Aufklärungskette (F) Lappland

Aufklärungskette (F) Lappland

Unit Code: (1R + ) to 1/43 (G2 + ) from 2/43

also as: Aufklärungskette (F) AOK Lappland; Fernaufklärungskette Lappland; Armeekette Lappland;

1.(F)/124 Kette Lappland

Formation

Formed 2 May 1941 at Weimar-Nohra/Thuringia and equipped with Dornier Do 17Ps.

North Norway and Finnish Lapland

18.6.41: transferred to Rovaniemi/N Finland for long-range reconnaissance operations in support of German forces in Lapland preparing for the attack on the Soviet Union at the end of June.

7/41 - 4/42: no entries found - Kette engaged in routine recce missions, evidently without loss.

30.4.42: Do 17P shot up and crashed near Kuusamo/Finland killing its crew of 3 and reducing the Kette's complement of 6 Do 17Ps to 5.

5/42: while operations continued from Rovaniemi, individual crews flew to Kemi where they began converting to the Junkers Ju 88.

25.5.42: (Lfl.5) - Do 17P crash landed at Fp.Rovaniemi, 10%.

4.6.42: (Lfl.5) - Do 17P damaged landing at Fp.Rovaniemi, 35%.

7/42: transferred to the forward airfield at Alakurtti, which lay only a short distance from the front, for reconnaissance operations along the Murmansk railway and over the White Sea area.

2.9.42: (Lfl.5) - Ju 88A-5 crash landed at Fp.Alakurtti, 35%.

28.12.42: (Lfl.5) - Ju 88D-1 damaged taxying at Fp.Alakurtti, 25%.

1.2.43: incorporated into 1.(F)/124 this date while retaining its separate identity as 1.(F)/124 Kette Lappland.

29.1.44: (Lfl.5) - Ju 88D-1 (G2+BH) failed to return from a mission over the Soviet naval base at Polyarnyi to the north of Murmansk, 100%, crew MIA.

3/44: received a Ju 188, giving the Kette a total strength at the end of March of 4 Ju 88Ds and 1 Ju 188F.

30.4.44: transferred from Alakurtti to Kemi o/a this date.

9/44: transferred from Kemi to Rovaniemi at the beginning of September after being renamed 1.(F)/124 Schwarm Lappland.

10/44: transferred to Kaamanen/Finnish Lapland and disbanded in mid-October.

FpN: Aufkl.Kette (F) Lappland (none found)

Kettenführer

Hptm. Konrad Knabe (5/41 - 2/43)

Hptm. Gerhard Michel (2/43 – 10/44)

Also see:

DOHRMANN, Ewald, Hptm.

HASSLACH (HESSLACH?), Karl, Lt.

KNOPF, Walter, Lt.

KNUPP, Wilhelm, Oblt.

SCHUBRING (SCHUBRINK?), Dr.(phil.) Helmut, Lt./Oblt.

TIEDEMANN-BRANDIS, Reinhard von, Oblt.

© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).

(1st Draft 2022)

References

Staffelkameradschaft 1.(F)/124; Dierich; Tessin; K.Maesel collection; Tietoes.

Return to Aufklärungsverbände