Stab./MSGr. 1

Formation and History. (Dec 42 – May 45)

Formed 1 December 1942 at Weddewarden near Bremerhaven by renaming Sonderkommando “Mausi”. The Gruppenstab exercised control over a number of widely scattered minesweeping Staffeln of which there were eventually 6 equipped with a total of 74 Ju 52s (in Nov 43) along with a few other types. So little information on the Stab/MSGr. 1 has come to light that only a few basic details can be provided here. The Stab is believed to have moved from Weddewarden to Wesermünde, possibly in April 1943. On 29 February 1944, it was decided to make the Staffeln independent and the Gruppenstab was disbanded, or at least circumstantial evidence suggests that it was disbanded. The date is in some dispute, with other sources giving 7 February 1944. Then, just 7 or 8 months later on 18 October 1944, the Stab was resurrected in exactly the same place with the same Kommandeur. So there is still some question regarding whether or not it was ever really completely disbanded. Only a single mention has been found connecting an aircraft to the Gruppenstab, and that is for a Ju 52/3m (3K+IB) based at Helsinki-Malmi near the coast in south Finland during late 1943 and early 1944. On 8 December 1944 the Stab sent an order to Minensuchstaffeln 1, 4, 5 and 6 to immediately stop all mine-detecting operations in accordance with a Luftflotte Reich order of 15 November. Although not stated, the order probably was issued because of the critical fuel shortage. On 7 Apr 45 the Gruppenstab was ordered to transfer immediately from Wesermünde to Flensburg in Schleswig-Holstein. It cannot be determined if the order was carried out or exactly when the Stab was disbanded.

FpNs:Dec 42 – Feb 44 (L 49179)

Oct 44 – May 45 (L 62993)

Kommandeur:

Hptm. Hans Karmann (1 Dec 42 - May 45)

© H.L. deZeng IV, 2024

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