Aufkl. Gr. 122 Aug 1944

August 1944 – Continued sorties to the Sardinian Harbours -these were ultimately unsuccessful demonstrating that the use of boosted Ju 188s in daylight was not feasible.

2(F)./122 flew approximately 85 sorties during August. 2, 4 and 6 staffeln flew a large number of transfer/positioning flights between Bergamo and Ghedi. Finally 2(F)./122 moved from Bergamo to Ghedi on the 8-9^th August, thus enabling 2(F)./122 to reach more targets with it’s Me 410s than could be reached from Bergamo.

1 Aug 1944 - 2(F)./122s Sta.Kapitan, Hptm Weinand flew his last sortie for the unit in Me 410 F6+EK, the sortie lasted two hours. 6(F)./122 lost a Ju 88 which crashed at Vercelli. 2(F)./122 transferred an Me 410 to Bologna.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
1 Aug 1944	6(F)./122	Ju 88T-1	F6+OM	430759	Crashed at Vercelli killing Uffz Klemm.

2 Aug 1944 – 6(F)./122 reported two Ju 88s missing from sorties performed overnight between 1 and 2 Aug.

2(F)./122 sent off it’s mission from Bologna at approx. 0515 the aircraft subsequently returned to Bergamo.

At 1530 (F)./122 sent a Ju 188 to photograph Bizerta but it aborted the sortie due to a failed air-warning radar.

4(F)./122 reported a Ju 88 lost on operations.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
1/2 Aug 1944	6(F)./122	Ju 88D-1	F6+CP	430145	Missing. Uffz R. Beck and crew MIA. Possibly shot down off Algiers.
1/2 Aug 1944	6(F)./122	Ju 88A-4	F6+NP	300219	Missing. Uffz F. Wentzlaff and crew MIA. Failed to return from a sortie to Ancona/E Italy - F/L Robert Edward Reynolds of 255 Sqn, flying a Beaufighter VIf, claimed a Ju 88 15m N.E. Ancona that corresponds to the loss of this Ju 88A-4.
2 Aug 1944	4(F)./122	Ju 88	F6+??		Possibly shot down by Beaufighter of 417th NFS 27 miles off Cape Corse.

4 Aug 1944 – 6(F)./122 recorded the loss of a further aircraft.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
4 Aug 1944	6(F)./122	Ju 88			Shot down by a night fighter - location not reported, 100%, 4 MIA.

5-6 Aug 1944 – 4(F)./122 lost a Ju 88 to a technical failure.

Lt. Fritz Lauter and the crew of F6+GL (3(F)./122), on temporary attachment to 1(F)./123, took off from Paris/Buc at 2330 hrs on 5 Aug 1944 to carry out a night recce sortie to photograph the roads leading into Dinan, over which Allied tanks and transport were thought to be advancing. For this sortie the plane was equipped with two cameras, fitted just forward of the tail unit, and carried 10 flash bombs, stowed four-two-four in the bob bay. The crew were told that on completion of their sortie they were to return to Orly or any other suitable airfield in the vicinity of Paris, since Buc was considered to be too small for safe night landings.

After take-off the pilot flew on a direct course at an altitude of 100-150 metres, and began to climb on nearing the objective in conditions of 1/10^th cloud and bright moonlight. When flying at 4,000 metres on a westerly course, and some 10 minutes flying time from Dinan, the aircraft was attacked from below by a nightfighter and set on fire. The flames spread rapidly and the pilot gave the order to bale out. The radio operator and the two gunners abandoned the plane which then crashed before the pilot and observer could get out.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
5-6 Aug 1944	4(F)./122	Ju 88D-1	F6+HM	430796	Aircraft suffered engine failure 10Km east of Ravenna. Ltn Mader and three crew killed in the crash.
6 Aug 1944	3(F)./122	Ju 188	F6+GL		Shot down by a night fighter while on a night photo recce of the main roads leading to Dinan/Brittany over which U.S. armor and motor transport were believed to be moving, 100%. Obfw. Hans Müller (KIA), Lt. Fritz Lauter (KIA), Fw. Walter Eppel (POW), Obfw. Albert Klauser (MIA), Uffz. Josef Polcher (POW).

8 Aug 1944 – 6(F)./122 lost yet another aircraft to nightfighters and 4(F)./122 lost an aircraft to friendly fire.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
8 Aug 1944	6(F)./122	Ju 188F-1	F6+FP	280229	Shot down by a nightfighter of 255 Sqdn at 0410. Aircraft crashed at Borella. Uffz G. Rissman and crew killed.
8 Aug 1944	4(F)./122	Ju 188D-2	F6+EM	290172	Shot down by Axis flak near Venice. Fw G. Freytag and crew killed.

9 Aug 1944 – 6(F)./122 sent a Ju 88A-4 out over the Adriatic from Bergamo to search for allied shipping, this aircraft was shot down and crashed NW of Ancona.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
9 Aug 1944	6(F)./122	Ju 88A-4	F6+DP	550209	Shot down by 255 Sqdn Beaufighter and crashed into the sea 40 miles NW of Ancona. Crew rescued by Walrus except for Ogfr. W. Haas MIA.

