Aufklärungsstaffel Schröder
Aufklärungsstaffel Schröder
Formation and Assignment
Formed approximately April-May 1943 in South France by Luftflotte 3 as a provisional maritime reconnaissance Staffel initially equipped with three Heinkel He 111s. It was established from the remnants of the Kurierstaffel der deutsche Waffen-Stillstandskommission (Courier Squadron of the German Armament—-Armistice Commission) that had operated a courier/liaison service between Wiesbaden and Marseilles and cities in French North Africa. After the Allies landed in Morocco and Algeria on 8 November 1942, the courier Staffel lost its primary mission and became redundant. Luftflotte 3 then decided to reorganize part of it into a maritime reconnaissance Staffel for patrolling the waters off southern France under the command of Hptm. Schröder, the former Staffelkapitän of the Kurierstaffel. Probably based at Marseille, on 27 May 1943 one of the Staffel's He 111H-3s crashed near Ile de Riou, just off the coast south of Marseille, destroying the plane and killing all four crew members. By this date the Staffel was pending official recognition and permanent status by the Organisations branch of OKL in Berlin.
The last mention of the Staffel was on 2 August 1943 when one of its He 111H-3s was reported 20% damaged in a landing accident at Fp.Istres/40 km NW of Marseilles.
It is believed to have been disbanded shortly thereafter, having failed to achieve official recognition by OKL. [1].
FpN: Aufkl.St. Schröder (none found).
Staffelkapitän:
Hptm. Schröder (4/43 - c.8/43)
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ -ADI(K) 393/42 P/W interrogation; handwritten notes in the margins of the official OKL Loss Reports for 27.5.43 and 8.8.43.