III./TG 1
III./TG 1
Formation. (May 43)
Formed 1 May 1943 at Naples-Capodichino/Italy with a Gruppenstab and 9. – 12. Staffel by renaming III./KG z.b.V. 1. Equipped with Ju 52 transports.[1]
Italy, Sicily and Central Mediterranean. (May 43 - Sep 43)
5 May 43: Ju 52 (1Z+BT) missing on a flight between Sardinia and Tunis, 100%, 4 crew MIA plus 15 Army passengers MIA.
6 May 43: Ju 52 shot down by a fighter over Tunis, 100%, 1 WIA.
7 May 43: Ju 52 blown up at Fp. La Sebala/14 km NNW of Tunis to prevent capture by the enemy, 100%.
7 May 43: Ju 52 (1Z+DV) ditched in the sea between Aquina/C Italy and Trapani/W Sicily, 100%, 4 MIA.
8 May 43: Ju 52 strafed on the ground at Cape Bon/Tunisia and destroyed, 100%, 2 WIA.
9 May 43: Ju 52 (1Z+DW) crashed at Cape Bon, 100%, 2 MIA and 2 captured.
9 May 43: at Naples-Capodichino.[2]
11 May 43: Ju 52 damaged while landing on Pantelleria/S of Sicily, 60%.
16 May 43: Ju 52 (1Z+GT) shot down in air battle south of Sicily, 100%, 4 KIA.
17 May 43: Ju 52 (1Z+EV) reported missing while en-route between Palermo and Naples-Capodichino, 100%, 4 KIA.
17 May 43: Ju 52 reported missing while en-route between Pantelleria and Naples-Capodichino, 100%, 4 WIA.
21 May 43: Ju 52 encountered early morning ground mist and crashed into a mountain en-route from Castel Vetrano/Sicily to Naples-Capodichino, 100%, 3 crew killed and 1 injured, plus 3 passengers killed and 12 injured.
31 May 43: Ju 52 crashed and burned at Fp. Capua/30 km NNW of Naples, 100%, 3 killed and 1 injured.
22 Jun 43: now based at Rome and Pratica di Mare/28 km SSW of Rome and repeatedly identified at those two locations throughout July and August.[3]
2 Jul 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Lecce/Apulia, 100%.
10 Jul 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Vibo Valentia/66 km NE of Messina, 100%.
11 Jul 43: Ju 52 shot down by a night fighter near Crotone/160 km NE of Messina, 100%.
11 Jul 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Reggio near Messina, 100%.
12 Jul 43: Ju 52 shot down by a fighter at Fp. Catania/SE Sicily, 100%, 2 KIA and 2 WIA.
13 Jul 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Vibo Valentia, 100%.
16 Jul 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Vibo Valentia, 100%.
1 Aug 43: 5 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Fp. Naples-Capodichino, 4 @ 100% and 1 @ 90%.
5 Aug 43: Ju 52 crashed at Fp. Venafiorita (a.k.a. Olbia/Sardinia), 70%, 1 injured.
11 Aug 43: Ju 52 crashed near Mt. Grossglockner in the Alps on the border between Austria and NE Italy, 100%, 4 killed.
23 Aug 43: Ju 52 crashed NW of Savelli (either C or S Italy), 100%, 2 killed and 2 injured.
25 Aug 43: Ju 52 crashed south of Viggiano/149 km SE of Naples due to engine failure, 100%, 4 injured.
27 Aug 43: Ju 52 crashed at Santa Luce/30 km SSE of Pisa, 100%, 4 killed.
28 Aug 43: Ju 52 crashed NE of Frosinone/75 km SE of Rome, 100%, 1 crew killed and 4 injured, plus 1 passenger killed and 9 injured.
16 Sep 43: at Pistoia - ordered to hand over all of its crews to II. and III./TG 2.[4]
18 Sep 43: 10. (9 aircraft) and 11. Staffel (12 aircraft) detached and transferred from Pistoia to Firenze (Florence).[5]
Sep 43: at the end of September the formerly independent Savoia-Staffel, which had been attached to III./KG z.b.V. 1 and then III./TG 1, lost its independence and was incorporated into III./TG 1 which began re-equipping entirely with Italian SM 82 transports.[6]
7 Oct 43: SM 82 bombed on the ground at Fp. Grosseto, 40%.
8 Oct 43: ordered to depart Italy without aircraft and transfer to Celle.[7]
12 Oct 43: SM 82 force landed at Nagykanizsa/SW Hungary after getting lost, 35%.
Germany. (Oct 43 - Feb 44)
28 Oct 43: at Fp. Celle/N Germany resting, refitting and converting to SM 82s. There were no Italian personnel assigned to the Gruppe.[8]