Bergamo-Serate Airfield was attacked by B-26s of 42d BW USAAC. 6(F)./122 lost all of it’s FuG200 equiped aircraft.

10 Aug 1944 – 2(F)./122 continued it’s move from Bergamo to Ghedi – F6+KK flew a mission from Bergamo and returned to the new base at Ghedi on completion. Also F6+DK, a new delivery, flew in to Bergamo from Neuruppin via Munich.

2(F)./122 sent F6+IK out from Ghedi at 19.00 on a reconnaissance of the Tyrrhenian, this aircraft was lost to Spitfires.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
10Aug 1944	2(F)./122	Me 410A-3	F6+IK	170087	Shot down by Spitfires while on a reconnaissance mission to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ltn. D. Stämmler and Uffz. A. Karsch MIA.*

At 1930 F6+GK (v.d.daele and Blaschek) left Ghedi on a mission that lasted 90 minutes.

At 2155 Ju 88 F6+NP of 4(F)./122 was sent out on a 6 hour mission from Bergamo.

13 Aug 1944 – 2(F)./122 sent up two early morning missions, then two further sorties were despatched – they were:-

Me 410 F6+GK (W. Nr. 170150 Fhr. R. Hesse and Uffz. H. Seegert) was sent from Ghedi at 1928 on a photo-recce mission to the sea to the east and north of Corsica.

Me 410 F6+KK (Bayer and Lensing) was despatched at 1925 (approx) to perform a reconnaissance of the sea between La Spezia and the French Riviera.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
13 Aug 1944	2(F)./122	Me 410A-3	F6+GK	170150	Took off from Bergamo/ Seriate at 19.28. Shot down by Spitfires 32 km off La Spezia. Fhr. R. Hesse rescued by Catalina but Uffz. H. Seegert MIA*

A 4(F)./122 Ju 88 F6+NP completed a night mission from Ghedi without problems.

14 Aug 1944 – Me 410 SO+MI flown in to Ghedi from München-Riem landing at 19.10 following a one hour flight.

15 Aug 1944 – 2(F)./122 lost an Me 410B-3 and another aircraft F6+FK was damaged in an accident at Treviso.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
15 Aug 1944	2(F)./122	Me 410B-3	F6+DK	190124	Took of from Bergamo/ Seriate at 04.58. Crashed and burned 20km NW of Mantua. Ltn Fischer KIA but Uffz Kemna was unhurt.*

16 Aug 1944 – 2(F)./122 sent Hptm Weinand in F6+CK from Ghedi to Bettola, unfortunately the aircraft was damaged in the process.

25 Aug 1944 – 2(F)./122 mounted two early-morning and two evening sorties. In addition two aircraft of 6(F)./122 - F6+LP and F6+HP - returned to Bergamo after a three day lay over at Ghedi.

29 Aug 1944 – 4(F)./122 lost a Ju 188 to unknown circumstances.

Date	Unit	Aircraft Type	Code	Wkr.No.	Notes
29 Aug 1944	4(F)./122	Ju 188D-2	F6+MM	150227	Missing from night operation – Uffz H Vossen and three crew MIA.

29 Aug 1944 – 2(F)./122 sent Lt Klinke and Ogfr. Misch on an evening sortie to the Ligurian Sea. They departed Ghedi at 19.10 crossing the coast in the vicinity of Borgetto Santo (way point 04 Ost 8572) SE of Savona; flew on a southerly course to a point approx. 200 kms SE of Nice (04 Ost 8476); their flight then took them to 35 km north of Capri (04 Ost 9482); they recrossed the Italian coast south of Campodonico (04 Ost 9554) for the return flight through cloud across the Apeninnes and the Po valley, returning to Bergamo at 20.33.

The weather over the sea included 3-4/10 stratus cloud at 200 to 500m.

In the entire sortie there had been no sighting of the enemy and the mission was abandoned north of Capri due to the coming of darkness.

30 Aug 1944 – 3(F)./122 transferred on or about this date from Soesterberg to Quakenbrück/NW Germany, still under Stab/Aufkl.Gr.(F) 123.

31 Aug 1944 – Two Ju 188s (F6+BP and F6+LP)arrived at Ghedi at approx 0500 (GMT) from Bergamo. Late afternoon 2(F)./122 despatched two Me 410 sorties, one aircraft returning after 26 minutes and departing again a few minutes later. (F6+CK of Ofhf W Grigoliet and Uffz W Habicht). Both of these aircraft had returned by 1840.

At 1942 6(F)./122 sent off a Ju 188 (F6+FP) on a sortie – it is believed that it returned to it’s home base on completion (Bergamo).

Strength Returns of 31 Aug 1944 recorded the following:-

Stab./122 - 0 Aircraft

1(F)./122 – 7 Me 410A-3 & 4 Me 410B-3

2(F)./122 – 5 Me 410A-3 & Me 410B-3

3(F)./122 - 2 Ju 188D-2, 1 Ju 88T-1 and 1 Ju 88T-3

4(F)./122 - 6 Ju 188D-2, 3 Ju 88T-1 and 6 Ju 88T-3

5(F)./122 – 5 Ju 88D-1 and 1 Ju 188D-2

6(F)./122 – 7 Ju 188D-2 and 1 Ju 188F-1

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