Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

During the afternoon of 5 Apr 45 some 74 assorted aircraft attacked the British 29th Armoured Brigade at Stolzenau on the River Weser in N Germany while it was carrying out crossing operations. Among the attacking aircraft identified by the gunners of 58th LAA Regiment were Ju88, Ju188, and Me109, and the regiment's war diary records that the aircraft dropped HE and AP bombs.

14.Fliegerdivision was responsible for air operations in North Germany at this time but had no units flying the Me109. It did, however, have one unit with Ju88 and Ju188, 1./FAGr 33, but these were long-range reconnaissance aircraft and, as I understand it, had neither bomb aimers nor (I assume) carried bombs. Could the Ju88 and Ju188 have come from II./KG200, which had these aircraft for pathfinder ops but could have used them in extremis for conventional bombing missions?

So....I have hit a bit of a brick wall trying to work out/find out which units owned these aircraft and would be very grateful for any help.

Re: Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

Abendmeldung 5. April 1945

14. Fl.Div
JG 26: Insges 85 Flzg, davon
I., II. und III./JG 26 Tiefangriffe und Aufklärung iR Lingen - Rheine und Osnabrück mit 75 Fw 190, 06.45 - 16.30, in 9 einsätzen.
Mehrere Lkw in Brand geschossen.
Im Luftkamp 1 Spitfire und 1 Gempest wahrsch abgeschossen.

II./26 10 Fw 190 14.00 - 14.45 Angriff auf Feindansammlungen bei Lemförde mit 7 SD 250, ohne besondere Wirkungsbeobachung.

II./76: 1 Ar 234 11.12 - 11.53 Aufklärung mit Kampfauftrag iR Lingen - Hengelo - Rheine. Gleitangriff mit 1 SC 500 rial auf Panzer und Lkw Ansammlungen iR Lingen. Starke Rauchentwicklungen beobachtet.
JG 27: Meldungen sehen noch aus.
NAG 6: 1 Fw 190 ab 18.00 Aufklärung iR Osnabrück - Vechta - Minden.
NSG 1: 4 Ju 87 Einsatz gegen Feindbewegeungen iR Stolteau, Sturzangriff auf Kfz und Pz Ansammlungen im Ort Steltenau. Weitere Einzelheiten stehen noch aus.

Nachtrag zur Abendmeldung von 5.4.45:

14. Fl.Div.:
JG 26: Insgesamt 92 Flugzeuge.
Abschüsse: 3 Flzg (1 Spitfire, 2 Tempest).
Sonst keine ergänzenden Meldunen.
Verluste: 1-8-0, 1-4-6.
JG 27: Insgesamt 45 Flugzeuge. davn
I./JG 27: 18 Me 109, 08.09 - 10.55, Bomben und Bordwaffenangriffe sowie Aufslg. iR Minden - Ohnhausen - Dellne. Gute Trefferlage in Kfz-Kolonnen auf Strassen iR Brilon.
Luftkampf mit 16 Thunderbolt und 8 Mutang iR Hameln. 1 Thunderbolt sicher.
Verluste: 0-5-0, 0-5-0

III./JG 27: 8 Me 109 09.10 - 10.57 in 2 Einsatzen. Angriff auf Kfz und Panseransamlungen iR SW Dellne mit guter Trefferlage. Luftkampf mit 16 Mustang ohne Erfolg.
Verluste: 0-1-0, 0-1-0.
I. Und III/JG 27: 19 Me 109, 17.29 - 18.00 Aufklg und Bombenangriffe auf Kfz und Panzeransammlungen iR Lemförde - Diepholz mit 10 SC 250 ohen bes Wirkungsbeobachung. Abgesessene Infanterie mit Bordwaffen wirksam angegriffen.
Im Luftkampf 1 Auster abgeschossen.
Verlute: 0-4-0, 1-4-0.
III./KG 200: 16 Fw 190, 17.53 - 19.59 Bomben- und Bordwaffenangriff auf Panzeransammlugen 2 xxxx mit 28 SD 250 sowie Bordwaffenangriffe auf Flakstellugen bei Lemförde.
Gute Trefferlage, Detonationen beobachtet.
Verluste: 0-2-0, 0-2-0.
III./76 10 Ar 234, 16.45 - 17.30 Angriff auf Kfz-Ansammlungen und Feindbewegungen iR S Lemförde mit 8 SG 500 Trialen ohne bes Wirkg. beob.'
2 Flzg abebr wegen techn Störg.
Verluste keine.
NSG 20: 28 Fw 190, 15.36 - 19.15 Bekämpfung von Panzern und Kfz-Ansamlungen b. Diepholz. Sturz- und Gleitngriff aus 400 - 1000 m Höhe mit 12 SD 500 - Trialen, 6 AB 500 DG 1 und 1 AB 500 SD 10 und 12 SC 50, detonationen in Kfz- und Panseransammlungen beob. Durch Bordwafenangriff auf Kfz-Ansamlungen zahlreiche mot. Fahrzeuge in brand geschossen. Durch 1 Flzg Angriff mit 1 SC 500 Trialen aus 500 m auf Brücke bie Winden (b Diepholz) ohne bes Wirkg Beob.
3 Flzg vorseitig abgebrochen wegen tech Störg.
Werluste: 0-1-0, 0-1-0
NSG 1: 4 Ju 88 Sturzangriff auf Kfz- und Panseransammlungen im Orgt Stolzenau ohen bes Wrig Beob.

