunner was Sergeant Engbrecht (100 rounds in first attack, 60 rounds in second engagement). Bomber was on track but lower than briefed. Narrative as follows: // This enemy fighter made a bow attack and the first warning received was his trace, the pilot immediately going into a corkscrew and the Mid-Upper [Engbrecht] firing at the trace. The aircraft itself was not sighted, consequently no range could be given but the Bomb Aimer had a glimpse of the fuselage as it went down and is of the opinion that it was a Me.110. The fighter appeared to drop off on one wing and went down in flames, a petrol tank exploding on the way down and another heavy explosion upon impact with the ground which was witnessed by the Pilot, Engineer and Bomb-Aimer. // Continuous attacks followed, mainly by three aircraft operating together, a Ju.88 with two 109s on either quarter. On this first attack three guns of the Mid-upper turret packed up and all guns in the rear turret. The one gun from the Mid-Upper Turret was the only one serviceable for the rest of the sortie with the exception of one gun working from the Rear Turret towards the end of the trip and very few rounds were fired from the gun. The attack given on this pro-forma came after several sightings and through the corkscrewing the aircraft was below the height of the main stream. // The second principal engagement was at 0235 hours, height 6,000 feet, position 50̊ 55" North 03̊ 45" East. Visual obtained by Mid-Upper gunner [Engbrecht] at 400 yards, port quarter up. Enemy aircraft did not fire but broke away on port beam at 150 yards. Engbrecht opened fire (with only one gun) at 300 yards. Narrative as follows: // After further attacks after the first mentioned attack, a FW.190 attacked from the port quarter up and started to break away on the port beam, the mid-upper firing almost continuously and observing the fighter to blow up in his sights. Observed by the pilot, engineer and rear gunner. The attacks were kept until reaching the English coast. Types seen were Ju.88, Me.109, nearly all operating in threes. The Mid-Upper Gunner had no time to clear his guns and used the only one to shoot the second machine down. Further hardship was caused by i/c failure from the rear turret, combat manouevre being passed on and given by the Rear Gunner. Total rounds fired on the sortie - 220 rounds, 200 from Mid-Upper Turret. // 10/11 June 1944: Two enemy aircraft claimed destroyed (one Me.110 diving out of control, seen to explode on ground, and one Me.109 on fire). Halifax HX316 (D/424), captain Flight Officer James Grant Keys, USAAF. Target was Versailles-Metelot. Action began at 0107 hours, height 6,000 feet, position 48̊ 24" North 01̊ 05" East. There was no flak but one fighter flare on starboard beam; good visibility, cloud base at 6, 500 feet. Rear Gunner was Sergeant Gillanders (who fired 250 rounds in two actions, Mid-Upper Gunner was Sergeant Engbrecht (450 rounds in two actions). In both actions, Gillanders opened fire at 250 yards, down to 200 yards and Engbrecht opened fire at 450 yards down to 400 yards. Flight Engineer searched the dark sky while gunners engaged, 500 feet of height lost during corkscrew manouevre. Narrative for first action as follows: // At the position given a fighter flare was seen to drop on the starboard beam. The enemy aircraft came in from behind the flare and in doing so silhouetted himself against it. The Me.110 opened fire at 400 yards; almost immediately on sighting. The Mid-Upper Gunner ordered combat manouevre and opened fire right after, keeping up his fire until the engagement was broken off, the Rear Gunner getting in a short burst at 250 yards. The fighter seemed to lose control at 200 yards range, diving straight down and an explosion was seen on the ground a few seconds later. // Second engagement was 0108 hours (one minute later), height 4,000 feet, position 48̊ 22" North 00̊ 51" East. Enemy aircraft approached from starboard beam, up very slightly, breaking starboard quarter down at 250 yards. Narrative as follows: // In this combat conditions were the same as in the previous one, identical ranges, etc, except that the fighter was seen to go on fire, flame coming from the engine so far as can be ascertained, and then went down into scattered cloud below, the whole cloud lighting up a few seconds later. The fire did not start until the breakaway, starting with a small glow and growing rapidly. Due to being in a corkscrew the illumination in the cloud was seen by all members of the crew except the wireless operator and navigator. // 13 August 1944: One unidentified enemy aircraft engaged in inconclusive action and two as destroyed (one Me.210 and one Me.109). Halifax MZ802 (G/424). Target was Brunswick. Action began at 0025 hours, height 18,000 feet, position 52̊ 35" North 09̊ 59" East. There was light and heavy flak plus searchlights. There was 6/10 medium cloud and high cirrus clous. Fishpond device was serviceable but gave no warning. Attack by Me.210 developed from port quarter level. Rear Gunner Flight Sergeant Gillanders fired 280 rounds, starting at 450 yards and down to 300 yards; Flight Sergeant Engbrecht as mid-upper gunner fired 240 rounds. Fighter opened