2.(H)/12 (2nd)
2. (H)/Aufkl.Gr. 12 [2d Formation]
(Code: H1 + )
Formation and Training. (Nov 38 - Aug 39)
Formed 1 November 1938 at Münster-Loddenheide (ex-2.(H)/14) with He 46s, but converted to the Henschel Hs 126 during the first half of 1939.[1]
West - Phony War. (Sep 39 - May 40)
25.8.39: at Münster-Loddenheide until receipt of general mobilization orders 25-26 August and then deployed to a field airstrip at Rüdesheim/20 km W of Mainz with 12 Hs 126s. Over the next 8 months the Staffel was assigned to provide tactical reconnaissance support for VI. Armeekorps, which held defensive positions in the Eifel area along the border with Luxembourg that were centered on Trier. The months passed uneventfully.
Campaign West - Attack on France and the Low Countries. (May 40 - 1941)
10.5.40: for the attack on France that commenced this date, the Staffel supported VI. Armeekorps along a line of advance from the Eifel, across Luxembourg and S Belgium to the Reims area, and then southwest toward the Loire.
12.5.40: Hs 126 belonging to the Staffel shot down by a Hurricane over Diest/Belgium.
20.5.40: Hs 126 shot down over Stonne/17 km S of Sedan.
23.5.40: Hs 126 failed to return from a recce mission - no details.
7.6.40: Hs 126 failed to return (FTR) from operations over N France - no details.
13.8.40: Staffel based at Quimper in Brittany under Stab/Aufkl.Gr. 31, which was assigned to IV. Fliegerkorps (Brittany)/Luftflotte 3 for the air offensive against England (Battle of Britain). With 9 Hs 126s on strength, 2.(H)/12 may have been part of a group on standby to lay smoke screens if the planned invasion of England had taken place.
14.9.40: Hs 126 (Hl+NK) crash landed in heavy fog at Quimper/Brittany, 70%.
14.11.40: Hs 126 crashed at Fp. Quimper, 45%.
16.12.40: Klemm KI 35 force landed at Les Sables/France (south of Poitiers), 45%.
19.2.41: Hs 126 damaged taxiing at Fp.Biarritz/SW France, 60%.
22.2.41: Hs 126B-l damaged in force landing (25%) and a KI 35B destroyed in a crash (95%) near Royan on the Bay of Biscay.
Central Russia. (Jun 41 - Apr 43)
22.6.41: Staffel at Suwalki/NE Poland under Koluft AOK 9/Heeresgruppe Mitte for the attack on the Soviet Union this date, and assigned to support VI. Armeekorps along a line of advance Vitebsk - Smolensk - Rzhev/Vyazma area.
8.41: Staffel at Velizh/80 km NE of Vitebsk.
16.8.41: Staffel received a letter of appreciation from 26. Inf.Div. For its outstanding support both in the reconnaissance and the Artillerieflieger role, especially in the defeat of enemy forces at Polotsk and the river crossing battles along the Daugava (Düna) in Latvia in July.
17.8.41: Hs 126B-l damaged taxiing at Fp. Velizh, 20%.
3-9.10.41: Staffel congratulated by Gen. Förster (VI. Armeekorps) and Arko 126 for destroying, damaging or forcing the withdrawal of 28 enemy artillery batteries during this 7 day period, especially at Bjeloj (Belyy) and Dudkino.
10.10.41: Fi 156C-2 damaged taxiing at Gorki, 20%.
10.41: Staffel based at Rzhev from around mid-October.
11.41: moved forward to Kalinin and based there into December.
2.12.41: Hs 126B-l shot down by a fighter near Kalinin, 100%, 2 KIA.
16.12.41: Fi 156 damaged taxiing at Fp. Staritsa/47 km NE of Rzhev, 20%.
29.12.41: Hs 126B-l damaged in take-off accident at Fp. Rzhev, 15%.
