Kdo. Koch

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Sonderkommando Koch

(FpN: L 38723)

also as: Kommando Koch

Sonderstaffel Koch

II./Flugfunkversuchsabteilung Köthen (?)


Formation and History. (c.Jul 42 - c.Jul 43)

Formed summer 1942 at Athens-Kalamaki in Greece with several He 111 H bombers outfitted with captured British ASV radar and named after Maj. Adolf Koch, who commanded it from its inception to late June 1943. Based on the derivation of the field post number, Sonderkdo: Koch was in all probability a detachment of Fliegerkompanie/Ln.-Regiment Ob.d.L. and technical personnel from II./Ln.-Versuchs-Rgt., which Maj. Koch commanded at the time of the Sonderkommando’s formation. Attached to II./KG 100, it flew night maritime radar reconnaissance and electronic jamming missions over the Mediterranean from at least early Sep 42 under a shroud of extreme secrecy. The British ASV radar provided sea coverage of 300 kilometers in all directions at an altitude of 3,000 meters, which was far superior to anything offered by German equipment at that time.[1]

Following a period at Tymbakion/Crete, Sonderkdo. Koch began transferring to Sicily on 18 October when two He 111Hs departed for Catania. The balance of the Kommando, 8 aircraft, made the move on 25 November. During December, operations were flown from Catania, then from,Trapani in western Sicily in January 1943, and occasionally from Elmas/Sardinia. Missions were primarily in support of operations against Allied convoys in the western Mediterranean and. they were flown under the tactical control of Stab/Fernaufklärungsgruppe 122. Koch’s function was to locate and shadow the convoys until bomber and torpedo aircraft from Sardinia and Sicily could mount an attack. On 31 January 1943, the Kdo. reported 11 He 111 H-6s and 1 Ju 88A-4 on strength, although only 5 of the Heinkels were serviceable. On 27 February, a He 111 H-6 belonging to the Kdo. is known to have crashed after striking an obstacle near Rome-Ciampino airfield killing 3 of the crew of 5. The loss was charged to 2.Kp./Flugfunkversuchs-Abt. Köthen while the two injured survivors, including Oblt Rudolf Schulte-Mäter, were both airborne radar/radio operators. This helps illustrate the highly technical and experimental nature of the unit. The Sonderkommando also trained all of FAGr. 122’s observers (navigators) on the FuG 200 Hohentwiel maritime airborne radar.

By early March 1943, Koch had moved to Grosseto on the west coast of Italy to the north of Rome, but continued to fly ASV patrols off the Tunisian and Algerian coast under the tactical control of Stab/Fernaufk1ärungsgruppe 122. In two devastating attacks on Grosseto by USAAF B-24s on 26 April and by B-17s on 20 May, Sonderkommando Koch was virtually wiped out, losing nearly all of its aircraft, and was subsequently ordered disbanded. On 17 June, its two surviving aircraft were reported at Frosinone/SE of Rome under Stab/(F) 122 and it was still there on 20 July, but now with only a single He 111. After disbanding, some of its assets may have been used to form Horch- und Störstaffel 2, and it is known that Major Koch was sent on temporary duty to III./KG 40 at Bordeaux-Merignac on the Bay of Biscay to set-up Sonderkommando Rastedter to carry out similar operations over the Bay and over the eastern Atlantic.


© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress). (1st Draft 2023)

Additional Notes and Losses

Summer 1942 – Kdo. Koch was established at Athens-Kalamaki with He 111H and Ju 88 aircraft operating under X Fliegerkorps.

Performed night reconnaissance and jamming duties using the airfields at Kalamaki, Catania and Grosseto.

late summer 1942 - six He 111s of Kőthen Signals Research Establishment (Maj. Koch) were attached to FAGr. 122 for night anti-shipping trials using a captured British Radar together with Rostok and Lichtenstein “S”, these were eventually supplanted by FuG 200 Hohentweil. Koch’s Kommando trained all of the current crews of the Italian based elements of FAGr 122 in its use.

