KGr.z.b.V. 600
KGr. z.b.V. 600
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 600
(Unit Code: C6+)
Formation. (Dec 41)
Formed on or about 15 December 1941 at Kraków/S Poland in response to the urgent need for increased transport resources on the central sector of the Eastern Front resulting from the disastrous set-back west of Moscow where the Soviets had launched a powerful counterattack. On 16 December Hitler personally ordered 5 transport Gruppen assembled and immediately assigned to VIII. Fliegerkorps to meet this need. Air crew comprised instructor personnel from a number of FFS C (multi-engine) and BFS (instrument) schools along with Ju 52 transports taken from various units, schools and Luftwaffe establishments. Organizationally, KGr.z.b.V. 600 had a Gruppenstab and four Staffeln (1. – 4.).[1]
Central and North Russia, Germany. (Dec 41 - Jun 42)
19 Dec 41: from 19 to 28 December the Gruppe transported the 2,200 officers and men of SS-Inf.Rgt. 4, along with all of their weapons, ammunition and equipment, from Kraków via Orsha to Maloyaroslavets/117 km NW of Tula and Kaluga/144 km SW of Moscow in a large-scale airlift to reinforce the rapidly crumbling front southwest of Moscow. On completion of the mission KGr.z.b.V. 600 moved to Orsha.[2]
26 Dec 41: Ju 52 crashed near Smolensk, 90%, 2 KIA and 2 WIA.[3]
19 Feb 42: transferred from Orsha to Korovye Selo/30 km N of Ostrov to take part in the Demyansk airlift operation, a massive effort to fly supplies to II. Armeekorps with 6 divisions totaling 95,000 men that had become encircled on 9 February when Soviet II Guards Rifle Corps cut the last German supply road and the encirclement of the Demyansk pocket was virtually completed. The official, formal start date of the Demyansk airlift was on 12 February. With airlift headquarters at Pskov, 15 transport groups were eventually assembled for the operation, many of the Ju 52s and other aircraft coming from hastily mobilized school assets as well as the active Transportgruppen.[4]
23 Feb 42: Ju 52 shot down at Zaluchye (possibly N of Vitebsk), 100%, 2 KIA.
Mar 42: the extent of the Gruppe’s losses during the Demyansk airlift operation are not known, although they were probably significant due to the severe weather conditions and enemy action in and around the pocket.
12 Apr 42: transferred from Korovye Selo to Wormditt/East Prussia in early April and had arrived there by this date.[5]
17 Apr 42: ordered by Luftflotte 1 to transfer from Wormditt to Salzwedel/N Germany to rest, refit and re-equip. However, this order appears to have been changed a few days later sending the Gruppe instead to Rotenburg.[6]
Central and Eastern Mediterranean. (Jul 42 - Apr 43)
Jun 42: rest and refit completed, ordered to transfer from Germany to the Mediterranean to take part in airlift operations to North Africa with station at Brindisi/S Italy, which remained its permanent station through November 1942.[7]
8 Jul 42: Gruppe ordered to commence air transport flights from Malemes (Máleme)/NW Crete to Tobruk in North Africa.[8]
11 Jul 42: Ju 52 damaged undercarriage landing at Malemes (Máleme)/NW Crete, 25%.
27 Jul 42: had 38 Ju 52s on strength of which 29 were servicable.[9]
16 Aug 42: Ju 52 damaged undercarriage landing at Malemes (Máleme)/NW Crete, 20%.
4 Sep 42: Ju 52 crash landed at Marsa Matruh/W Egypt, 70%.
12 Sep 42: Ju 52 crashed at Athens-Tatoi due to engine failure, 100%.
26 Sep 42: Ju 52 crash landed at Brindisi, 20%.
18 Oct 42: Ju 52 crashed taking off from Athens-Tatoi, 70%, 2 WIA.
28 Oct 42: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Malemes, 100%.
03 Nov 42: Ju 52 (W.Nr. 7192) suffered 50% damage during a taxiing accident at Fl.Pl. Athens-Tatoi. [10]
8 Nov 42: Ju 52 damaged taxiing at Athens-Tatoi.
17 Nov 42: Ju 52 destroyed on the ground during a low-level Allied attack on Bizerte/Tunisia, 100%.
28 Nov 42: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Bizerte, 100%.
1 Dec 42: transferred from Brindisi to Palermo/Sicily on or about 1 December for operations from Sicily to Tunisia under Stab/KG z.b.V. “S”. Remained at Palermo through April 1943.[11]
2 Dec 42: Ju 52 struck by an Italian aircraft (on the ground?) at Palermo/Sicily, 100%, 4 crew and 18 passengers WIA.
7 Dec 42: Ju 52 collided with the ground at Sidi Bou Ali/Tunisia, 100%, crew of 4 plus 15 Italian soldiers KIA.
17 Dec 42: Ju 52 shot down by a fighter near Fp. Castel Benito (not located), 100%, 4 KIA.
22 Jan 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Tunis, 70%.
26 Jan 43: Ju 52 rammed by a landing Italian SM 82 on Pantelleria Is., 80%, 4 WIA.
13 Feb 43: Ju 52 (C6+FU) shot down by a fighter in Pl.Qu. 1847 (probably over the Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia), 100%, 4 MIA.