fire at 400 yards, ceased at 350 yards and broke straight down. Corkscrew manoueuvre and 5-600 feet lost. Narrative for first action as follows: // Enemy aircraft was first seen by MUG and RG as it attacked and shot down another Halifax on the port quarter. The fighter then turned and attacked from the port quarter level at 450 yards, corkscrew port was given by MUG. Fighter opened fire at 400 yards and both gunners immediately returned fire. Trace from both turrets converged on the enemy aircraft which burst into flames and was seen to explode by both gunners and engineer. This aircraft was identified as an Me.210. // Second action was at 0103; height 18,000 feet, position 55̊ 54" North 08̊ 15" East. There was light and heavy flak plus searchlights on port beam; 5/10 medium cloud below, high cirrus above. There was 6/10 medium cloud and high cirrus clous. Fishpond device was serviceable but gave no warning. Attack by Me.109 developed from port quarter down. Rear Gunner Flight Sergeant Gillanders fired 210 rounds, starting at 400 yards and down to 300 yards; Flight Sergeant Engbrecht is not recorded as opening fire. Fighter opened fire at 400 yards, ceased at 300 yards and broke down in flames. Corkscrew manoueuvre. Narrative as follows: // Rear Gunner sighted enemy aircraft at 400 yards port quarter down. He immediately gave evasive action, corkscrew port. Both Rear Gunner and fighter opened fire at the same time. Trace was seen striking enemy aircraft which burst into flames and shortly afterwards exploded. The aircraft was identified as an Me.109 when it burst into flames and was seen to explode by engineer and both gunners. The pilot also saw the flash and burning parts going down. // Third action was at 0110 and involved Engbrecht only. Height 12,000 feet, position 53̊ 55" North 07̊ 10" East. Light haze and high cirrus above; flak plus searchlights on port beam. Fishpond not turned on at this point. Unidentified enemy aircraft seen on port bow, level; he opened fire at 550 yards down to 450 yards; enemy aircraft fired from 600 yards to 450 yards. Engbrecht fired 250 rounds; bomber corkscrewed to port. Narrative as follows: // An unidentified aircraft was seen by the Mid-Upper Gunner attacking from the port bow level at 600 yards and he immediately gave the evasive action, corkscrew port. The enemy aircraft opened fire at 550 yards, Mid-Upper Gunner returned fire and fighter broke off at 450 yards on the port quarter down and was not seen again. No hits are claimed by the gunner. // Note: Application for Operational Wing dated 14 March 1945, when he was with No.1659 Conversion Unit, stated he had flown 32 sorties (166 hours 50 minutes) with No.424 Squadron, 26 May to 4 October 1944. // RCAF Press Release No.6457 dated 6 September 1944 from S/L T.C. McCall, transcribed by Huguette Oates, reads: // WITH RCAF BOMBER GROUP OVERSEAS: -- Young Peter Engbrecht is perhaps the number paradox of the Royal Canadian Air Force. He is, to begin with, a member of a religious sect one of whose tenets is opposed to participation in wars. Then again, in his veins flows blood which is one hundred percent Germanic. His early career in the Air Force hardly prepared him for the role of a hero, since it involved waiting on table in the officers’ mess and later serving as batman. // Today, only partially finished with his first operational tour, the 21-year-old bomber gunner can claim a record unparalleled in the RCAF He has personally destroyed five enemy aircraft and probably destroyed a sixth. One of his victories was scored under the almost incredible circumstances of having three of his four guns inoperative, yet scoring bulls-eyes on an attacking fighter with the one still functioning. // As any experienced bomber man will tell you, an air gunner’s job is not primarily to shoot down fighters. It is to prevent his own aircraft from being shot down by spotting enemy marauders in advance of attack, guiding his own pilot by instructions for evasive action when and if an attack develops, and as a last resort, using his guns to defend his plane if the Nazi persists. // Beneath his air gunner’s wing, Peter Engbrecht wears one of the most rare decorations in the armed forces, the ribbon --- light and dark blue --- of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, roughly the equivalent to the Distinguished Service Order which can be won only by officers. When awarded the CGM by His Majesty the King at an open-air ceremony on one of the Canadian Bomber Group stations, Peter Engbrecht was still a sergeant. Shortly after this event, he became a flight sergeant and has recently been commissioned. // A sturdily-built, fair-haired young man, Pilot Officer Engbrecht is self-conscious about his speech which he insists still bears traces of German accent. German had always been spoken in his family and, until recently, his letters home had been written in that language. Now he writes them in English because of complications which were constantly arising out of his use of the enemy’s language. // Actually, his family home was for many years in the Duchy of Luxembourg. Then they moved to the Ukraine and in 1928 the Engbrechts crossed the ocean to settle in