Luftgaukommando Belgien-Nordfrankreich
Feldluftgaukommando Belgien-Nordfrankreich
(FpNs:
Stab: L 12214
2. Staffel: L 61557
Aussenstelle Holland: L 04147)
Kommandierender General
Gen.Maj. Fritz Löb (30 May 40 - 22 Jun 40) †
Gen.Maj. Curt Pflugbeil (24 Jun 40 - 20 Aug 40)
Gen.d.Flieger Wilhelm Wimmer (20 Aug 40 - 6 Sep 44)
Subordination:
Luftflottenkdo. 2 (May 40 - Jun 41)
Luftflottenkdo. 3 (Jun 41 - Sep 44)
Subordinate Commands:
Kommando Flughafenbereiche (airfield regional commands) and Fliegerhorstkommandanturen (air base commands), Luftnachrichten (air force signals), Sanitäts (medical), Flak (antiaircraft), numerous ground service and support units located within its territory of authority. These changed frequently and in the absence of surviving source documentation it is not possible to list them accurately or completely.
Formation and History. (May 40 - Sep 44)
Ordered formed o/a 30 May 1940 in Brussels/Belgium. At least one source states that it was formed by renaming an existing Luftgaustab z.b.V., probably Luftgaustab z.b.V. 6. The Luftgaukommando’s territory, which included Belgium and northeast France north of the Seine River, was expanded on 1 January 1944 by adding the area formerly under Luftgaukdo. Holland. During the air offensive against England (Battle of Britain) and to the beginning of June 1941, Luftgaukdo. B-N/F provided logistical support to Luftflotte 2 and then after that date to Luftflotte 3. Together with Feldluftgaukdo. Westfrankreich, it was one of the two largest Luftgaukommandos outside of Germany in terms of infrastructure and total personnel.[1]
Belgium, Northeast France and Holland
The headquarters of Feldluftgaukdo. B-N/F remained in Brussels until August 1944.
22 Jun 40: the first commanding general, Gen.Maj. Fritz Löb, was killed in an accident at Brussels-Evere airfield this date.
1 Jan 44: the former Luftgaukdo. Holland renamed Feldluftgaukommando BelgienNordfrankreich Aussenstelle Holland.
Aug 44: as preparations got underway to evacuate Belgium in the face of the Allied breakout from Normandy and rapid advance across France, the Stab (headquarters) was divided into a 1. Staffel (Echelon) and 2. Staffel (Echelon) to facilitate the withdrawal and a separate Feldpost number was issued for the 2. Staffel.
28 Aug 44: Stab reported to be at Nijmegen/Holland along the line of its withdrawal back to Germany, having evacuated Brussels o/a 26 August (Brussels was liberated by Allied forces on 3 September).
6 Sep 44: ordered renamed Luftgaukommando XIV at Wiesbaden this date.
Flugbereitschaft Feldluftgaukommando Belgien-Nordfrankreich
(FpN: none found)
Formation, History and Losses. (1940 - c.Aug 44)
No information has so far come to light about the duty flight assigned to Feldluftgaukdo. Belgien-Nordfrankreich, except for the aircraft lost and damaged reports noted below and a few scattered location listings from surviving documents. The few reports suggest that the Flugbereitschaft only had approximately 3 to 5 aircraft.[2]
27 Oct 40: a Hs 126 belonging to Flugbereitschaft Feldluftgaukdo. B-NF crash landed at Calais-Marck airfield, 20%.
13 Mar 43: a Do 17E from Flugbereitschaft B-NF crashed near Antwerpen, 100%, 3 killed.
18 Jul 43: a Dewoitine 587 was damaged taxiing at Antwerpen-Deurne airfield, 30%.
7 Sep 43: the following Flugbereitschaft B-NF aircraft were bombed on the ground during an Allied raid on Brussels-Evere airfield: Bf 108 (75% damage), Fw 56 (50%) and Fw 58 (25%).
27 Jan 44: a Fw 58 was shot down by an Allied fighter near Waterloo/Belgium, 100%, Oblt. Walter Reiske (pilot) + 2 KIA.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress).
(1st Draft 2023)
Return to Commands
References
- ↑ G.Tessin- Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945, Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte (Osnabrück, 1980); K.Mehner/R.Teuber - Die deutsche Luftwaffe 1939-1945: Führung und Truppe (Norderstedt: 1993); N.Kannapin - Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945, 3 Bde (I – III) (Osnabrück, 1980-82); PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signals; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (scattered microfilm citations found in T-321, T-405 and T-971 roll 18/frame 051); (T-77 Luftwaffenpersonalamt officer assignment orders); BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 20 files.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).