24.1.42: based at Rzhev under Aufklärungsgruppe (H) Nord.
3.2.42: Staffel now based at Fp. Dugino, halfway between Rzhev and Vyazma.
3.2.42: Hs 126B-l shot up by AA-fire near Rzhev, 15%, 1 WIA.
22.2.42: Hs 126B-l shot up over Dukhovchina, 35%, Staka Oblt. Holler WIA.
28.2.42: 3 of the Staffel’s ground servicing personnel WIA during enemy bombing raid on Fp. Dugino.
19.4.42: under NAGr. 5 with effect from around this date.
17.5.42: Hs 126 accidently shot down by German Flak near Rzhev, 100%, 2 MIA.
1.6.42: Staffel reported 7 x Hs 126B-1 on strength.
20.6.42: Staffel reported 6(5) Hs 126s on strength.
23.6.42: Staffel ordered to operate from field airstrip at Sychevka/60 km S of Rzhev under NAGr. 5 for Operation “Seydlitz” (the planned destruction of Russian 39th Army and XI Cavalry Corps in the German 9. Armee sector) in direct support of VI. and XXVII. Armeekorps.
21.8.42: Hs 126A-1 damaged in enemy bombing at Fp. Vyazma-South, 15%.
3.9.42: Hs 126 damaged in enemy bombing at Fp. Vyazma-South, 25%.
1.10.42: Staffel reported 8 x Hs 126B-1 on strength.
23.11.42: Staffel under NAGr.5 in support of XIII. and XXVII. Armeekorps.
28.11.42: Hs 126 (H1+CK) shot down by Russian ground attack aircraft and AA-fire N of Rogachevo, 100%, Oblt. Wilhelm Krüger (observer) + 1 KIA.
4.1.43: Hs 126B-1 struck obstacle and damaged at Fp. Dugino, 25%.
19.1.43: Fi 156 force landed near Vyazma, 15%.
1.3.43: Staffel reported 7 x Hs 126B-1 and 1 x Hs 126A-1 on strength.
8-12.3.43: Vyazma evacuated as Soviet forces advance on the town and the Staffel ordered to transfer to Smolensk-South.
12.3.43: Hs 126 force landed at Dubrovo/18 km N of Smolensk due to engine trouble, 80%.
12.4.43: ground mechanic WIA in enemy bombing at Fp. Smolensk-South.
4.43: renamed Nahaufklärungsstaffel 12./12.
FpN:2.(H)/12 (L 15894).
Staffelkapitän:
Hptm. Wolfgang Wehl ( ? - ? ) 9/39
Maj. Ulrich Drall? ( ? - ? ) summer 40
Hptm. Kurt-Viktor Samwer ( ? - ? ) 8/40
Hptm. Ludwig Holler ( ? - 22 Feb 42?) 6/41, WIA
© H.L. deZeng IV, 2021
References
- ↑ J.-P.Défieux - Répertoire des Unités Aériennes de la Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Reconnaissance Aéronavale (Nanterre, privately published, n.d. (c 1988-90?); K.Ries - Luftwaffen Story 1935-1939; Tessin, Georg, Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918-1939: Altes Heer, Freiwilligenverbände, Reichswehr, Heer, Luftwaffe, Landespolizei; G.Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945, 16+ Bde., Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte (Osnabrück, 1980); W.Dierich - Die Verbände der Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Gliederungen und Kurzchroniken – Eine Dokumentation; N.Kannapin - Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945; U.Balke - Der Luftkrieg in Europa: Die Operativen Einsätze des Kampfgeschwader 2 im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Teil I, p.397, 412; AFHRA Maxwell decimal Karlsruhe Collection KC-Kl13.309-3/ v.1; Leyendecker Ltr., 23.4.93; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-312 roll 296/603, roll 305/792); (T-321 roll 20/542); BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); BA-MA Freiburg: Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen (Aircraft Availability Status Reports – FzB) in: M.Holm-website (ww2.dk).