Whitewater, Manitoba, members of a Mennonite community. There, the head of the family, Nicholas Engbrecht established himself as a blacksmith and in due course was joined in the business by Peter after he had finished public school. // The outbreak of war brought problems to the Engbrecht family. Peter, the oldest son, wanted to enlist when he reached 18, and a family council was held. “We finally consulted the Bishop,” he says. “My father couldn’t refuse me permission to go since he had himself fought for seven years in the Russian army and during the revolution. The way we decided it was that Canada deserved fighting for, and I was allowed to join up. I was the first Mennonite, so far as I know, to do so.” // The embryo gunnery ace enlisted in March 1941, but was not called until November of that year. He went to the service flying school at Brandon and worked as a waiter in the officers’ mess and as a canteen steward. Then he was transferred to Summerside, P.E.I. and was a batman in the officers’ quarters. In December 1942, he was posted overseas and after arriving in Great Britain served as a “G.D.” (General duties) and later as an armourer’s assistant. Late the following year, he was permitted to remuster as an air gunner and won his wing in October. It was not until May, 1944, that he joined the Tiger squadron of the RCAF Bomber Group. His first operational sortie was flown on May 26th when his aircraft, piloted by Flight Officer Keys, an American, was one of a force of Halifaxes which attacked Le Havre, The trip was wholly uneventful. // The next night, the Canadian crews got the sort of target which they really relished: a German military camp at Bourg-Leopold, Belgium. It was on this trip that Engbrecht destroyed his first two German fighters. “We were attacked once on the way in,” he relates, “but lost him by evasive action. Then, on the way home, a fighter came in on us, firing his guns as he closed in. He was only 200 yards away when he dropped a wing and turned where I could get a bead on him. We saw him catch fire and start down. Then there was an explosion --- his petrol tanks, I guess – and he blew up.” Engbrecht identified this as a Messerchmitt 110. // It was during this engagement that three of Engbrecht’s four guns “packed up”. At the same time, the rear gunner reported that all four of his guns were unserviceable. To complicate matters further, Engbrecht’s intercom equipment was not working, so he was unable to communicate with other members of the crew. At this moment, a FW190 came tearing in on the port quarter. There wasn’t much to the engagement, according to Engbrecht. “He didn’t fire at all. I started to fire with the one gun that was operating and saw him blow up about 100 yards from our kite. Think I must have hit his petrol tank underneath. The way it turned out, I figure that every bullet must have hit him; the stream just seemed to pour into the fighter.” // It was exactly two weeks later that Skipper Keys took his crew to bomb railway yards at Versailles-Matelot, near Paris. Returning from the target, about halfway between Paris and Cherbourg, the sky was suddenly illuminated by a fighter flare. “A Me109 came out from behind the flare,” Engbrecht relates, “and I saw him silhouetted. Then I gave him a short burst and he caught fire almost immediately and exploded right behind us. Just then, a Me110 came in on our starboard side and I opened up again. He caught fire and started down. Then he disappeared in a cloud and suddenly there was a bright flash and the cloud lit up, as though by an explosion.” // The next event of importance on the Engbrecht calendar was award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and its presentation by the King. That was on August 11th. The next night, he was detailed for an attack on Brunswick. “We saw a couple of fighters on the way in to the target but they didn’t attack us,” Engbrecht says. “Even though you are not attacked when you know that there are fighters around, it makes you all the more alert. Then I saw a Me210 get a four-engined bomber and start for us. The three of us opened fire all at the same time – the fighter, our rear gunner and myself. We could see our bullets bouncing off him as he came in. Then he caught fire and we watched him all the way down to the deck.” // Shortly, after this incident, as a result of which Engbrecht and Sergeant Gillanders, the rear gunner, claim “half” an aircraft destroyed, the rear gunner shot down and got credit for a second enemy aircraft destroyed. Four nights later, returning from Kiel, Sergeant Gillanders claimed a “probable” when their aircraft was attacked over the sea. // As a youngster, Engbrecht spent much of his time hunting rabbits with a .22 rifle and finds that there is a marked parallel between his childhood sport and the present grim business. At the same time, he has his own theories about operational technique. // “In a fighter attack, I am never conscious of sighting. It seems to be something that you do automatically. You lay on deflection, move ahead of the target and hold your aim there until ready to fire. I think I can honestly say that I’ve only really missed the one time; that was when I got a probable. The