Hans Deibl

Stuka Pilot Hans Deibl Tribute Page

Hi and welcome to this page!

I met Hans as a result of an internet search and with the help of his daughter Cordelie contact was established. Hans visited South Africa in November 2012 and I had the privilege to show him around for a few days.

On this page is presented Hans' war photographs , flight log book and war memoirs. Also the video interviews that were made when Hans was with us here in South Africa.

Upon finishing school in 1940, Hans joined the Luftwaffe as an cadet officer pilot. Eventually after nearly two years of training he was posted to North Africa in March 1942 for combat operations.
On the 3d of June 1942, Cecil Golding's squadron intercepted a group of German Stukas. In the following battle Cecil shot down a Stuka that was beleived to be Hans Deibl's aircraft. Hans parachuted from his plane but sustained severe burns to his arms, legs and face. Hans' stuka gunner, Willy Luberich, was killed.
In turn Cecil was shot down and crash landed. On the ground and wounded in the legs, Cecil eventually met up with Hans. They were transported together in an ambulance to Tobruk hospital.
Hans was taken prisoner and spent 4 and a half years as prisoner of war in the Bowmanville POW
camp in Canada.

In the early 50's Cecil and Hans had some communication.

Hans' visit to Cecil here in Cape Town was a memorable occasion full of events. The South African Air Force Association invited Hans as guest speaker to their monthly lunch. The SAAFA also organised that Hans participated in a Dakota flight around Cape point. Hans was also taken around the Western Cape for sight seeing by members of the Golding Family and myself.

Many thanks to Hans for sending me your photographs and allowed me to video interview you. Thanks to Cordelie for all the communication.

Tinus le Roux

November 2012