Units at Dünaburg-Griva airfield?
 

Hi everyone.

This is my first post to the forum. I am doing research into my grandfather’s July 1941 disappearance on the Eastern Front. At the time, he was flying out of the Dünaburg-Griva airfield. Dünaburg is now Daugavpils in Latvia (Dvinsk in Russian).

As part of this, I am trying to determine which Luftwaffe and/or NSFK units were stationed at that particular airfield at the time.

According to Michael Holm’s website (ww2.dk), reconnaissance unit 2.(H)/13 was based in Dünaburg in July. Reconnaissance unit 8.(H)/32 was based there in June 1941. I have also seen a loss record for a Hs126 belonging to 3.(H)/41 at Dvinsk on 2 July 1941. However, this squadron was not based at Dünaburg to my knowledge.

According to Larry deZeng, there were 3 separate Lw airfields in Dünaburg in operation during the war: Dünaburg-Griva, Dünaburg-Ost and Dünaburg-West. See this thread:

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=39799

So, I can’t be sure what units were based in Griva proper. Does anyone know?

I would also be very interested in any info about potential NSFK units based at this airfield, especially in relation to glider activity (if any) around the frontline.

Thanks in advance,

Glider42

Re: Units at Dünaburg-Griva airfield?
 

Glider 42

If you state the name of your grandfather there is a great likelyhood someone here will know/have his loss details, thereby establishing which unit he belonged to and also the circumstances of his loss

B Rgds
Stig

Re: Units at Dünaburg-Griva airfield?
 

Thanks for the reply, Stig. I prefer to keep his name out of search engines until I have a better grasp on his fate. However, you can find it in the attached pic. The pic also contains a URL for a website with a few more bio details, supplied by me. Thanks. Glider42

Re: Units at Dünaburg-Griva airfield?
 

Guys, I really would welcome your help on this one. I know how much expertise is present on this forum.

No-one has any further info about Luftwaffe operations from Griva airfield at Dünaburg/Daugavpils in July 1941? Or about my grandfather’s loss more directly (see attached pic above for his name)? You never know what might help solve this MIA mystery.
His name doesn’t show up in the obvious places (Kracker, airwar.ru, etc.). Having said that, I haven’t got access to the official German loss records from Freiburg.

On a related point, is anyone aware what sort of mission would involve flying solo on the front line or behind enemy lines? Reconnaissance, spying? My relative was an expert glider pilot in Latvia pre-war, trained by Hanna Reitsch. All I know about his activities in July 1941 is that, as a non-German, the Luftwaffe was testing his commitment by sending him on a reputedly dangerous mission when he disappeared. He apparently did not have official military status, only paramilitary. Perhaps he belonged to the NSFK, but I’m not sure. Any record of them having a role at the beginning of Barbarossa?

Thanks in advance for getting back to me if you can,
Glider42

Re: Units at Dünaburg-Griva airfield?
 

Still researching the topic of Dünaburg (Latvia) in July 1941.

The book Foreign Planes in the Service of the Luftwaffe by Jean-Louis Roba shows several photographs of a Russian Po-2 captured intact at Dünaburg airfield on 6 July 1941. See this link (search for Dünaburg, a little half way down):

https://erenow.net/ww/foreign-planes...uftwaffe/6.php

It then shows the same plane being inspected by members of the Brandenburgers unit and, taking off the next day, being crewed to land behind Russian lines by pilots masquerading as Russians.

I find this very intriguing. I know that Brandenburgers were involved in the capture of the bridges over the Dvina at Dünaburg on 26 June. But this author suggests that they were also involved in flying undercover missions into Russian-controlled territory, shortly thereafter. If correct, a Russian plane piloted by Russian speakers would obviously be handy.

Does anyone know more about these types of activities? Especially flying out of Dünaburg at the time? Secondly, does anyone know the source of these photographs (other than the Roba book)?

Glider42