.. from the 'Adler im Süden' dated Tuesday 24 March 1942 (nummer 24)
"...Just a few days ago, the Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) introduced him to us as our "chick". ('unser Küken') He took him under his arm with fatherly kindness and hugged him close, as if the lad still needed special protection and tender care.
The "chick" has since taken wing—in more ways than one. Now, on his twenty-first combat sortie, he has shot down a Hurricane off the coast of Malta, just like the veterans do. A single pass was enough; the Englishman tumbled, crashed onto the chalk cliffs of Malta, and burned. There stood the Gefreiter Beitz in the circle of old hands—men who had already added a zero to their tally of victories - and was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class. A spark of daring spirit shone in his bright eyes; he grinned broadly, accepting their congratulations—still a youngster, yet already a true fighter pilot.
When the war broke out, he was an eighteen-year-old office worker; he volunteered, determined to become a fighter pilot. It took time, but he eventually found the finest role imaginable: flying fighter missions with the legendary "Ace of Spades" Geschwader. He knows what is expected of him, and he has proven himself. He aims to build upon the trust placed in him and to live up to the example set by his role models..."
**War Correspondent Helmut Heidelauf**
Gert Beitz of 9./JG 53 achieved a second victory on 18 May 1942 but in the course of the dogfight in which he shot down a Spitfire, Beitz’s own Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (WNr. 8670, "Yellow 2 + I") was struck and heavily damaged during aerial combat. Beitz successfully bailed out of his crippled fighter and parachuted safely into the Mediterranean. He was quickly rescued from the water by a Royal Air Force (RAF) High-Speed Launch and spent the remainder of the war as a POW.
From the original PK caption - "..Combat in the Mediterranean: escorted by our
agile fighters, our combat aircraft thunder toward their target
(Malta) carrying their destructive payloads..."
PK (Propaganda Company) photo: War correspondent Linden.
The "chick" has since taken wing—in more ways than one. Now, on his twenty-first combat sortie, he has shot down a Hurricane off the coast of Malta, just like the veterans do. A single pass was enough; the Englishman tumbled, crashed onto the chalk cliffs of Malta, and burned. There stood the Gefreiter Beitz in the circle of old hands—men who had already added a zero to their tally of victories - and was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class. A spark of daring spirit shone in his bright eyes; he grinned broadly, accepting their congratulations—still a youngster, yet already a true fighter pilot.
When the war broke out, he was an eighteen-year-old office worker; he volunteered, determined to become a fighter pilot. It took time, but he eventually found the finest role imaginable: flying fighter missions with the legendary "Ace of Spades" Geschwader. He knows what is expected of him, and he has proven himself. He aims to build upon the trust placed in him and to live up to the example set by his role models..."
**War Correspondent Helmut Heidelauf**
Below; Friedrichs of III./JG 53 in February 1942 heading for Malta ..
PK (Propaganda Company) photo: War correspondent Linden.
Below Kommandeur III. /JG 53 and Ritterkreuzträger Kaminski with one of his pilots describing a combat...