18 Nov 43: SM 82 force landed in bad weather near Warenshof (Waren)/125 km NNW of Berlin, 20%.
12 Dec 43: Fiat G 12 force landed at Scheuen near Celle due to an engine catching fire, 55%.
17 Jan 44: SM 82 en-route from Sarajevo-Butmir crashed at Slavonski Brod due to engine failure, 100%, pilot injured.[9]
28 Jan 44: 11. Staffel with 10 x Sm 82s, 5 officers, 78 NCOs and 68 men transferred from Celle to Odessa.[10]
Feb 44: rest, refit and conversion completed by 10 February and the Gruppe declared operational.[11]
11 Feb 44: elements identified at Belgrade-Zemun, but probably not based there.[12]
Western Ukraine and Romania. (Feb 44 - Jun 44)
15 Feb 44: transferred from Celle to Tiraspol/88 km NW of Odessa in SW Ukraine to transport personnel, equipment and supplies to Crimea. The Gruppe was not considered very useful in this undertaking because of severe spare parts problems for SM 82s. This reduced considerably the number of aircraft serviceable at any one time and thus the number of sorties that could be flown.[13]
4 Mar 44: in transfer to Bucharest-Băneasa in Romania. On arrival, a Staffel or two were detached at Constanţa-Mamaia and operated from there in order to shorten the flying distance to Crimea.[14]
26 Mar 44: SM 82 slightly damaged in accident at Bucharest-Băneasa, 10%.
29 Mar 44: SM 82 damaged in accident at Bucharest-Băneasa, 50%.
22 Apr 44: now at Călăraşi/100 km SE of Bucharest and had probably just moved here. From there, transported supplies, fuel and ammunition to Crimea, which was now embroiled in heavy fighting, and brought out wounded on the return flights.[15]
May 44: 10. Staffel disbanded and its remaining assets incorporated into the rest of the Gruppe.[16]
East Prussia. (Jun 44 - Sep 44)
15 Jun 44: in mid-June the Gruppe was ordered to depart Romania for Rostken/13 km SSW of Arys in East Prussia where all SM 82s were turned in for overhaul in exchange for 30 new SM 82s that were flown in from Italy.[17]
Jul 44: in mid-July, III./TG 1 (Stab and 10. (9. Staffel renumbered), 11. and 12. Staffel) transferred to Labiau (Eichwalde, Polessk)/East Prussia, but flew no or perhaps just a few missions from there due to the critical lack of fuel.[18]
4 Sep 44: ordered disbanded this date but where is not known. A 19 Aug 44 listing of all transport units issued by OKL does not include III./TG 1. The Gruppe most likely returned to Germany to disband.[19]
FpN:Gruppenstab with 9., 11. and 12. Staffel (L 30507)
Kommandeur:
Maj. Siegfried Hagena (DKG) (1 May 43 - 6 Jul 43)
Maj. Walter Hornung (DKG), acting? (19 Jun 43 - ? )
Maj. Franz Stipschitsch (25 Aug 43 - Dec 43)
Maj. Fridolin Fath? (R, DKG) (Dec 43 - Sep 44)
Also see:
BEIER, Theodor, Hptm.
BEUERLE, Friedrich, Lt. Tech.Offz.
DUDECK, Gerhard, Maj. (RK).
HOLZHAUSEN, Heinrich, Hptm.
KETTELHACK, Werner, Lt.(d.R.z.V.). WIA.
MACHATSCHEK (MACHTSCHEK), Otto, Lt. KIA.
MESSERSCHMIDT, ? , Oblt.
REDEN, Horst von, Oblt./Hptm.
REINJOCK, Fritz, Lt. KIA.
VEACK, Georg, Lt. MIA.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ W.Dierich-Verbände der Luftwaffe; G.Tessin-Verbände und Truppen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945 - Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte; [Kameradschaft Ehemaliger Transportflieger], PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence study based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
- ↑ AFHRA Maxwell: decimal 512.619 British AirMin CSDIC P/W Interrogation Reports in microfilm rolls A5415-18, interrogation CSDIC AFHQ A.92.
- ↑ Air Ministry intelligence reports based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts; PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal ML5181.
- ↑ BNA HW 5/350.
- ↑ BNA HW 5/350.
- ↑ G.Tessin-op cit; K.Gundelach-Med:691.
- ↑ BNA HW 5/371.
- ↑ G.Tessin-op cit; Air Ministry intelligence reports based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
- ↑ BNA HW 5/424.
- ↑ BNA HW 5/433.
- ↑ AFHRA Maxwell: decimal 512.619 British AirMin P/W interrogations, ADI(K) series, microfilm rolls A5400-05, interrogation ADI(K) 598/44.
- ↑ ULTRA signal (number no recorded).
- ↑ ADI(K) 598/44; PRO London: AIR 40/1983; F.Morzik-German Air Force Airlift Operations:230.
- ↑ ULTRA signal (number no recorded); ADI(K) 598/44.
- ↑ ULTRA signal (number no recorded); ADI(K) 598/44.
- ↑ ADI(K) 598/44.
- ↑ ADI(K) 598/44.
- ↑ ADI(K) 598/44.
- ↑ G.Tessin-op cit.
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