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Re: Flak/AA - Why do we not research it ?
Flak/AAA - Why do we not research it ?
Are we? The Dutch Study Group Airwar 1939-1945 has published at the site of the NIMH a survey of all known crashes in the Netherlands. In a second phase of this project we will go in more detail into every crash. Also for crashes caused by Flak.
For myself I have looked into the organization of Flak units in the Northern part of the Netherlands. The counties Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe and all the Dutch Frisian Islands. A very interesting but also complex matter. As far as I know now all kinds of units were involved in the Flak business. At the Noordzee we have the Kriegsmarine with its Vorpostenboote and Flakschiffe. At the Frisan Islands the Marineflakabteilungen(MFA) but also the Marineartillerieabteilungen(MAA) with their long range canons, also equipped with small caliber Flak for the defense of the MAA positions. These belong to the Kriegsmarine and at the Waddenzee we have had Fähre with Flak. Most probably also Kriegsmarine and at the IJsselmeer Flak of the Wasserschützpolizei. This Wasserschützpolizei was equipped with confiscated ships equipped with small caliber Flak and belonged to the SS. At the harbors at Lemmer, Harlingen and Delfzijl the Kriegsmarine had Flak positions and also at important locks in the canals between these harbors. Like in Groningen. Along the Eems and Dollard were also Kriegsmarine Flak positions for the defense of the city of Emden and it’s harbor.
The Luftwaffe had Flak at the airfields Leeuwarden, Eelde and Steenwijk/Havelte and at the radarposts Schlei, Tiger, Eisbär, Löwe, Gazelle and Marder. The Luftwaffe was also involved in the Eisenbahn Flak and the RAD Flak was incorporated in the Luftwaffe in 1944. Then we have the Flak of Heer units and of the Waffen-SS. Also the Dutch Waffen-SS. And then we have for the defense of the communication posts for the SS the Reichspost Flak to make it complete. So everyone, except for the Reichspost, was present in this small part of occupied Europe. That Flak was a popular business makes it also difficult for us to research.
But we will see.
Jaap Woortman
Secr. Study Group Airwar 1939-1945.
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