flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Good morning everybody
I'm looking for location of airfield Lemonsky which II./JG53 operated from between 25 and 30 of june during Barbarossa
B rgds

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Following the Kampfweg of II./JG 53 for late June and early July 1941, "Lemonsky" would almost certainly have to be in south Latvia, but neither I nor Wikipedia have ever heard of it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...aces_in_Latvia


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_exonyms



L.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Pardon me guys, as I am not a JG 53's expert. But taking into consideration set of data provided by Michael Holm (at www.ww2.dk) the II./JG 53 had not participated at early stages of Barbarossa. At 13.06.41 it was rebased from Mannheim to small Feldflugplatz Neusiedel (currently Polish Karchów, Silesia). Twelve days later it (though without 6./JG 53, which was then relocated several times in Germany and Holland) was moved to "Lemonsky", which is our object of investigation, and just five days later returned to Silesia: Kreuzburg- Süd (pol.: Kluczbork). Or...perhaps it never left Silesia in period 13.06. - 05.07 1941? At early July 1941 it eventually seem to appear at Alt-Schwaneburg, or Gulbenes, Latvia
Wherever it could be, I belive "Lemonsky" is somewhere in Silesia. Such a name could be a an effect of mistaken reading of a handwritten text. Let me have look on it, and I hopefully will tell you where it is.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Flugplatz "Lemonsky"

p.328: “Zwischen dem 12. und dem 14.Juni 1941 begann die Verlegung nach dem Osten; Stab und I.Gruppe gingen nach Krzewicza, die II./JG 53 verlegte nach Neusiedel in Ostpreussen und die III.Gruppe ging nach Suwalki.”

p.346: (24-25 Juni)“Aufgrund des schnellen Vormarsches der Heerestruppen wurden die ersten Vorwärtsverlegungen des Geschwaders erforderlich; daher machten sich am Abend die Vorkommandos auf den Weg, um die neuen Plätze für die Berlegung vorzubereiten – Pruszana für den Stab und die I.Gruppe, Lemonsky für die II. und Wilna für die III./JG 53.”

p.413: (26 Juni)Bf 109 F-2 Wk.Nr. 5452 from II./JG 53 was shot up and made an emergency landing at Slonim/140 km E Białystok.

p.413: 01 Juli)Bf 109 F-2 Wk.Nr.5756 and 5450 both damaged in crash landings at Kreuzburg (Krustpils) in NE Latvia 120 km ESE Riga.

Source:
Prien, Jochen. Pik-As: Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 53. 3 Teile (volumes). Eutin: Struve-Druck, c. 1989-90. Teil 1(Aufstellung des Geschwaders-Vorkriegszeit-Sitzkrieg-Frankreichfeldzug-Einsatz gegen England-Russlandfeldzug-Holland-Einsatz gegen Malta: März 1937 – Mai 1942). Teil 2 (Mai 1942 bis Januar 1944, ISBN: 3-923457-14-6). Teil 3 (1943-1945, ISBN: 3-923457-16-2). Hb (oversize). Dj. 1,721p. Heavily illus. Maps. Dwgs. Tables. Numerous appendices incl. loss and victory lists. Name index.

In this hour-by-hour, day-by-day history of JG 53, Dr. Prien makes no mention of II. Gruppe being detached and sent to Silesia, nor does he give the location of “Lemonsky”, either. He mentions previously un-disclosed and un-named Soviet VVS field airstrips and landing grounds in South Latvia, Lithuania and eastern Poland, so it’s quite likely that “Lemonsky” is one of those.Perhaps the Russians named it after the commander of one of their fighter regiments (IAP).But II. Gruppe was clearly engaged over eastern Poland on 26 June and I think that would be a bit too far a distance for a Bf 109 based in Silesia.

L.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Even Dr.Prien makes mistakes giving geographic names. We have Krzewicza instead of Krzewica, or Pruszana instead of Prużana. So what the Lemonsky could be? Some characters were added or removed, some probably changed. The area of East Prussian/Polish/Lithuanian border are full of names that ends up with –ai (Valkininkai, Daugai, Mockai to take a few) on Lithuanian side, and –y (Sejny, Dolinczany, Niuchy) on Polish one. As II./JG 52 moved from Neusiedel/Ostpr to Lemonsky and lost an aircraft near Słonim (a small airfield by the way), taking into consideration operational range of Bf-109F, I would put the Lemonsky to area where Polish/Lithuanian/Belorussian border meet. I have checked Lithuanian geographic names and I have found nothing similar to Lemonsky. I suppose the area being Polish before 1939, now belonging to Belaruss, is the one a Lemonsky shall be looked for.
From the other hand I totally disagree that Lemonsky could be a person, who gave it’s name to an airfield. It was totally forbidden in Soviet Union within it’s politic system. Okay if it’s Stalin, Lenin, Molotov, or someone of that sort, but rather nobody else.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Good morning all
I agree that name Lemonsky might be a distorted name of Polish location however Germans ones took a territory from Soviets were not tightened to soviet rules of naming places ant went back to oryginal naming for instance name of owner of land property. I think we should fallow a drive of Wehrmacht land forces which II./JG53 covered in that days.
Al the best

