1./SAGr. 126
1./Seeaufkl.Gr. 126
Unit Code: (D1 + )
Formation(May 1943)
Formed May 1943 at Skaramanga (Salamis) near Athens/Greece (ex-Aufkl.St. 1.(F)/126) with Arado Ar 196 floatplanes. The Staffel's mission remained unchanged from that of its predecessor.[1]
Greece - Aegean Sea (May 1943 – Oct 1944)
5/43: remained at Skaramanga until October 1944.[2]
29.5.43:(Südost) - Ar 196 shot up by a fighter and force landed near Kythnos in the Aegean, 35%, pilot KIA.
17.9.43:(Südost) = Ar 196 crashed into the Gulf of Patras in the Ionian Sea, 100%, 2 injured.
19.9.43: (Südost) - Ar 196A-3 (D1+IH) shot down by Italian naval AA-fire between Cephalonia and Corfu in the Ionian Sea, 100%, 2 KIA.
22.9.43: (Südost) - Ar 196A-3 (DI+AH) missing on flight from Suda Bay/Crete to Athens-Phaleron, 100%, 2 MIA.
26.10.43:(Südost) - Ar 196 shot down by a fighter NW of Astypalaia Is. in the Aegean, 100%, 2 KIA.
7.11.43:(Südost) - Ar 196 shot up by a fighter near Paros Is., 20%.
12/43 - 9/44: no data, but Staffel believed to have continued flying convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols over the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
9.10.44: transferred from Skaramanga to Lochstedt near Pillau in East Prussia as part of the German withdrawal from the Balkans.[3]
North Germany - Baltic Sea (Jan 1945 – Mar 1945)
1.45: 1./126 renumbered 2./126 and 3./126 renumbered 1./126 according to Feldpost number changes entered on 13 and 16 January 1945; however, careful scrutiny of Staffel locations and equipment suggests that the renumbering was not carried out.
14.1.45: Staffel based at Bug auf Rügen/34 km NNE of Stralsund in the Baltic and remained there through March 1945.[4]
20.1.45: the General der Aufklärungsflieger/OKL expressed a desire this date to convert the Staffel (1./SAGr.126) from Ar 196s to Messerschmitt Bf 109s so it could fly coastal reconnaissance in the Baltic and armed recce patrols for the Navy, but this this proposal was never carried out.[5]
21.3.45: Staffel ordered disbanded this date with its Ar 196s and crews to be used to fill up shortages in 1. and 2./Bordfliegergruppe 196.[6]
29.3.45: at Bug auf Rügen disbanding.[7]
FpN: 1./SAGr.126 (L 55018, L 53801).
Staffelkapitän
Oblt. Helmut Berz (acting?) (Jun 43 - Aug 43?)
Lt. Franz (Franzl?) Römer (acting) (Jun 43 - Jul 43)
Hptm. Kurt Kroll ( - ) 7/43
Hptm. Otto Hornig ( ? - ? ) 12/43, 12/44
Also see:
BEYER, Klaus, Oblt.(M)
BRANNATH, Hugo, Lt.
KNUST, Walter, Lt.
MÜLLER, Josef, Lt.z.S.
REICHEL, Wolfgang, Lt.
SCHUBERT, Heinz, Hptm.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)