Paul Semrau (12 November 1915 – 8 February 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a night fighter ace, he is credited with 46 aerial victories claimed in 350 combat missions. All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front against the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Bomber Command.
Born in Deutsch Eylau, Semrau grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe in 1936. Following training, he was posted to Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30—30th Bomber Wing) and flew the Junkers Ju 88 as a bomber pilot during the Norwegian Campaign. In June 1940, Semrau transferred to the night fighter force where he was posted to I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing). He claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 10/11 February 1941 and in December 1941, he was appointed squadron leader of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of NJG 2. In January 1944, he was given command of I. Gruppe and in November 1944 overall command of NJG 2. On 8 February 1945, Semrau and his crew were killed in action when they were shot down during a daytime maintenance flight by a RAF fighter aircraft. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 17 April 1945.
Early life and career
Semrau was born on 12 November 1915 in Deutsch Eylau, present-day Iława in northern Poland, at the time in the Province of Prussia within the German Empire. In 1936, he joined the military service with the Luftwaffe and was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) in 1938. Following flight training, he was posted to Zerstörergeschwader 26 (ZG 26—26th Destroyer Wing).
World War II
World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Following the outbreak of war, Semrau was posted to the 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of the Küstenfliegergruppe 106, a maritime aviation group. He then served as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 2. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2—2nd Destroyer Wing) flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D single engine fighter. In March 1940, he transferred to the (Zerstörergruppe) of Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30—30th Bomber Wing) where he learned to fly the Junkers Ju 88 multirole combat aircraft.
Night fighter career
Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign. By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.
In July 1940, elements of (Z)/KG 30 were trained and converted to flying night fighter missions. This unit flew long-distance night fighter missions (Fernnachtjagd) referred to as intruder missions over England. These elements then became the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of the newly created Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). On 11 September, II. Gruppe of NJG 1 was reassigned and became the I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing) Kammhuber had created I. Gruppe of NJG 2 with the idea of utilizing the Ju 88 C-2 and Dornier Do 17 Z as an offensive weapon, flying long range intruder missions into British airspace, attacking RAF airfields. Until October 1941, I. Gruppe operated from the Gilze-Rijen Air Base, and commanded by Major Karl Hülshoff. Semrau was appointed Staffelkapitän of the 3. Staffel of NJG 2 on 22 December 1940.
Semrau claimed two aerial victories on the night of 10/11 February 1941 over two Bristol Blenheim bombers shot down near Feltwell. The Blenheim bombers belonged to No. 21 Squadron, the second of which was destroyed during the landing approach. These were his first aerial victories, he had already claimed six aircraft destroyed on the ground flying destroyer missions. The Blenheim bombers were returning from an attack on Hannover and included Blenheim Z5877 flown by Sergeant A. Chatterway who was killed in action. He claimed his third aerial victory on the night of 7/8 May when he shot down a Vickers Wellington bomber near Nottingham. This earned him the Iron Cross 2nd Class () on 17 May. The following night, Semrau claimed a Blenheim bomber shot down south of Grantham.