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Unfortunately I have to agree with You Larry, I think it will be a mystery forever. I've searched the name Lemonsky on several russian-language sites but found nothing. There are several locations about which Russians researchers have no idea
All the best

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Hold on guys, I don't think everything is lost. First of all it's important to find out what is hidden under name "Lemonsky". Most of the Slavonic names means something. Let's translate into proper Polish the names Larry gave in his post above.
Slonim-Derewiantschyze - shall be Słonim Derewiantycze. The Derewiantycze could come from Derewnye (a village) or Drewno (wood). Slonim-Zyrowize - shall be Słonim Żyrowicze (żyrować = to endorse). Now tell me who and when distorted these names? Is Lemonsky a Lewońki or Liwonki (a Liwia river could be quite near of it)? I doubt the suffix -sky is proper in this name, and I keep on searching. Wish me luck :-)

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

I think you are on the right track, Pawel. Perhaps there was a Colony (Kolonia, Kolonie), which was an agricultural or farming estate, by the name "Lemonsky" that had a nice, firm, level grass pasture that could be used as an improvised field airstrip?

L.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Hi to all
First: name Lemonsky sounds rether like a name of kolkhoz than geografical name. Lemonsky in russian language is an Adjective of the Noun Lemon which means the same in several languages. I'm sure it was located on the Lithuania because during Barbarossa II./JG 53 didn't operated with rest of JG53 but supported JG54 in the drive of 4. PzGr from Armee Gruppe Nord to Leningrad. It must also lay on axis between Neusidel and Kreuzburg. And II./JG53 moved to it on June 25th so it must be taken by Germans around 23rd. On that day LVI Armee Corps (Mot.) reached a line of Raseiniai and Kedainiai.
All the best

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

ad. Raseiniai and Kedainiai

it is old Polish names like: Rosieny/Rossieny (a base for new formed 240. IAP) and Kiejdany, both in North-Western Front in Lithuania.

In Kiejdany was next Soviet assoult regiment - 61. SzAP. Both from 7. SAD.

There are many photos of I-153 from Kiejdany had done by Germans. So it is possible, that it is that place?


regards,
mw

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

I think so, however unless someone with access to oryginal Luftwaffe maps confirm this it is only a hypotesis or, somebody would have, a speculation. Anyway it seams probale that II./JG53 operated from that area between June 25th and July 1st when it moved to Jekabplis.
All the best

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

I have checked the Polish Town’s Evidence for 1931 (207 Mb file ready for download is here: http://www.mapywig.org/m_documents/P...CI_RP_1931.pdf) and…nothing.
As for temporary Soviet AF airfields, I have only partial list and I haven’t found complete one, though the best available in the net is here: http://www.rkka.ru/i22.htm. Special notice shall be paid to Ленинградский ВО (Leningrad Military District), Прибалтийский ОВО (Baltic Detached Military District) and Западный ОВО (Western Detached Military District). I think others are out of interest. I have check them and…nothing.

Needles to say we are discussing period 1939-1941, when Russian were hastily (with full sense of this word) building their aviation infrastructure on just-captured areas. As for distances of VVS RKKA airfields from the German border, some were pretty close: Tarnovo (129 IAP) – 12km, Dolubovo (126 IAP) – 22 km, Syeburchin (41 IAP) – 50 km, Visokye Mazovietskye (124 IAP) – 40km or Borissovshtizna (13 SBP) – 70 km to mention a few. I doubt our beloved “Lemon Sky” was a kolkhoz field as none were established yet on territories captured by Red Army in period 1939-1941.

I think good idea to narrow down our field of research would be finding a II./JG 53’s target list. An information about it’s losses provided by Larry is a good hint too.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Hi fellow researchers,

II./JG 53's claims would also be useful, but there do not seem to have been any during the 25-30 June period. I find this impossible to believe, so perhaps the Gruppe's claims paperwork for those 6 days was lost? Claims exist for the rest of the Geschwader for that time frame, but not for II. Gruppe. Strange.