Aufklärung:
III./76: 1 Ar 234 11.12 - 11.53 Aufklg mit Kampfauftrag iR LIngen - Hangelo - Rheine. Gleitangriff mit 1 SC 500 Trialen auf Panzer- und Kfz-Ansammlungen iR Lingen. Starke Rauchentwicklg beob.
NAG 6: 1 Fw 190, 16.02 - 16.47, Aufklg in Tiefflug iR Minden - Stolzenau dgf.
1 Fw 190, 18.00 - 18.45 Aufklg iR Osnabrück - Vechta - Minden dgf.

Re: Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

Unfortunately you may have to look further than 14. Fl.Div. because it seems that in an emergency, units from one division could be assigned to help a neighbouring one. It's probably worth you taking a look online at the ULTRA decrypts on the National Archives website (try files DEFE3/562 to /566).

Your Bf 109s could well have been JG 27 by day or NJG 11 by night. With Ju 88 and 188s they could be bombers from LG 1 or KG 66 as well as night fighter units turned over to strafing duties.

Re: Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

Also, concerning operations by night fighter units in the evening and night of 5/6 April:

Morgenmeldung West vom 6.4.45.

2.) Westfront:

Eigener Einsatz:

2.J.Div.: 18.18- 20.15 15 Ju 88 ????schlachteinsatz mit Bomben (AB 250- SD10) und Bordwaffen auf Straßen-ziele i.d.R. Stolzenau, Schlüsselburg, Lemförde, Diepholz, Uchte, Minden. Gut? Trefferlage und ???-???? Brände beobachtet.
Verluste: 0 – 0 – 1, 1 – 0 – 0.

18-19 – 20.20 12 Me 109 Jagdschutz fur Schlachteinsatz und Tiefangriffe Am gleichen ???. Keine bes. ???. beob.
Keine verluste.

'sorry, the copy of the original document I have is hard to read.

Re: Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

Many thanks to you all for your very helpful replies and for the time taken. It's getting clearer. Some responses...

1. Delmenhorst. Fascinating document and it shows that JG 27 was operating in 14.Fliegerdivision's area. Also very interesting to see the bomb types carried. I was puzzled by 'NSG 1: 4 Ju 88 Sturzangriff....'. As far as I am aware NSGr 1 was only equipped with Ju 87. Could 'Ju 88' be a typo?

2. Nick. I have been looking at the ULTRA messages and they (well, some) make fascinating reading. I will keep digging! Your suggestion of LG 1 and KG 66 was intriguing as this is the first I have heard of these units as neither are listed by Price in his 9 Apr 45 Luftwaffe strength return, which in lieu of anything else I have to use as my 'bible' on Luftwaffe units in 1945.

3. RodM. There is no mention in 58th LAA Regt's war diary of Ju 88 attacking Stolzenau on 6 Apr but the times fit for the attack on the 5th. Perhaps this is the situation report dated 6 Apr but reporting on events that took place on 5 April? I see that the aircraft came from 2.Jaeger-Division which, as I understand it, controlled fighters in the Denmark sector. I wonder what its relationship was with 14.Flieger-Division?

Best

John

Re: Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

I am not home right now but it could be a typo - I will check

Re: Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

Hi John,

the morning report is dated 6 April, but covers events on the night before, i.e. the evening of 5 April and early morning of 6 April.

The report indicates that 15 Ju88 aircraft from 2. Jagddivision flew between 6:18 pm and 8:15 pm (i.e. first take off and last landing times) on the evening of 5th April. The 12 Bf109s flew air cover but also conducted strafing attacks themselves.

2. Jagddivision was subordinate to Luftflotte Reich for air defense, but its night fighters had recommenced night ground attack missions during the Allied crossing of the Rhine river at the end of March. It had no direct relationship with 14. Fliegerdivision (they were seperate commands), and it covered Northern Germany as well as Denmark.

I have individual details of three of the 27 sorties:

I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 - two Ju88s from Rotenburg airfield, one flew between 18:14 - 19:47 hrs (without bombs) and the other between 18:18 - 19:45 hrs (with AB 250-2 containers holding SD-10 frag bomblets) . Both of these sorties were in the Stolzenau area.

III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 11 - one Bf109 from Oldenburg airfield, flew between 18:15 - 19:13 hrs.

I know that some of the take off times from these flying logbooks are earlier than the times given in the High Command report.

The High Command report also indicates that one Ju88 was destroyed with one man wounded ("0-0-1, 1-0-0" = Personnel: killed 0, missing 0, wounded 1. Material: 1 destroyed, 0 missing, 0 damaged). The fact that the Ju88 and crew weren't posted as missing indicates that the aircraft regained German territory before crashing.

Cheers

Rod

Re: Identifying Ju88, Ju188 and Me109 units - 5 Apr 45
 

Hi John,

I should add that in early April, 2. Jagddivision took command of flying units formerly subordinated to 3. Jagddivision, which was in the process of disbanding.

The Luftwaffe strength return for 5 April still shows both Jagddivisions as seperate entities, but the reality appears to be that on the night of 5 April, 2. Jagddivision controlled its own night fighters and those of the disbanding 3. Jagddivision.

It was not until the strength return of 7 April that all the units showed under 2. Jagddivision, and 3. Jagddivision was excluded. This strength return shows the following night fighter units subordinated to 2. Jagddivision:

Stab NJG2, I./NJG2, III./NJG2, Stab NJG3, 1./NJG3, 7./NJG3, 10./NJG3, Stab NJG4, 1./NJG4, 4./NJG4, 7./NJG4, and 7./NJG11.

The flying logbook sortie I indicated from III./NJG11 - should read 7./NJG11, as III. Gruppe and two Staffeln were disbanded on 29 March and the Gruppe reduced to 7. Staffel only.

Cheers

Rod