Ademeit Horst

Ademeit Horst was born on the 8th of February 1912 at Breslau in Schlesien. He learned to fly pre-war and, as a reservist, was trained as a fighter pilot. By spring 1940, Unteroffizier Ademeit was serving with 3./JG 54. He participated in the French campaign and the Battle of Britain. He claimed his first victory on the 18th of September but was shot down over the Channel. He baled out and was rescued unharmed by the German air-sea rescue service. On the 4th of October, Ademeit shot down a RAF reconnaissance Spitfire. Adameit accompanied I./JG 54 to Russia where he participated in many low-level ground-attack missions. However, opportunities for aerial combat were plentiful and Feldwebel Ademeit, serving with 1./JG 54, claimed his 10th victory on the 24th of September 1941, when he shot down a Russian I-15 biplane fighter. Leutnant Ademeit recorded his 20th victory on the18th of February, when he shot down a Russian I-16 fighter.

On the 11th of January 1943, he recorded his 33rd and 34th victories. On the 7th of March, Ademeit recorded his 40th victory. On this day he was also appointed Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 54. He recorded his 53rd victory on the 4th of April. Leutnant Ademeit was awarded the Ritterkreuz on the 16th of April for his accomplishments. On the 22nd of June, Ademeit recorded his 60th victory and his 75th victory on the 3rd of August. He claimed his 95th victory on the 4th of September and achieved his 100th victory on the 15th of January 1944 when he shot down three Russian La-5 fighters and a Pe-2 twin-engined bomber. Ademeit was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 54 on the 18th of January 1944. Following his 120th victory, Hauptmann Ademeit was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 414) on the 2nd of March. By mid-April his score stood at 150. At the beginning of August 1944, Ademeit was appointed acting Kommodore of JG 54. On the 7th of August 1944, Ademeit pursued a Russian Il-2 ground-attack aircraft eastwards over Russian lines near Dünaberg in Fw 190 A-5. He failed to return from this mission and remains missing to this day. It would appear that Ademeit was shot down by Russian ground fire and made an emergency landing. Ademeit was promoted to the rank of Major.

Ehrenpokal (8 December 1941)

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (25 February 1942)

Ritterkreuz (16 April 1943)

Eichenlaub (2 March 1944)

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