Gefechtsverband Gabes

Gefechtsverband Gabes

Named for the town and airfield of that name in southeastern Tunisia. References with details on Gefechtsverband Gabes have not been found, but it is believed to be the initial name for Fliegerführer Gabes in December 1942 and possibly early January 1943 when the Luftwaffe was still rushing forces into Tunisia and trying to set up a combat organization in various parts of the country threatened by advancing Allied forces. The term appears several times in the ULTRA signals, but no further information has been found. Once again (see the Gefechtsverband Introduction), it should be noted here that “Gefechtsverbände” were not formally organized KStN units. Rather, they were ad hoc temporary arrangements with a duration of not more than 6 months with the great majority of them enduring for only a few weeks at the most. They were set up in the field (an der Kommandoweg aufgestellt) to meet some momentary combat need and consisted of components temporarily borrowed from or detached from regular units.

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

(1st Draft 2023)

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