Jerry was at extreme range and it was more by good luck than good judgment that I hit him at all.” // He also gives his eyesight a good share of the credit for his phenomenal success and has developed a method of searching the skies which emphasizes the optical principle of following moving objects in the dark by using the corner of the eyes, rather than looking at them directly. // And finally – and in Engbrech’s views, the most important – is perfect teamwork between members of his crew, particularly the pilot, rear gunner and himself. “If it hadn’t been for a good skipper and the good corkscrews he was able to do during our evasive action, we never would have managed to get away from half of our fighter attacks,” he says. “Our skipper is really superb. We work out and practice methods together, and when a fighter jumps us, we all cooperate to get away or to shoot him down.” // Engbrecht, by reading and study, gives the impression of a man who has matured far beyond his years. He speaks deliberately and well and has given a good deal of thought to the postwar period. Primarily, he would like to remain in the Air Force and, if possible, train as a pilot although he has a good craftsman’s pride in his present air gunner’s trade. He would like to obtain a better education and possibly take some part in public life. As a side-line to his work of assisting his father in the blacksmith shop, he had operated a small fuel supply business, and in all probability will return to that after the war. He was married while stationed at Summerside and is fully conscious of his family obligations, particularly in view of the fact that his father is advancing in years and may need his help at home. There are three sisters and brother in the family besides himself. // One of the things that irritate him is the interest of strangers and new acquaintances in the fact that he is of German origin. They invariably ask, he says, “how does it feel to shoot down Germans?” “I have no love for the Nazis at all,” he says. “But I have met good Germans as well as bad ones. What we shall have to do after this war is over, is to take them in hand and teach the younger generation the right way of life in the same way that Hitler has tried to teach them the wrong way. That’s the only way we’ll ever straighten them out.” // Peter Engbrecht regards himself as a Canadian and looks to Canada as a land of unparalleled opportunity for young men such as himself. “For a man who is not afraid to work, you can get ahead in Canada even without a formal education,” he observes. “The boys who want to hold down office jobs will find it harder. But if you really want to work, you can get ahead in Canada.” // On 9 November 2013 the Winnipeg Free Press carried an article by Randy Turner, “A Soldier Shunned”, descrbing conflicts in the Mennonite communities over wartime service and how some were shunned by their congregations and familoies. The case of Peter Engbrecht was covered as follows: // Such is the story of Peter Engbrecht of Boissevain, a small farming community in southwestern Manitoba, who as a young man was considered a larger-than-life figure at home. Engbrecht was one of 15 Mennonites from Boissevain to enlist, joining the Royal Canadian Air Force as a bomber gunner. // "The way we decided it was that Canada deserved fighting for." (Peter Engbrecht) In a British Wings magazine article, later reprinted in the Boissevain Recorder, Engbrecht described his eagerness to join the war effort, despite objections from the local church authorities. // "A family council was held," he said. "We finally consulted the bishop. My father couldn’t refuse me permission to go since he had himself fought for seven years in the Russian army and during the Revolution. The way we decided it was that Canada deserved fighting for." // By 1944, Engbrecht was a household name in Canada, becoming the RCAF’s only ace who was not a pilot. He shot down eight fighters and disabled a ninth, on bombing runs over Belgium, France and Germany. // Engbrecht was decorated for bravery by King George himself, and the subject of a parade on Parliament Hill. His exploits were trumpeted in newspapers across the country, and not without mention of his conflicting circumstance. Noted the Toronto Star: "The paradoxical Peter Engbrecht is, all at once, a member of a religious sect which forbids participation in wars, of pure German descent, a member of the RCAF." // Yet Engbrecht wasn’t so openly revered in his own Mennonite community back home. He had a tendency to regale the locals with his war stories and brazenly wore his uniform to church, sitting in the third row. // "Some loved his stories; many did not," Engbrecht’s cousin, Rudi, wrote in an email to the Free Press. "Others who had returned from the war, including Anglo-Saxons and other Mennonites, appreciated that he had enlisted and fought, but remained quiet, often resentful, that he talked with such pride and in such detail about personal exploits. // "This general silence in the community was also the silence of the Whitewater Mennonite Church he attended. He attended proudly in his RCAF uniform but he was met with silence. The Church did not know how to respond."