2./Seeaufkl.Gr. 125
2./Seeaufkl.Gr. 125
Unit Code: (7R + )
Formation (May 1943)
Formed May 1943 at Suda Bay/Crete (ex-Aufkl.St. 2.(F)/125) with Arado Ar 196 floatplanes. [1]
Greece - Aegean Sea (May 1943 – Dec 1943)
5/43: Staffel's authorized strength increased to provide for a detachment (Kommando) of 2 to 4 Ar 196s based at Rhodes near the southwest coast of Turkey. [2]
8.6.43: Suda Bay and Rhodes with 12 Ar 196s. [3]
3.8.43: (Südost) - Ar 196 crashed into the sea off Chania/Crete, 100%, 2 killed.
11.9.43: (Südost) - Staffel pilot reported shot and killed by Italian sentries on Scarpanto (Karpathos) Is. near Rhodes.
24.9.43: Staffel renamed 4./Seeaufkl.Gr.126, but immediately replaced with new assets. The circumstances of this event are unknown, but it probably involved the creating of two Ar 196 Staffeln using the experienced personnel from 2./SAGr.125 plus an equal number of inexperienced replacement personnel brought in from Germany. [4]
22.10.43: (Südost) - Ar 196 damaged taxying NW of Astypalaia (Stampalia) Is. in the Aegean, 100%.
31.10.43: (Südost) - Ar 196 crashed at Suda Bay due to engine fire, 100%.
9.11.43: (Südost) - Ar 196 crashed into the sea NE of Astypalaia (Stampalia) Is., 100%.
9.11.43: (Südost) - Ar 196A-3 shot down by a fighter over the Aegean, 100%, crew rescued.
4.12.43: Staffel ordered to transfer from Suda Bay/Crete to Constanta-Mamaia/Romania to join the rest of Seeaufklärungsgruppe 125. [5]
14.12.43: (Südost) - Cant Z.506B Italian seaplane belonging to the Staffel shot down by a fighter over Caso/Crete, 100%, crew of 1 German and 5 Italians all KIA. This aircraft was taken over by the Staffel following Italy's capitulation on 8 September 1943.
South Russia - Black Sea (Jan 1944 – May 1944)
1/44: shortly after arriving at Constanta-Mamaia, Staffel transferred to Sevastopol/ Crimea and from there flew coastal recce, convoy escort and air-sea rescue missions. [6]
25.4.44: Staffel reported all of its Arados unserviceable due to bomb damage.[7]
30.4.44: transferred from Sevastopol back to Constanta-Mamaia on or about this date where it remained until around the end of May. [8]
5/44: what happened to this Staffel after 31 May 1944 remains a mystery. There is no further trace of it in the surviving records, yet its Feldpost number was never deleted. Some sources say it was disbanded in May 1944 and the failure to delete its FpN was simply an administrative error, other sources say the Staffel was
inactivated in May 1944 but remained "on the books" until the end of the war. [9]
FpN: 2./SAGr.125 (L 06608, L 49254).
Staffelkapitän
Oblt. Paul Kriebel (May 43 - Sep 43)
Hptm. Edelmann (Apr 44 - ?)
Also see:
BRANDT, Harro, Oblt.
SCHARTUNG (SCHWARTING?), Herbert, Oblt.
SCHULTZE, Konrad, Lt.z.S.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, Draft 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)