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Re: Staka 3./ZG 26 (again)
Hello,
This morning I got a major update on everything that we know about the personnel of 3./ZG26. EoE member André Stewart has been working on I./ZG26 and has pulled together every German record source, including access to all the EKM data and individual personnel files. When I posted the above info, I was relying on an earlier version of his research, which he has now updated for me.
The most important points to update:
1) Hptm Albrecht is Karl Albrecht, and he apparently was never a Sta Kap in 3 Staffel, but did fly with the unit on 5 CM and scored no victories with it. He apparently left the unit on 10.08.40.
2) Hptm Moller (or Möller) was actually Hptm Kurt Holler, who was also never a Sta Kap in the unit and did fly 6 CM and scored no victories with 3 Staffel. He transferred to the NJG, apparently leaving the unit on 05.10.40.
3) André has doubts that Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Kirchoff, KIA on 18.08.40, was a Sta Kap with 3 Staffel. He flew only 6 CM with the unit, and scored no victories with it. However, evidence indicates that Hptm Schoen, his successor, was transferred to 3 Staffel on 19 August, the day after Kirchoff was lost, supporting the idea that Kirchoff was the Sta Kap, or at least the acting one.
4) We now assess the Sta Kap of the unit as:
a) Hptm Griedrich-Karl Dickore, who flew 18 CM and scored 1 Vict with the unit.
b) Oblt Paul Förster was second Sta Kap. He flew 49 CM and scored 3 vict with the unit. He transferred out on 03.07.40.
c) Förster's successor could be Kirchoff (see #3 above) but there is some doubt about this. There is no proof of that in any records André's been able to find that he was the Sta Kap. As stated above, he flew 6 missions with 3 Staffel and scored no victories.
f) The next Sta Kap, from at least 19.08.40, was Hptm Gerhard Schoen, who transferred out on 28 Nov. 1940. He flew 21 CM with the unit and scored no victories.
g) According to Chris Goss, he was succeeded by Josef von Hoensbröch, probably on 29 Nov 1940. At least to the end of 1940, he flew no CM nor scored any victories with 3 Staffel.
h) He was apparently succeeded by Oblt. Johannes Kiel in April, 1941, but that gets beyond the period of the EoE research project.
We have a full listing for 29 pilots with their full names and ranks, number of CM flown, and victories scored with the unit (Staffel total of 34) by each. The highest scorer while with 3 Staffel was Lt Walter Manhart with 8, followed by Oblt Günther Specht with 6 (some with the Stab) and Obfw Franz Steigleder with 4. This bears on the photo CJE asked about as it would appear that it could only have been the a/c of Manhart or Specht, and certainly not Josef Kiel, unless he transferred into the unit, was assigned U8+AL, but never flew any CM with 3 Staffel to the end of 1940, which seems unlikely. He flew no combat missions nor scored any victories with 3 Staffel during 1939-40, according to the Staffel master list we have. This means that the Hans Ring "estimated" five victories for him with 3 Staffel during the BoB is wrong, at least pertaining to his Staffel assignment. However, Kiel is supposed to have been with 3 Staffel when he was shot down and captured on 07.04.40 (released upon the surrender of France in late June). That certainly should have counted as a CM. It is unclear what unit he returned to after release. He was SD again and uninjured on 18.08.40 in U8+BH, which was a 1 Staffel a/c. Most likely he was associated with 1 Staffel for the rest of 1940. He remains a "mystery man" with the unit.
We have the same info as above for all all the 3 Staffel Bordfunkers, with many of them now associated with their pilots. It is interesting to note that the unit master list indicates that no 3 Staffel BF was credited with a victory during 1939-40.
We've spent so much time dissecting 3 Staffel because I./ZG26 is one of the Gruppe for which most of the unit's records, such as KTBs and victory lists, no longer exist (at least that we know of). We're attempting to do the same with the Gruppenstab, and the other two Staffel, but it is much more complicated and fragmentary without a master list such as we have for 3 Staffel. Anyone who can clear up issues here or provide additional info on I./ZG26 personnel, Sta Kap assignments and/or victories we would appreciate hearing from.
Regards,
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