[DDT]

Hello Steve,

I do have the book "Achtung - Torpedos Los !" by Rudi Schmidt (who by the was a member of KG 26 during the war). The 3 crews of III./KG 26 lost on the 8/9-7-41 are :
(ff)Lt.Günther Adler+ - ?(bo)Ofw.Werner KlotzKg(bf)Fw.Erich Ehrenstein+ - ?(bs)Fw.Leopold Theinert+ - ?
(ff)Uffz.Gerhard Fingerhutv(bo)Gefr.Viktor Gussv;+(bf)Gefr.Stefan Krusev(bs)Gefr.Karl Russv

(ff)Lt.Heinz Pahlitzschv(bo)Fw.Georg Schrammv(bf)Uffz.Joachim Zscheilev(bs)Uffz.Karl Maraunv

Do you know (or someone else) if the Pahlitzsch-crew also belonged to 9.-staffel ? Schmidt's book only gives the Gruppe-code. It's also possible that some of the crew members had a different position on board, but to me they seems ok. (ff) Flugzeugführer/pilot - (bo) Beobachter/observer-navigator - (bf) Bordfunker/wireless operator - (bs) Bordschütze/air gunner.

According to the same sources the Horst Ludwigs crew was the first to be lost by III./KG 26 during the German invasion of Russia : 22/7/1941.
Together with the pilot the rest of the crew was KIA :
(bo) Fw. Dietrich Zwicker
(bf) Gefr. Adolf Bruckner
(bs) Gefr. Georg Keil

Hope this will help you a little bit more. Best regards,

Dirk