On Friday 1 September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland Siegfried Simsch was posted to JG 134 "Horst Wessel. However by late 1940 he was posted to 5./JG 52.

While flying as leader of a Schwarm on 14 April 1941 Simsch was involved in debacle, supposedly to attack the RAF airfield at Manston, however due to bad weather he instead found and led an attack on the Luftwaffe airfield at Saint-Omer. In this attack, the Schwarm destroyed nine aircraft, wounding two pilots and five Black Men.

He was together with the rest of his Schwarm punished by Hermann Göring, ending any hopes for any advancement in career. However a month later on 18 May, he redeemed himself by claiming a Spitfire downed north of Dover. This was to be his first claim of the war.

While participate in the attack on the Soviet Union, he manage to files his second, a I-15 on the first day of the invasion. He would continue his scoring by reaching a total of 13 confirmed victories. This resulted that on 6 September 1941, Simsch was appointed as the new Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel of JG 52.

He would add another 13 VVS aircraft to his scoreboard, his last for the year was filed on 26 December in combat near Moscow before being transferred for rast and refit.

Back into action Oblt. Simsch would filed his 27 Abschusse on 8 May 1942 a MiG-1. However on on 29 May 1942, Simsch, now with 45 confirmed victories under his belt was to be on the reciving end, wounded by a bombers return fire, he was forced to bail out of this Bf 109 F-4 "Black 1" 10 kilometers west of Izum.

After his convalescence, on 1 July, Simsch was awarded the Ritterkreuz. He was one of four JG 52 pilots presented with the Knight's Cross that day. The other three pilots to receive the distinction that day were Fw. Alfred Grislawski, Fw. Karl Steffen and Uffz. Karl Gratz.

Hauptman Siegfried Simsch by then appointed to Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 11 he was to fly his last combat mission over Normandie. When on 8 June 1944, he was shot down and killed by a USSAF P-51 Mustangs over Rennes.

In total Simsch total is a bit uncertain, some accredited him with a total of 54 aerial victories, while the author Rigg however lists him with 95 aerial victories claimed in approximately 400 combat missions.

It is interesting to note that Simsch was one of five Jews fighting in the Jagdwaffe who recived the Ritterkreutz, the another five was, Oskar Romm, Rudolf Schmidt, Günther von Maltzahn and Heinz "Jonny" Schmidt.

Note behid the Geschwader emblem the name "Tönchen" is written in white.

This profile was one of three Luftwaffe fighters made during the week, it will be published in my upcoming profile Book No 17.