KGr.z.b.V. 12

KGr. z.b.V. 12

Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 12

(Unit Code: G6+ letters B-H-K-L-M)

Formation and History. (May 40 - Jun 40)

Ordered formed at the beginning of February 1940 at Störmede in Northwest Germany with a Gruppenstab and 4 Staffeln for use in the opening phase of the attack in the West on France and the Low Countries. The aircraft and crews came from I./KG z.b.V. 2 and from the training schools. On 8 May, 2 days before the attack on France and the Low Countries began, a Ju 52 belonging to the Gruppe crashed near Münster killing 3 crew along with 9 radio operator (Bordfunker) students. On the opening day of the campaign, 10 May, the Gruppe airlifted Infanterie-Rgt. 65 and other elements of the 22. Inf.Div. to Ockenburg and Ypenburg near The Hague after airfields there had been secured by paratroops, but it encountered a disaster at Ypenburg. The paratroops failed to secure the airfield there and 12 of the Gruppe’s Ju 52s were quickly shot down by Dutch AA fire as they approached to land. The remaining Ju 52s scattered in confusion and subsequently were forced to land in open fields and along roads causing the write-off of many aircraft. In fact this single day cost KGr. z.b.V. 12 a total of 35 Ju 52s destroyed plus 2 more severely damaged. The Gruppenkommandeur, Hptm. von Hornstein, was reported missing. In early June 1940 the Gruppe was disbanded and the aircraft and crews returned to the schools.

FpN: Gruppenstab and 1. – 4. Staffel (L 37365)

Kommandeur:

Hptm. Hans-Eberhard, Freiherr von Hornstein (8 May 40 - 10 May 40) MIA

Maj. Rudolf Krause (11 May 40 - Jun 40)

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

(1st Draft 2022)

References

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