Aufkl. Gr. 122 Sep 1939
Sep 1939 – The Luftwaffe Order of Battle recorded (F)./122 under Luftflotte 2 with 30 Do 17s of which 27 were servicable.
Sep – Oct 1939 – 1(F)./122 handed in it’s Dorniers and converted to Heinkel He 111Hs then, operating from Fp.Uetersen/20 km NW of Hamburg, commenced reconnaissance operations over the North Sea and along the coasts of England and Scotland. [1]
During the Polish campaign from 1 September, 3.(F)/122 flew reconnaissance over Southern Poland operating under the control of 2.Fliegerdivision/Luftflotte 4. On the conclusion of the campaign at the end of September, the Staffel was reassigned to the Luftflotte 2 area in northwest Germany and possibly based at Münster-Loddenheide, although this requires confirmation.[2]
1 Sep 1939 – 1(F)./122 was based at Goslar under Luftflotte 2 with 12 Do 17Ps.[3]
On receipt of the call for general mobilization, at the end of August, 2(F)./122 was deployed from Goslar to Münster-Loddenheide with 11 He 111Hs and assigned to fly strategic reconnaissance over the North Sea, along the coast of England and Scotland, northeast France and the English Channel.[4][5]
1 Sep 1939 – 3(F)./122 was deployed from Goslar to Woisselsdorf/Silesia 3 km north of Grottkau with 12 Do 17Ps in late August when it received the order for mobilization.
The following 3.(F)/122 aircraft operated:
04.30 – 10.22 hrs Do 17P F6+BK. Crew - Fw Kurt Stranz (F), Oblt Hans-Laurent Amm (B) and Uffz Friedrich Schackert (Bf).
04.32 – 09.43 hrs Do 17P F6+AH. Crew - Uffz Kolk (F), Oblt Gerhard Sembritzki (B) and Fw Helmuth Rohleder (BF).
04.51 – 09.53 hrs Do 17P F6+DL. Crew - Uffz Heinz Gründling (F), Ofw Baptist Schlapp (B) and Uffz Furßer (Bf).
09.46 – 12.02 hrs Do 17P F6+GK. Crew - Uffz Hans Metzger (F), Oblt Heinz Spillmann (B) and Gefr Kaufmann (Bf).
12.45 – 17.30 hrs Do 17P F6+IL. Crew - Uffz Hans Küppers (F), Beobachter Lt Sahrt (B) and Gefr Franka (Bf).
14.02 – 18.44 hrs Do 17P F6+AL. Crew - Oblt Naumann (F), Fw Meier (B) and Uffz Jübel.[6]
Sortie by an aircraft of 3(F)./122 reported at 09.15hrs the sighting of single engined aircraft on Konin airfield.1[7]
3(F)./122 were instructed to operate sorties to the following areas on 2 Sep 1939:- Sandez- Stryi - Lemberg - Sandomierz and Kielce - Zamosz-Deblin-Okecie-Lodz.[8]
3 Sep 1939 – 3(F)./122 had an aircraft land at Zwittau, crew uninjured aircraft damaged.[9]
3(F)./122 Grenze overflown at 13.20 hrs, at 13.50 hrs there were 500 railway wagons sighted in the Krakau railway yards. At 13.55 hrs Kutnow station was seen to be occupied with 1000 rail cars and 2 steam locomotives.[10]
3(F)./122 reported at 14.00 hrs - Rail traffic in the western direction, in Biala-Saybusch-Andryohov-Kety area retrograde movement, columns on the road Kety-Andrychow, west of Sieradz motor columns on the road to Lodz. Heavy rail traffic Przemysl-Debica-Krakau Königshutte 10 transport trains.[11]
14.02 hrs 3(F)./122 reported approximately 900 railway wagons at Trzeginia; about 200 wagons at the Konin railyards but little activity.[12]
14.45 hrs an aircraft of 3(F)./122 reported 4 trains en route from Krakau to Tarnow.[13]
15.45 hrs an aircraft of 3(F)./122 reported observations at Zdunska-Wola and at 15.53 hrs at Kaienna Bahnhof.[14]
At 16.25 hrs 3(F)./122 reported on the situation at Tschenstochau, Wloszowa and Opocno. At 17.00 hrs at Kamienna a lorry column was sighted heading in the direction of Wotow (30 km North of Kielce), heavy flak was encountered.[15]
At 17.40 hrs 3(F)./122 reported up to 800 freight wagons in the railway yards at Lodz. Heavy Flak was encountered at Lodz.[16]
7 Sep 1939 – 3(F)./122 at Woisselsdorf subordinate to Fl.Div.2 (Grottkau) as part of Luftflotte 4.[17]
| Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
| 9 Sep 1939 | 3(F)./122 | Do 17 | F6+BK | Lemberg - Missing, crew MIA[18] Oblt Hans-Laurent Amm (B); Uffz Friedrich Schackert (Bf) and Fw Kurt Stranz (F) all captured[19] |
10 Sep 1939 – 3(F)./122 one aircraft set off in the direction of Lemberg (Lviv) at 10.15 hrs.[20]
An aircraft of 3(F)./122 landed at 16.17 hrs.[20]
11 Sep 1939 – At 07.40 hrs an aircraft of 3(F)./122 reported the airfield at Grodek-Jagiellski (Horodok) as not being used and also that there were no transport columns on the road between Grodek and Lember (Lviv).[20]
One aircraft from 3(F)./122 landed at 09.45 hrs while two departed for sorties to Lemberg (Lviv) at 10.16 and 11.17 hrs respectively. Another 3(F)./122 aircraft took off at 12.46 hrs for Lemberg (Lviv).