Larry

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Well, the noun "lemon" is actually "limon" (l-ee-mon) in Russian and corresponding adjective is "limonny", but not "lemonsky".

Lemonsky may be a Russian family name (Лемонский) of Polish or Jewish origin. There are a wood calling "Lemonsky" in Moscow Oblast and Lemonsky district in Voronezh Oblast.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Hi again, guys, I can offer you a really crazy theory :)

Just look at your keyboards. The keys "M" and "O" are placed right near the keys "N" and "I". A typographical error may be? If that's so, then we have "Leninsky" instead of mysterious "Lemonsky".

Best regards,
Maksim.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Hallo Maxim1 and all
It's possible that Lemonsky was in fact Leninsky but it doesn't change the fact that we still don't know where it was. To follow the claim list of II./JG53 was good idea but I have alreaddy figured out the same as Larry deZeng before Iplaced the post : no clims for that period. It seems that we may never know exact location unless someone has an oryginal Luftwaffe pilot's map of that area.
All the best

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Hi w.661 et al,

We are rapidly running out of options. I have been hoping that Dr. Prien, an occasional visitor here, might see this thread and provide assistance. After all, it has been over 20 years since he wrote his 3-volume JG 53 Chronik, so I thought that he might have found a map or some additional information by now that would help with the Flugplatz Lemonsky puzzle. Perhaps one of you might care to send Dr. Prien a PM and direct his attention to this thread? His input may be the last option.

Larry

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

As for suggestion that Lemonsky=Leninsky, I honestly doubt. Russians haven't changed the towns' names during their almost two years "administration" in Eastern Poland and Baltic States- they have just translated them (i.e. Kaunas into Kovno). Leninsky would rather indicate Russian soil, but we all know this wasn't the case that time.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

I would try Lemonski. It is likely Polish.



Ed

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Sounds like a drink, but it's not Polish.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

I think it's Leoniszki (lit. Leoniškės), 5 km E of Bujwidze (lit. Buivydžiai).
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leoniszki

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

In Lithuania?



Ed

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Before war in Poland, now on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Yes, what is it about II./JG 53 that is so hard track down? What we do know is that the Group was at Neusiedl until 25 June when it moved to Lemonsky. The 25th was also the last day they scored any kills for the remainder of June. In John Weal's book he states that the Group "were employed primarily on uneventful freie ]agd patrols along the Baltic coastline (when not being scrambled in response to yet another Red Air Force bombing raid)."

First, I don't think they went to Vilnius. That was VIII Fkiegerkorps zone of operations and if they had they would have seen a lot more action. Now, correct me if I am wrong, when all the fighter groups displaced forward in June and early July they moved to former Soviet airfields. I attached a map showing where JG 54 Groups moved to. If II./JG 53 was patrolling the baltic coastline, it seems logical that it would have moved closer to the coast, that leaves out Kaunas and Kedainiai. I have looked at Siauliai but can not find any VVS air fields with towns or villages with names resembling Lemonsky or could be garbled into a germanized form. Then I thought maybe they went to Liepaja (Libau, now Klaipeda), but that airfield was in artillery range of the Soviet garrison and the port didn't fall to the 291st Infantry Division until 29 June.

My working theory at the moment is that they went Memel. At the time II./JG 53 moved the VVS was launching day and night raids against Memel and Koenigsberg. (See the second attached map). If you look at the map Memel had three landing at Memel and the civilian airfield. Maybe one of those three landing fields is Lemonsky, then again maybe not. We won't know until we get information about them, and maybe someone knows. Otherwise I am fairly certain II./JG 53 moved North with JG 54 and remained under Fliegerkorps I control and if not in Memelland it was in Lithuania.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Oquaig,

Not much of an airfield:

VVS Airfield near Memel (Klaipeda):
Priekule (Grabsten)/18 km SE of Klaipeda (Memel) on the coast of Lithuania.

Klaipėda (LITH) (a.k.a. Memel-Rumpischken) (55 41 50 N - 21 09 30 E) (AFHRA)
General: emergency landing ground (Notlandeplatz) in present-day Lithuania on the Baltic coast and located 2 km SE of the city. History: 1927 listed as a civil/commercial landing ground (Verkehrslandeplatz). Surface and Dimensions: drained grass surface measuring approx. 595 x 550 meters (650 x 600 yards). Infrastructure: no information found.
Operational Units: 4.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 21 (Jun 41).
Station Commands: none identified.
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): Stab/Flak-Rgt. 6 (mot.) (Dec 44); Stab III.(Flum.Mess)/Ln.-Rgt. 260 (Sep 44 – Jan 45)?; part of Lw.-Bau-Btl. 108/VI (K) (Oct-Nov 44); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 314/VI (Jun 41); elements of Sanitätsbereitschaft (mot) d.Lw. 7/VII (or 7/XVII?) (fall 44).
[Sources: AFHRA A5258 p.959 (1944); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA; PRO/NA; web site ww2.dk]

If Memel had 3 "airfields" in June 1941, then the other two must have been satellite airstrips hastily built by the Soviets between summer 1940 and spring 1941.

