[Charles Bavarois]

Hello Fredcompa,

there are 22 losses for Fi 156 C from Aufklärungsgruppe 156 reported to GQM for 10th May 1940.

8 were lost due to artillery-fire at Foetz and Nives and most of the rest due to crash-landings at Nives.

Fw Albert Faulhaber was taken POW at Gemündel after being shot at by AA. I have two additional names: Uffz Richard Will taken POW at Fauvillers and Uffz Leonhard Brodka (or Boidka) WIA at Fauvillers. Faulhaber and Will returned from POW.

There is also a report filed 14.05.1940 at Genst. Gen. Qu. 6. Abteilung (IA) on losses of flying units from 5th to 11th of May 1940. Acording to this document Aufkl.Gr. 156 lost 22 Fi 156 and two pilots dead and one wounded.

So the number of losses for a/c seems to be quite clear, but there is still some confusion regarding the crews.

BTW: Aufkl.Gr. 156 does not appear on Luftwaffe files on readiness of flying units. These reports were usualy very detailed and thorough. Perhaps the Gruppe was established "auf dem Kommandowege" for a single mission only and disappeared almost "at once" again.


HTH

Carl