[Charles Bavarois]

Hello Norbert,

strange unit, isn't it? Even the clerk at RLM was wondering about it's true nature.

There are five Namentliche Verlustmeldungen for 1. und 2. Staffel Sondergruppe „L“ from late 1942 to the end of January 1943. Nearly all losses were on combat missions starting at Pleskau. Aircraft were mixed Ju 88 and He 111 with Truppenkennzeichen from different units pointing towards planes taken over from their former owners. "Your" Ju 88 had the code 5K+CU.

Interestingly the last loss on 26.1.43 is reported like 1./Sondergruppe „L“ in NVM and like „Lehrgang für Nachtflugausbildung“ in GQM.

During that timeframe there was a „Lehrgruppe für Nachtflugausbildung Lfl. 1 (aus IV Kampfgruppen)“ based at Plesau. The unit, which was regarded as "Störkampfer" for example had 14 Ju 88 and 21 He 111 on strength on 10th Jan 1943.

This group was established "auf dem Kommandowege" at Prowehren around 27.11.1942 for Luftflotte 1. My last infos are a remark "in Auflösung = being disbanded" on 10.4.1943 and "disbanded" on 20.4.43.

So it seems, that Sondergruppe "L" was something like a conglomerate night-nuisance unit disguised as a night-flight-training-group temporarily established from crews and aircraft from IV. groups of different Kampfgeschwader to help stabilizing the front in the east, when Luftwaffe was in desperate need for every flyable aircraft. One should remember, that at this time IV groups were something like OTU within each Kampfgeschwader to make newly allocated crews combat-ready after advanced trainig at the schools.

HTH

Carl