By Pierre Kosmidis

Copyright of all photos, documents and additional information: Lt. Col. (ret.) Hans Peter Eisenbach, used by kind permission.

Click the links below for additional reading:

A personal account of a Luftwaffe pilot in Greece: Friedrich “Fritz” Eisenbach in Kefalonia, Rodos, Leros – The Ju 87 “Stuka” dive bomber operations in Greece, 1943

Identified! WW2 German Stuka Ju 87 aircraft S7+GM shot down in a dogfight on October 9 1943 recovered west of Rhodes

Dogfight over the Aegean: A minute by minute account of the Air Battle west of Rodos island, October 9, 1943

Dogfight over the Aegean: The Leverette Report illustrated – P-38 “Lightnings” against Ju 87 “Stukas”, on 9 October 1943

Bill Sanderson on Cruiser HMS Carlisle: “On the ninth of October, the day I shall never forget. It was very hot.

They’d just piped up ‘hands at messes for rum’ – which was twelve o’clock. Out of the blue we heard these planes, then the scream of the dive-bomber.

It’s incredibly frightening. I looked up and saw this plane that was heading right for me. I dived down onto the gun deck and there was this tremendous explosion and we were banged about. “

Thanks to research conducted by Lt. Col. (ret.) Hans Peter Eisenbach, we have a fully detailed minute by minute account of a battle of epic proportions, fought in the Aegean Sea, in the vicinity of Rodos island, on October 9, 1943, involving Ju87’s, P38’s and a variety of naval ships, destroyers and cruisers.

The Flugbuch of Fritz Eisenbach with the combat missions in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

In just a few minutes, dozens of men from both sides would be Killed in Action, several aircraft shot down, a destroyer sunk and other ships damaged.

Lt. Col. (ret.) Hans Peter Eisenbach presented his findings during the annual conference held on the island of Leros, where fierce fighting took place in the Autumn of 1943, resulting in the last victory of strategic importance for the Germans in the Aegean.

“It is important to meet other authors and researchers. Many are working on the same subject but from different points of view. For example one author is writing about army operations during the battle for Leros, another about navy operations and me about air operations.

Another one is investigating losses reports. So If you have a network of authors and if you share information you are getting a clear picture of the past.

Information not shared is lost!

So the Leros historical conference in September of each year is a unique opportunity to meet experts and exchange information and to add new information to the history of Leros.”

The Greek Destroyer "Miaoulis" (ex-HMS MODBURY) — The Greek Destroyer “Miaoulis” (ex HMS MODBURY)

Period photos of HMS Panther (left) and HMS Carlisle (below)

The minute by minute account of the October 9, 1943 air and naval battle, as presented by Lt. Col. (ret.) Hans Peter Eisenbach based on his research: