I./TG 1
I./TG 1
Formation. (May 43)
Formed 1 May 1943, probably at Hildesheim/N Germany near Hannover, by renaming I./KG z.b.V. 1 with a Gruppenstab and 1. – 4. Staffel. Equipped with Ju 52 transports.[1]
Germany and Balkans. (May 43 - Jun 43)
May – Jun 43: operating in the Balkans and variously identified at Belgrade-Zemun, Salonika and Athens, but it is not known if the Gruppe was based there or just passing through the airfields mentioned. In all probability it was still based in Germany. Moved to Avignon/85 km NW of Marseille in S France around mid-June.[2]
25 May 43: Ju 52 crashed south of Pazavić/Yugoslavia, 100%, 4 killed.[3]
France, Italy and Germany. (Jun 43 - Dec 43)
18 Jun 43: Ju 52 struck the ground and crashed near Avignon, 100%, 4 killed.
16 Jul 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground during Allied attack on Fp. Pomigliano/13 km NE of Naples, 100%.
18 Jul 43: 9 Ju 52s (1Z+KH, MK, FL, JL, LL, AM, BM, GM and HW) shot down and otherwise lost in operations transporting reinforcements and supplies to Sicily, all 100%, 22 KIA and 13 WIA (incl. one of the Staffelkapitäne Hptm. Georg Schauer).
25 Jul 43: 10 Ju 52s (1Z+AB, AL, BL, CL, DL, EL, GL, HL, KL and ML) shot down over the Golf of San Eufemia/Calabria, all 100%, 8 KIA (incl. the Gruppenkommandeur Maj. Ernst Mäss), 15 MIA and 13 WIA. The formation was en-route to the northern coast of Sicily with equipment and supplies when it was set upon by 30 Spitfires. In addition to the Ju 52s, at least 4 of the escorting Bf 109G-6s (from Stab and I./JG 77) were shot down.[4]
Aug 43: following the disastrous losses during the second half of July, I./TG 1 withdrew to Germany to regroup and re-equip. The base has not been identified with certainty, but it was definitely at Diepholz/40 km NE of Osnabrück on 28 October.[5]
4 Sep 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Naples-Capodichino, 100%. Probably a single aircraft left behind when the Gruppe returned to Germany.
Poland, South Russia and Romania. (Dec 43 - May 44)
8 Dec 43: Ju 52 struck an obstacle and crashed at Fp. Baranowicze/E Poland, 100%, 4 killed.
1 Jan 44: all or major elements based at or operating from Biała Podlaska/158 km E of Warsaw and still there in late January.[6]
1-20 Feb 44: based at Uman/W Ukraine - took part in the Cherkassy air supply operation to relieve 56,000 German troops that had been surrounded there at the end of January.[7]
23 Feb 44: ordered to transfer from Uman to Braila/SE Romania.[8]
26 Mar – 10 Apr 44: based at Reichshof (Rzeszów)/154 km E of Kraków in South Poland - flew air supply missions to Pz.AOK 1, which had been cut off and was in the process of withdrawing in the vicinity of Kamenets Podolsk/SE of Lvov.[9]
17 Apr 44: at Cio Carlia/SE Romania (not located – probable misspelling).[10]
26 Apr 44: now at Constanţa/SE Romania.[11]
11 May 44: ordered to transfer from Constanţa to Zichenau (Ciechanów)/78 km NNW of Warsaw.[12]
22 Jul 44: personnel strength - 17 officers, 1 official, 436 NCOs and men plus 6 foreign auxiliaries.[13]
East Prussia, Latvia and North Germany. (May 44 - May 45)
19 Aug 44: Zichenau.[14]
20 Aug 44: 3.St. Ju 52 (1Z+OL) crashed at Fp. Wenden (Cesis)/80 km NE of Riga in Latvia, 100%, 1 killed and 3 injured.
19 Sep 44: based at Neukuhren/30 km NW of Königsberg in East Prussia with 49 Ju 52s on strength. While at Neukuhren, 3. and 4. Staffel were disbanded.[15]
23 Sep 44: Gruppe addressed at Riga.[16]
8 Oct 44: a Staffel (probably 1. Staffel) of 15 Ju 52s temporarily based at Windau (Ventspils)/NW Latvia.[17]
24 Nov 44: the Windau (Ventspils) Staffel or detachment reported 18 Ju 52s and 1 Fi 156 on strength.[18]
26 Jan 45: Ju 52 crash landed at Fp. Gutenfeld/10 km SE of Königsberg in East Prussia, 100%.
27 Jan 45: Ju 52 force landed east of Jesau/East Prussia, 100%.
27 Jan 45: Ju 52 crashed in eastern Germany – located not reported, 90%, Staffelkapitän Hptm. Helmut Hoffmann and 2 others killed, 2 injured.
