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Re: II/ZG-1's Swiss Adventure.
Hi,
Regarding II./ZG 1 claims against the Swiss, the victory lists from the Weiss collection for II./ZG1 have claims of 4 x Bf109Es listed on 4.5.40, none with claimant or any details. One CR-32 is listed as victor "NN" on 8.6.40, and 4 x 109s on the same day, credited to Oblt. Rolf Kaldrack of 4 Staffel, and Oblt. Günther Tonne, Obfw Harras Matthes (5th victory) and Fw Herbert Kutscha (originally listed as NN, but crossed off and Kutscha hand-written in) of 6 Staffel. Handwritten at the bottom of the list is also listed "U (Uffz) Killermann + (Killed by Swiss 109) 4.6.40 - 6 Staffel - 1 (apparently Abschüsse).
Regarding the rest of II./ZG 1 victories, a total of 38 are listed duing May-June 1940, by date and type, with the locations listed for only the six on 10.5.40, all over Rotterdam. The pilots and their victory totals to date are listed for the rest, excepting: "NN" pilots for two Spitfires on 13.5.40, and one Potez 63 on 15.6.40. Unlike the listing for I./ZG 1, there is no confirmation status on any of the II./ZG 1 victory claims.
In addition, at the bottom of the list with no dates or types are listed: Lt Rolf Hermichen of 6 Staffel with 2 victories on unknown dates (plus 2 known, total 4), and Fw Johannes Lutter of 4 Staffel with 1 victory.
If this missing info can be found, the victory lists for I. and II./ZG 1 for the May-June Western Campaign will be complete.
However, at the end of the list for III./ZG76 (renamed from II./ZG1 after the Western Campaign), it indicates that through October 1940, this unit claimed 112 victories. A total of 33 are listed for III./ZG 76 by date and type from 11.7.40 through 11.9.40, only ten of which are attributed to specific pilots. This means that there may be substantially more claims submitted for the entire period, including the WC. The top scorers for the unit through Oct., 1940, were apparently: Fw Herbert Kutscha (11), Lt. Richard Marchfelder (10), Lt. Rolf Hermichen (9), Hptm. Rolf Kaldrack (8), Oblt Gerhard Kadow (6), Obfw Harras Matthes (6) and Fw Johannes Lutter (6).
I will let this stand with this post for a while, then move it to a new post for II./ZG1 victories during 1940.
Thanx,
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