KGr.z.b.V. 101
KGr. z.b.V. 101
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 101
(Unit Code: G6+)
Formation. (Mar 40)
Ordered formed on or about 15 March 1940 at Oldenburg near Bremen in northwest Germany using Ju 52s and crews from the multi-engine training schools. Some sources give a date of 7 April, but this may be the date the now-assembled Gruppe reported itself ready for operations. Its Soll (TO&E, i.e., authorized) strength would have been a Stab and four Staffeln with a total of 53 aircraft. The Gruppe was intended as a provisional formation set up specifically for the occupation of Denmark and Norway (Operation Weserübung) that commenced on 9 April.[1]
Denmark and Norway, West, Germany, Balkans. (Mar 40 - Jun 41)
9 Apr 40: moved forward and now at Neumünster/Schleswig-Holstein under X. Fliegerkorps for the occupation of Denmark and Norway.[2]
11 Apr 40: between 9 and 11 April the Gruppe lost 1 Ju 52 destroyed and 3 damaged in crashes and accidents at Aalborg (Ålborg)/N Denmark and Oslo/Norway.[3]
18 Apr 40: some of the remaining assets of KGr. z.b.V. 102 (being disbanded) were ordered incorporated into the Gruppe.
5 May 40: ordered disbanded at Magdeburg-East; had just arrived here following the end of its participation in Operation Weserübung.[4]
c.8 May 40: reactivated for the campaign in the West.
16 May 40: transferred to Hanau and began transporting fuel to Charleville Mézières/NE France as German armor defeated French forces at Sedan, crossed the Meuse River and began striking north toward the English Channel.[5]
19 May 40: moved to Braunschweig-Broitzem and then to Lippstadt to transport fuel and bombs to Luftwaffe fighter and Stuka units ordered forward to airfields at Amsterdam, Cambrai and Guise-Villers.[6]
4 Jun 40: transferred to Aachen-Merzbrück and from there continued hauling fuel and bombs to Guise-Villers, Amiens, Rouen, Paris, Rennes and other airfields in France.[7]
16 Jun 40: Ju 52 force landed at Rouen due to engine damage, 100%, 1 KIA.
19 Jun 40: 1. Staffel Ju 52 crashed at Laon due to engine trouble, 30%.
18 Jul 40: 2. and 3. Staffel ordered deactivated with assets returned to the FFS C and BFS schools.[8]
17 Oct 40: 1. Staffel Ju 52 crash landed at Paris-Buc, 12%.
17 Dec 40: 4. Staffel Ju 52 crashed at Magdeburg due to engine trouble, 60%.
1 Feb 41: 4. Staffel Ju 52 crashed at Fp. Parchau (Parchim?), 100%.
4 Mar 41: Ju 52 crash landed at Brandenburg-Briest due to engine trouble, 35%.
24 Mar 41: at Neuruppin/NW of Berlin.[9]
24 Mar 41: 4 Ju 52s force landed at Rehhorn (near Schatzlar) in bad weather, Staffelkapitän Hptm. Karl Thomas plus others injured. Around this date the entire Gruppe was once again activated, this time for the forthcoming Balkan campaign.
2 Apr 41: transferred from Neuruppin to Oels in Silesia this date.[10]
26 Apr 41: ordered to Wiener Neustadt on or about this date and placed in reserve to Stab/KG z.b.V. 2 for operations in Greece.[11]
26 Apr 41: Ju 52 crash landed at Corinth/Greece, 40%.
13 May 41: now at Belgrade-Zemun with a few aircraft forward at Megara and Athens-Tatoi - total strength: 56(42) Ju 52 transports.
14 May 41: by this date, had moved south to Topolia (Topolis)/75 km NW of Athens under Stab/KG z.b.V. 2 for Operation Merkur, the XI. Fliegerkorps airborne and air-landing assault on Crete that began at first light on 20 May, with some 500 transport aircraft headed toward the island with the initial assault wave of Fallschirmjäger (paratroops).[12]
20 May 41: the Gruppe’s principal participation in the operation was the early evening paratroop drop on Heraklion (Iraklion) by a total of around 240 Ju 52s. Many of these were shot down by fighters and AA fire, with the Gruppe losing at least 8 planes. KGr. z.b.V. 101 casualties included Staffelkapitän Maj. Arnold Feierabend KIA and Staffelkapitän Hptm. Helmut Wiegand, MIA.[13]
3 Jun 41: for the statistical period encompassing Merkur, 14 May to 3 June, KGr. z.b.V. 101 reported a total of 14 Ju 52s destroyed and 8 damaged.
4 Jun 41: ordered disbanded at Hannover-Vahrenwald during the first half of June following the conclusion of the Balkan campaign, arriving there from the Balkans on 12 June, and by 16 June had ceased to exist. Most of the Gruppe’s assets were returned to the flying schools with the remainder reassigned to other transport units.[14]
FpN:Gruppenstab and 1. – 4. Staffel (L 26764)
Kommandeur:
Obstlt. Ernst Mundt (c. 15 Mar 40 - Jun 41)
Also see:
AMECKE-MÖNNINGHOFF, Franz-Kaspar, Oblt. Beobachter in 1./KGr.z.b.V. 101.
BARTH, Eitel-Albert, Lt.
BÖKER, Martin, Hptm. Staka 1./KGr.z.b.V. 101.
FEIERABEND, Arnold, Maj. Staka 2./KGr.z.b.V. 101. KIA.
FREYSCHMIDT, Friedrich, Lt.
HÖRNER, Dr. Otto, Oberarzt. Passenger, killed in a/c crash.
KEHRMANN, Hans, Oblt. KIA.
KERNER, Edwin, Oblt. WIA.
KRAUS, Johann, Oblt. KIA.
KRETER, Helmut, Oblt. MIA.
LANG, Josef, Lt. WIA.
LAU, Karl-Heinz, Lt.
MEYER, Peter, Oblt. WIA.
MINS, ? , Hptm.
REHRMANN, Hans, Oblt. KIA.
REINHABEN, Friedrich von, Oblt. KIA.
SCHATZ, Paul, Oblt. WIA.
SCHMIDT, Erich, Lt. WIA.
SCHRÖDER, Werner, Lt.
THOMAS, Karl, Hptm. Staka 4./KGr.z.b.V. 101. WIA.
WIEGAND, Helmut, Hptm. Staka 3./KGr.z.b.V. 101. KIA.
WOLF, Alfred, Lt. WIA.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ G.Tessin-Tes; Riedel Flugbuch (flight log) via B.Rosch; F.Morzik-German Air Force Airlift Operations:116, 400; “Seaplanes” posting on forum.12oclockhigh.net web site 1 Nov 2006.
- ↑ G.Tessin-op cit.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
- ↑ Riedel-op cit.
- ↑ Riedel-op cit.
- ↑ Riedel-op cit.
- ↑ Riedel-op cit.
- ↑ Riedel-op cit.
- ↑ NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-971 roll 19.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 20/281-84.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:116.
- ↑ C.Shores et al-Air War For Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete 1940-41:337.
- ↑ C.Shores-op cit:351; LRs.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:400; BNA HW 5/19.
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