31 Jan 45: 2 Ju 52s destroyed in low-level enemy attack on Fp. Brüsterort/42 km NW of Königsberg, 100% and 85%.
31 Jan 45: Ju 52 crashed near Kolberg/NE Germany, 100%, 4 injured.
3 Feb 45: Ju 52 destroyed during low-level enemy attack on Fp. Heiligenbeil/E Prussia, 100%, 1 WIA.
4 Feb 45: based at Stolp-Reitz/Pomerania and assigned to Luftflotte 6.[19]
4 Feb 45: Ju 52 reported missing near Schneidemühl, 100%, Oblt. Karl Leppek MIA.
10-11 Feb 45: 2 Ju 52s destroyed in crashes at Fp. Stolp-Reitz/Pomerania, both 100%.
22 Feb 45: Ju 52 shot down by AA fire SE of Skurz, 100%.
22 Feb 45: Ju 52 reported missing in the Graudenz area, 100%, 4 MIA.
24 Feb 45: Ju 52 shot down by AA fire SW of Marienwerder, 100%, 4 MIA.
25-27 Feb 45: 3. Staffel (previously disbanded in Sep 44) re-established at Pütnitz with 15 Ju 52 floatplanes by renaming See-Transportstaffel 1.[20]
28 Feb 45: Ju 52 shot down by AA fire in the Graudenz area, 100%, 4 MIA.
1 Mar 45: now at Tutow-South in Mecklenburg, having moved there toward the end of February or beginning of March.[21]
9 Mar 45: Ju 52 crashed at Graz/Austria, 100%, 4 KIA.
9 Mar 45: Ju 52 reported missing on flight from Danzig, 100%, 4 MIA.
10 Mar 45: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Jesau/E Prussia, 100%.
14 Mar 45: Ju 52 shot down by AA fire over Breslau, 100%, 2 MIA.
20 Mar 45: Ju 52 crashed – location not reported, 100%, Staffelkapitän Hptm. Adolf Lau and 5 others KIA.
29 Mar 45: Tutow-South with one Staffel detached at Leutewitz for operations under I./TG 3.[22]
25 Apr 45: Stab and 2. Staffel at Tutow-South with 14 Ju 52s flying air supply missions to Berlin under Luftflotte Reich; 1. Staffel still based at Windau (Ventspils) with 11 Ju 52s under Luftwaffenkdo. Kurland.[23]
30 Apr 45: Stab and 2. Staffel ordered disbanded this date by OKL.[24]
5-8 May 45: I./TG 1 assembled at Westerland/Sylt with a total of 14 Ju 52s, 11 Ju 52s (See) and 248 officers and men and surrendered to the British on 8 May. Also on 8 May, 1. Staffel’s last 6 serviceable Ju 52s, each loaded with 27 men, flew from Windau to Kiel and surrendered to the British. One and possibly two of the 6 did not make it.[25]
FpNs: Gruppenstab and 1. – 4. Staffel (L 38048)
Kommandeur:
Maj. Ernst Maess (Mäss) (1 May 43 - 25 Jul 43) KIA
Oberst Walter Schroeder? (c. 26 Jul 43 - Aug 43?)
Maj. Oskar Schmidt (15 Oct 43 - 8 May 45)
Also see:
BRETSCHNEIDER, Kurt, Hptm.
HOFFMANN, Helmut, Hptm. Staka in I./TG 1. KIA.
LAU, Dr. Adolf, Hptm. Staka in I./TG 1. KIA.
LEPPECK (LIPPEK?), Karl, Oblt. MIA.
MÄDER, Lambert, Oblt. WIA.
PECK, Erich, Lt. WIA.
RENSING, (Rolf?), Oblt. Adjutant in Gruppenstab I./TG 1.
SCHAUER, Georg, Hptm. Stafü/Staka (3.?)/TG 1, WIA as passenger.
SCHMIDT, Georg, Lt.(Kr.O.). KIA.
SCHÖER, Gottfried, Hptm.
WIENER, Hans, Oblt. KIA.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ W.Dierich-Verbände der Luftwaffe; G.Tessin-Verbände und Truppen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945 - Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte.
- ↑ PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
- ↑ J.Prien-JG 77:1671.
- ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents-op cit.
- ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents-op cit.; BNA HW 5/435.
- ↑ F.Morzik-German Air Force Airlift Operations:230.
- ↑ PRO London: AIR 40/1984.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:245.
- ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
- ↑ ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
- ↑ ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
- ↑ BNA HW 5/546.
- ↑ ULTRA signal from BNA HW 5.
- ↑ ULTRA signal HP1746.
- ↑ BNA HW 5/595.
- ↑ AIR 40/1986.
- ↑ AIR 40/1986.
- ↑ G.Tessin-op cit.
- ↑ Jet & Prop magazine, Heft (issue) 2/1996, p.50.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:272.
- ↑ NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-321 roll 50, frame 876.
- ↑ Jet & Prop 2/1996, pp.50-51.
- ↑ OKL order Qu.2 Nr. 2005/45.
- ↑ Jet & Prop magazine, Heft (issue) 3/1996, p.53.
Return to Transportverbände