Aircraft from 3(F)./122 landed at 13.24; 13.30 and 16.21 hrs.[20]
3(F)./122 reported the following:- 13.15 hrs – low volumes of traffic on the road between Przemyal and Grodek. Oil wells burning at Drohobyoz (Drohobycz). No traffic at Stryj and no rail traffic at Stanislau.[20]
13.20 hrs – the rail line between Chyrow and Sambor blocked.[20]
13.30 hrs – the railway station at Chyrow burning with no traffic evident.[20]
14.57 hrs – operating 45 km southeastwards of Rawa-Ruska in the direction of Lviv
15.20 hrs – Between Jaroslav and Przemysl no rail traffic sighted.
15.05 hrs - Between Tomaszow and Lubelsky low volumes of traffic sighted.
15.25 hrs – There were columns of trucks on the road between Grodek and Jagiellonski.[20]
15.35 hrs – between Grodek and Lemberg (Lviv) a freight train was sighted and between Debica and Krakow a passenger train was held up.[20]
12 Sep 1939 – An aircraft from 3(F)./122 departed at 04.40 hrs for a sortie in the direction of Lemberg (Lviv).[20]
3(F)./122 reported that at 06.30 hrs Szczebrzeszyn station appeared unoccupied.[20]
06.58 hrs – an aircraft of 3(F)./122 encountered Polish flak over Zamosz (Zamosc).[20]
08.00 hrs – an aircraft of 3(F)./122 reported 400 freight wagons at Rawa-Ruska (Rava-Ruska) and also encountered a Polish fighter.[20]
08.10 hrs - an aircraft of 3(F)./122 abandoned an attempted recce of Lemberg due to the presence of Polish fighters.[20]
08.40 hrs – an aircraft of 3(F)./122 reported that there was no traffic on the rail line between Rawa-Ruska (Rava-Ruska) and Jaroslaw.[20]
08.52 hrs - The sortie was abandoned by the 3(F)./122 aircraft.[20]
12.23 hrs – 3(F)./122 one aircraft in the direction of Lemberg (Lviv).[20]
14.35 hrs – 3(F)./122 reported that the rail route Przemysl – Lemberg (Lviv) appeared busy. [20]
14.57 hrs – 3(F)./122 reported rail traffic 45 km to the southwest of Rawa Ruska travelling in the direction of Lemberg (Lviv).[20]
15.20 hrs – 3(F)./122 indicated that on the route Jareslaw – Przemysl there its aircraft had not seen any rail traffic.[20]
15 Sep 1939 – 3(F)./122 sent out one aircraft at 05.10 hrs in the direction of Lemberg (Lviv). An additional aircraft was despatched at 08.12 hrs in the same direction.[21]
At 07.04 hrs an aircraft of 3(F)./122 reported that it encountered strong Flak near Krzemieniec and at 07.30 hrs that there was no activity at the airfield at Luck.[21]
| Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 1939 | 4(F)./122 | Do 17P | F6+JK | Crashed at Osteel, south of Norden. following an engine fire. The aircraft was written-off.
All three crew killed. - Fw Erich Gerx; Uffz Robert Kanngießer and Uffz Ulrich Wirth.[22] |
19 Sep 1939 – 3(F)./122 now under the control of Luftflotte 2.[23]
26 Sep 1939 – A Do 17 of 4(F)./122 carried out a reconnaissance sortie over Scapa Flow and was damaged by AA fire.
| Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Sep 1939 | 4(F)./122 | Do 17P | 1105[24] | Returned to Varel having been struck by AA Fire while on a sortie to Scapa Flow, 35% damaged – one crew member wounded. |
Links
References
- ↑ LdZ Tessin, Loss Report evidence.
- ↑ LdZ Balke-KG 2/v.1:395; Tessin; M.Holm website.
- ↑ LdZ Balke-I:390.
- ↑ -KG 2/v.1:390
- ↑ Tessin; Ries-Photo Record:78
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000666 frame 287131 3.(F)/122 KTB 39-09 this is handwritten. Names interpreted from the document by Matti Salonen see http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=61779
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p33
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p113
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p180
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p207
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p200
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p208
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p209
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p189
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p205
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000322 p203
- ↑ TsAMO 500-12452-000324 pg 108
- ↑ Luftwaffe Quartermaster Loss Returns 9 Sep 1940
- ↑ Matti Salonen 122 personnel extract from database 03/01/18
- ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 20.14 20.15 20.16 20.17 20.18 20.19 Polenkrieg 1939 Luftflotte 4 Fernsprüche- Meldungen vom 10.9 – 14.9.39
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Polenkrieg 1939 Luftflotte 4 Funksprüche – Meldungen vom 15.9.39 – 4.10.39
- ↑ Battle of France Then and Now p95 for basic details - Matti Salonen 122 personnel extract from database 03/01/18 for crew etc, correction to With name as Wirth provided by Laurent Rizzotti see https://www.fold3.com/image/692869256
- ↑ 500-12452 -000324 - Luftfl. 4 Befehle vom R.d.L. 1.9 – 30.9.39 pg 212 19.9.39
- ↑ Matti Salonen 122 personnel extract from database 03/01/18