Hello!
While searching the excellent "Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries" for Luftwaffe losses over the Kuban bridgehead in 1943, I've noticed what appears to be an extraordinary coincidence. The Kommandeure of III./KG 3 and III./KG 27 were lost in this area on the same day, 22 April 1943. Since this is an event of some significance, may I ask the experts on this forum for any information they might have about Luftflotte 4 losses on this day?
The 'Career Summaries' list contains the following information:
"JUNGKLAUS, Siegfried. 12.42 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./KG 3 (to 22.04.43). 22.04.43 MIA – in Ju 88 A-4 (5K+BD) that failed to return from an attack on the Soviet naval base at Poti on the coast of the Black Sea." and "THIEL, Erich. 01.03.42 Maj., appt Kdr. III./KG 27 (to 22.04.43). 22.04.43 KIA – in He 111 H-16 (1G+AD) shot down in Pl.Qu. 7532 by a Russian fighter during a heavy raid on the Black Sea ports of Poti and Gelendzhik. One source claims that he died in captivity."
In August last year, Matti Salonen provided the loss details for Major Thiel's crew - see
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?p=153193. I've copied them below for ease of reference:
1943-04-22, Stab III/KG 27, He 111H-16, 8476, 1G+AD, 20 km südlich Anapa, 3 km von der Küste (Pl.Qu. 7532), Jägerbeschuß. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer (Gruppenkommandeur) Major Thiel, Erich, +
Kampfbeobachter Fw Heins, Günther, +
Bordmechaniker Uffz Prätorius, Wilhelm, +
Bordschütze Uffz Deutsch, Hans, +
Regards,
Paul Thompson