22 Aug 1942 – He 111 jamming operations took place between 18.00 hrs Z and 21.25 hrs Z and between 21.45 hrs Z and 22.10 hrs Z. A Ju 52 operated between 23.55 hrs Z and 00.10 hrs Z and also between 00.25 hrs Z and 01.30 hrs Z.[2]

23 Aug 1942 – 1 He 111 took off at 17.45 hrs on a jamming sortie against reconnaissance, shadowing and bomber aircraft for the protection of a damaged submarineand the steamship “Kreta”.[3]

A second He 111 took of on a jamming sortie on the evening of 23rd Aug 1942. These aircraft landed at 23.00 hrs Z 23 Aug and 04.00 hrs 24 Aug 1942 after carrying out their tasks. A British aircraft was jammed from 19.00 to 19.12 hrs Z, it changed frequency and was jammed again from 19.22 to 19.27 hrs. From 20.32 hrs Z it was jammed intermittently on 175 K/Cs. At 01.30 hrs Z the task was abandoned as the apparatus ceased to function.[4]

23-24th Aug 1942 two He 111s operated during which ten searching aircraft were jammed.[5]

24 Aug 1942 – 1 He 111 took off at 17.45 hrs Z to jam several British aircraft in the sea area west of Greece. The aircraft landed at Lecce.[6]

16-17 Sep 1942 – 1 He 111 airborne from 21.10 hrs Z. Operated for the protection of an Axis convoy. Between 22.15 and 22.50 hrs Z noted as jamming three frequencies. However, this activity was broken off due to technical difficulties.[7]

17-18 Sep 1942 – 1 He 111 took off at 16.13 hrs Z for protection of an Axis convoy.[8] A further He 111 took of at 19.02 hrs Z on a similar task but this was broken off due to technical defects.[9]

18-19 Sep 1942 – 1 He 111 took off at 18.12 hrs Z for protection of the Poccolo convoy. This operation was only partially carried out owing to problems with the receiver. The aircraft landed at 02.26+ hrs Z. Another He 111 had taken off at 18.00 hrs Z on an RDF monitoring sortie.[10]

19-20 Sep 1942 – 3 He 111s operating overnight. Two of which returned early due to engine trouble. The remaining aircraft carried out jamming of four frequencies and landed at 06.14 hrs Z.[11]

25 Sep 1942 – 1 He 111 took off at 20.31 hrs Z.[12]

05/06 Apr 1943 - Two He 111s from Sonderkommando Koch were attached to Stab (F)./122 for anti-shipping night patrols off the Tunisian east coast.

26 Apr 1943 – Air attack on Grosseto damaged aircraft of Kdo. Koch.

20 May 1943 – Air attack on Grosseto airfield resulted in Kdo. Koch being almost totally destroyed.

late May 1943 – Kdo Koch disbanded.

Links

For a detailed history of Kdo. Koch please visit Nick Beale's Ghostbombers pages


References

  1. ↑ U.Balke - Kampfgeschwader 100 “Wiking”: Eine Geschichte aus Kriegstagebüchern, Dokumenten und Berichten 1934-1945 (Stuttgart, 1981), pp.227-29; N.Beale et al - Air War Italy, 1944-45: The Axis Air Forces from the Liberation of Rome to the Surrender (Shrewsbury (Shropshire), 1996), p.17; PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signals VM1603, VM1658, VM1767, VM1816, VM6320, VM8584, ML4595, ML8332; PRO London: PRO AIR 40/1996; BNA London AIR 40/1990.
  2. ↑ DEFE3/771-3 MKA2669 pg 1
  3. ↑ DEFE3/771-2 MKA2598 pg 12
  4. ↑ DEFE3/771-2 MKA 2661 pg 84
  5. ↑ DEFE3/771-3 MKA2692 pg 25
  6. ↑ DEFE3/772-1 QT 25 pg 29
  7. ↑ HW13/109 via Remi Traconelli.
  8. ↑ HW13/109 via Remi Traconelli.
  9. ↑ HW13/109 via Remi Traconelli.
  10. ↑ HW13/109 via Remi Traconelli.
  11. ↑ HW13/109 via Remi Traconelli.
  12. ↑ CX/MSS/1450/T17 – HW5/137 25-28 Sep 1942

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