Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Has anyone discovered who commanded this unit at Garz from 1943 to December 1944?

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Names associated with Lehr-u.E-Kdo. 36:

BIERLING, Hptm.
BOBSIEN, Hptm.
EICHHOLZ, Hptm.
HETZEL, Ernst, Maj.
HLAVAZCEK, Hptm.
MERTENS, Hptm.
RUBE, Reinhardt, Oblt.
SCHEDEL, Heinrich, Oblt.

[Sources: Balcke: KG 100 history; CSDIC interrogation report A. 441.]

You can look up these 8 names in Lw.-Officer Career Summaries on ww2.dk.

L.

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Hptm. Bobsien was St.Kap. 2./Lehr u. Erpr.Kdo. 36 from 15.10.1943-06.02.1944.

John

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Thanks John-this would fit as he was formerly I./KG 40 but I am after the Kdo Führer

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Correct, he was with 2./KG 40 from late 1940 onwards. He made 5 Feindflüge. I am not sure who was Kdo Führer of Erpr.Kdo. 36.

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

John: Presume you got the details from BA on Bobsien? Cannot understand why a Kdo would have St Kap? However, Oblt Heinz Schedel is stated as being a St Kap as well. Larry and Doug say he was Kdo Führer which would match as it appears that Hptm Ernst Hetzel took command Aug 43 to Sep 44 and then Hptm Günther Eichholz was in charge (he signed a document in March 1945)

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Possibly helpful.........evidence of at least 3 numbered Staffeln.

Stab/E-Kdo. 36 KStN 1162 (L)
Betr.Techn.Gr./E-Kdo. 36 " (LP order 546/44)
1. u. 2. Staffel/E-Kdo. 36 " 1163 (L)
5. F.K. Betr.Kp./E-Kdo. 36 " 1336 (L)

[from Luftwaffenpersonalamt documents captured at Berchtesgaden May/June 1945, microfilmed, and currently at NASM/Smithsonian in the 7000-series rolls.]

Mar 44: "while all other elements of E-u.L-Kdo. 36 remained at Garz/Usedom, a separate Lehr-Kp. was established in March 1944 at Swinemünde under a Hptm. Bierling to train technical ground servicing personnel on the maintenance of the remote control equipment."

[from CSDIC interrogation A 441.]

L.

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Hi Larry,

Your post prompted me to see if I had that report and it turns out that I have a completely different A441 (source: TNA AIR 40/3114). Mine is "CSDIC CMF Report A.441", and—incredible coincidence—on page 3 names Hptm. Eichholz as CO of Lehr u. Erpr.Kdo 36. I would never have realised I had that information without your post since it was something I copied in 2014 for information on Operation Dragoon.

See attachments.

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Yes, data comes from PA Pers 6/188877 and mikrofilm (FF) (still from Aachen in 1990's)

John

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Yes, my copy appears to be a truncated abbreviated version of CMF A 441 that I found in the boxes at Suitland back in the 1980's.

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Most interesting. I now have Hetzel and Eichholz as the last 2 but who was the first one from July 1943 when it was formed (or did Hetzel do this and KG 100?)

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Roba's « KG 100 Wiking, L'Escadre au Drakkar » in Annexe III has this to say of Hetzel:

Hetzel, Ernst, Maj. Born 19 September 1910 in Stuttgart … In December 1940 tranferred to I./KG 40 as TO. February 1942 to KGS 3 in Cognac and in June 1942 Kommandeur of III./KGS 3. Shortly afterward led Erpobungskommando 21 which became III./KG 100. In July 1943 left to command Erpr.Kdo. 36 and received the Ritterkreuz on 20 April 1945. Died in Hechingen, 27 June 1973.

Re: Lehr und Erprobungskommando 36
 

Looks like he handed over III./KG 100 28 Jul 43 and then took over E.Kdo 36 10 Aug 43