[Kapper]

Thanks Matti

Your confirmation of EKMs has reassured me that I’m on the right track.

All,

To take another direction, it’s interesting that Vowinkel has 55564/1 which puts him in 1./ZG2 around March/April 1940. I never knew that, though I notice in Larry’s and Doug’s latest release that they now have Vowinkel in I./ZG2 in March 1940 and in a separate entry have a Oblt Vohwinkel as unhurt after a belly landing on 09.06.40. An uncommon name therefore one could surmise that they are the same. On this basis that would make Vowinkel Staka of 1./ZG 2 after Ettling transferred out to JG2 to at least 09.06.40.

However, this is in conflict with John Vasco’s Zerstorer book which has an Oblt Fritz Ludders as Staka 1./ZG 2 when he was killed in a landing accident on 20.05.40 and was replaced by Oblt Gerhard Goetz to be StaFu 1./ZG2. Goetz was Tech Offr of Stabschwarm I./ZG2 who in turn was replaced by Oblt Reinhold Messner. In another twist, Doug and Larry’s latest work has Goetz as Staka 3./ZG2 from 3.40 – 25.08.40 then in a second entry has him as a POW 05.08.40 as Staka of 1./ZG2. From this, one can only assume that Goetze transferred from 3 Staffel to 1 Staffel on 25.07.40 – much later than John Vasco has on 20.05.40! Which would make one think that Vowinkel was still in command of 1./ZG2 until 25.07.40 !

However, this raises many more questions? If Vowinkel was still in I./ZG2 on the 09.06.40, where was he on 20.05.40. He wasn’t A/Gpkdr as Hptm Gentzen was active until KIA 28.05.40. Maybe Ludders was StaFu not StaKa? Also, was Goetze StaKa 3./ZG 2 or in Stabstaffel as the Tech Offr on 20.05.40?

The other possibility is that Vowinkel left 1./ZG2 before 20.05.40 and that the Vohwinkel unhurt in the accident on 09.06.40 was another person. I think this being another person is unlikely as it’s such an uncommon name? Again, another possibility is that the date of the accident maybe wrong. In my notes I have Ludders becoming Staka on 10.05.40 (unfortunately I didn’t record the source and cannot find it again) – could Vowinkel’s accident been on 09.05.40 (not 09.06.40?) and that Ludders took over as Stafu not Staka at that time?

I note that John Vasco is a member – maybe he can put his input to clarify this.

Regards,

Craig…