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Re: S-ST Go 242
The unit concerned is most definitely Verbindungskommando (S) 2, which was formed June 1942 at Hildesheim with 4 Staffeln: 1 (DFS), 2 (DFS), 1 (Go) and 2 (Go). How's that for some strange numbering? No period after the Staffel numbers (i.e., 1., 2., 1., 2.). Toward the end of June, Verb.Kdo. (S) 2 began moving to Lecce in south Italy which remained its home base in the Mediterranean until December 1942. Its four Staffeln operated all over the theater, including from Athens-Kalamaki as mission assignments dictated. It was responsible for transporting supplies to Rommel's forces as they advanced across Cyrenaica toward Egypt. Many of its tow aircraft (Ju 87s and Hs 126s) and its DFS and Gotha gliders had to be blown up at Sollum, Tobruk, El Quasaba, Gambit, Halfaya Pass and Bomba between 8 and 11 November 1942 to prevent them falling into the hands of the enemy. From January to June 1943, it hauled men and supplies to Sardinia from the Italian mainland and was then disbanded in June 1943.
The history of this unit is covered in Georg Schlaug's fine study of the Luftwaffe glider units, Die deutschen Lastensegler-Verbände 1937-1945: Eine Chronik aus Berichten, Tagebüchern, Dokumenten. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag, 1985. ISBN: 3-613-01065-8. Hb. Dj. 296p. Illus. Maps. Appendices. Glossary of abbreviations. Bibliography.
L.
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