21 Feb 43: 3 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Palermo on or about this date, all 95%.
1 Mar 43: Ju 52 destroyed in a collision while taking off from Tunis, 85%, 2 WIA.
10 Mar 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Tunis, 60%, 2 KIA and 2 WIA.
5 Apr 43: 3 Ju 52s destroyed and 9 more damaged (all 30%) on the ground during Allied raid of Fp. Palermo, 1 KIA, and Maj. Hermann Kohlpoth and Staffelkapitän Oblt. Fritz Busch plus 8 others all WIA.
5 Apr 43: 2 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Fp. Trapani, 100% and 60%.
10 Apr 43: 2 Ju 52s (6Z+KX, C6+LL) shot down by fighters between Trapani and Tunis, both 100%, 8 MIA.
11 Apr 43: 5 Ju 52s (C6+EB, LK, EL, FM, KM) shot down by fighters between Trapani and Tunis, all 100%, Staffelkapitän Hptm. Erich Mirkschink + 11 MIA, 1 KIA and 2 WIA.
18 Apr 43: 8 Ju 52s (incl. C6+AB, AL, CK and GH) shot down by fighters in the Tunis – Cape Bone area, all 100%, 1 KIA, 9 MIA and 8 WIA.
22 Apr 43: Ju 52 (C6+IL) reported missing off Cape Orlando (Capo d’Orlando)/NE Sicily, 100%, 2 KIA.
27 Apr 43: Ju 52 struck the ground and crashed near Carthage/Tunisia, 100%, 3 KIA and 1 WIA.
1 May 43: renamed I./TG 2 at Palermo.[12]
FpN:Gruppenstab with 1. – 4. Staffel (L 42922)
Kommandeur:
Maj. Markus Zeidler (R, DKG) (c. 15 Dec 41 - Feb 43)
Maj. Josef Grons (R, DKG) (Feb 43 - 1 May 43)
Also see:
AUERSPERG, Wolf Engelbert Siegfried Pankraz Hubert Maria, Prinz von, Lt. MIA.
BROCKMEYER, Felix, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
BRUNZEL, Erich, Oblt.(Kr.O.). MIA.
BUSCH, Fritz, Oblt. Staka. KIA.
CHRISTOPH, Otto, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
DÜSTERLOHE, Hans von, Hptm. Staka 1./KGr.z.b.V. 600. WIA.
FRÖHLING, Albert, Fhj.-Fw./Lt.
HAAS, Johannes, Oblt. MIA.
HAUSTEIN, Arnulf, Lt. MIA.
KELPETH, Hermann, Maj. WIA.
KLEWITZ, ? von, Lt.
KOHLPOTH, Hermann, Maj. WIA.
MAASEN (MANSSEN?), Max, Lt. WIA.
MAIERS, Friedrich, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
MIRTSCHINK, Erich, Hptm.(Kr.O.). Staka 3./KGr.z.b.V. 600, then Staka 4./KGr.z.b.V. 600.
MÖLLER, Hans, Lt. MIA.
RUSCH, Fritz, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
SCHIRMEISTER (SCHIRRMEISTER?), Heinrich, Hptm. Staka 2./KGr.z.b.V. 600. WIA.
SCHOLL, Wilhelm, Hptm.d.R.z.V.
SCHRÖDER, Heinrich, Lt.(Kr.O.).
TOPP, Herbert, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
VALET, Hans Joachim, Lt.(Kr.O.). Pilot. RK.
ZIMMERREIMER, Joachim, Hptm. Pilot. Staka 4./KGr.z.b.V. 600.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ G.Tessin-Tes; Luftwaffe Verband Journal No. 3, page 11; Dierich, Wolfgang - Die Verbände der Luftwaffe 1935-45; BA-MA Freiburg: RL 20/281-84; WFSt Abt. L. (I Op.) Nr. 442182, 16.12.41 in NARA WashDC RG 242/T-77 OKW 2018 file.
- ↑ W.Tieke-Im Lufttransport an Brennpunkte der Ostfront:50-56.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
- ↑ F.Morzik-German Air Force Airlift Operations:137-175.
- ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal CX/MSS/882/T8.
- ↑ ULTRA signal CX/MSS/896/T3.
- ↑ F.Morzik:127; ULTRA signal MKA177; PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
- ↑ ULTRA signal MK8434.
- ↑ Price, Alfred - The Luftwaffe Data Book.
- ↑ Byron T., post to TOCH 8 Feb 2010.
- ↑ PRO London: AIR 40/Air Ministry A.I.3(E) study of German Air Force transport activity in the Mediterranean dated 10 May 1943; AIR 40/1996; AFHRA Maxwell: decimal K113 Karlsruhe Collection.
- ↑ Ob.d.L. order Nr. 7794/43 in Bukowski/Trilus-Fliegerhorst Schönwalde/Berlin: Ausbildungs-und Erprobungsstätte der Luftwaffe 1935-1945:115; K.Kössler-op cit; G.Tessin-op cit; N.Kannapin-Feldpostübersicht.
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