This is all I have, but maybe you will find something useful here. It certainly didn't get much Luftwaffe use in June-July 1941.

L.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Thanks for that. Memel was part of the Reich from 1938 to 1945, so I doubt the Soviets built any airfields there...according to the "abandoned, forgotten and little known airfields" site for Lithuania there was an airfield just north of the border some 3 km from Palange that was used by the Lithuanian Airforce to train pilots before the Soviet take over, but that is about it.

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Well, I have done an extensive search in Memlland and western Lithuania and Latvia and found nothing. I have read through the war diary for 291 Infantry Division and the siege of Liepaja and came up with this: Liepaja airfield was taken by the division on 24 June at 14.40 hrs. The near by village of Grobina was being shelled by 210 mm and 280 mm shore batteries from the Soviet held port. The division reported Ju88's bombing the port at 22.00hrs on 24 June and again at 22.15 hrs on 25 June. A report on the airfield stated that the airfield was only half finished and that 3000 men (Reich Arbeits Dienst ?) were being brought up by trucks to complete the job... so no one was using the field.


Now I have noticed that most of II./JG 53's movements have been in tandem with those of I./JG 54. When I./JG 54 moved to Jacobpils in 1.7.41, II./JG 53 had moved there (to Keuzberg on the north side of the Dvina, where the airfield was) the day before. They both moved to Gulbene on 5.7.41. On 10.7.41 I./JG 54 moves to Korovje Selo and II./JG 53 moves to Kapovo (Ostrov-Nord). On 16.7.41 we find II./JG 53 at Korovje Selo with I./JG 54. So assuming they were moving in tandem all along I began my search at Siauliai where I./JG 54 arrived on 26.6.41. I searched villages, towns, street names and even names of Hotels. The main airfield for Siauliai is on the SE corner of the town. 20 km further to the SE past Radvilliskis is a small airfield next to the forest, hamlet and train station of Linkaiciai. Assuming that most Germans are not fluent in Lithuanian, so this might be our “Lemonsky”, or not.


The pattern fits. The operational radius of the Bf 109F-2 would allow them to fly out to Liepaja then up the coast as far as Cape Kolka via the Irbe strait, fly through Riga bay and back to Siauliai. I have no idea what route they may have taken. All I know is that they were patroling the coast and they didn't find anyone to shoot down.


Comments ?

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

I'm convinced the solution can only be found in an original german military map from 1941. The German maps dated back to WW I and were strongly influenced by the population of this area. Lithuania of 1918 was a part of Russia with the official language Russian, 2nd most common language Lithuanian with strong minorities Polish and Baltic German.
So there will be no misreading or misunderstanding of the name "Lemonsky" but it is the German transcription of a location which is not used any more. Just remember Vilnius-Wilna-Wilno. Lemonsky seem to me to be situated in the southeast of Lithuania, where Polish was common at that time. The Polish name might be "Lemonski, Limonski" or similar and isn't used anymore; the Lithuanian name nowadays might be quite different.
A good example example in this region: Šalčininkai (lith.), Sassenicken (ger.), Soleczniki (pol.)

Regards

RolandF

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

No help but of interest by association from (Akte 902. Militärgeographische Angaben über die Baltischen Länder (Estland, Lettland, Litauen)

Re: flugplatz Lemonsky
 

Thanks Andy,
Actually this is a very informative little book. It lists all the towns that have Military assets (Bridges, roads, railroad yards, military kasernes, airfields, factories, etc...). Interesting to know that Siauliai Airfield was 127.4 hectares in size and had a 30,000 liter aviation fuel storage tank. It also gives the German and Russian alternate names of these places in addition to their Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian names. It does not mention all the airfields shown on the map you provided and alas no town named Lemonsky.

I have also found Maps on line that cover the Baltic States in great detail for the period 1893 to 1944...Russian Maps, German Army Maps, Latvian and Lithuanian maps down to 1:25000 scale: But I did not find Lemonsky.

Deutsche Heeres Maps Eastern Europe 1938-1944
http://igrek.amzp.pl/mapindex.php?cat=ME300