S-ST Go 242

[byron-]

I have a krew, missed at 06.09.42 in Kalamaki (Go 242)

FF. Uffz. Horst Blume, BO. Gfr. Werner Eilet, BM. Ogfr. Anton Herricht

Any Information about the unit ?

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Byron

I can only add this:

6 September 1942: He 111 (W.Nr. 7508) of S.-Staffel/Go 242 crash-landing at Kalamaki due to bad weather, 90% damage, crew wounded. The crew is as you have them. I hope that this helps for what it is worth.

Horrido!

Leo

[byron-]

Thanks Leo,

but ... I never heard of this unit (Staffel).
Was the whole name Seestaffel Go 242 ? Did this Staffel belong to a larger Gruppe or formation ? Since when in GR ?

questions, questions

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Byron

Unfortunately I really can not help you with this particular unit. I do not see it listed among the various Go 242 staffeln listed at http://www.ww2.dk/air/transport/minor.html. However, could it have been Sonderstaffel/Go 242? I believe that there was a unit with this designation perhaps temporarily formed for special or emergency duties. Hopefully someone else with greater knowledge of Luftwaffe transport units can clarify the staffel involved.

Horrido!

Leo

[byron-]

thank you Leo, I understand,

I have the book "die deutschen Transportflieger im zweiten Weltkrieg" writen by Fritz Morzik-Gerhard Hümmelchen, a very good one, but unfortunately nothing about this Staffel is refered there.

Generally, the transport units haven`t been researched thoroughly till now.

[red-star25]

I would say, the the S means Schlepp-Staffel.
This is the unit what tow the Glider Go 242.

Dirk

[byron-]

During this time there was a department of I./LL.G 1 in Greece

06.42-09.42 Tatoi (ein Teil, genannt „Einsatzgruppe I./LLG 1“ flog die Brigade Ramcke nach Afrika)


Is it possible that this crew belonged to this Einsatzgruppe?

[Stijn David]

Hello,


A bit a late reply, but also active in that area during the named time was the:

1. Go. / VK(S) 2
2. Go. / VK(S) 2

The named part of the I./ LLG 1 (Hauptmann Krug) was indeed also active in the same area, but there where only Ju 52's without any gliders. So this Go 242 could not have belonged towards that unit.

I think the named Go 242 belonged towards the 1. Go./VK(S) 2, as this unit was certainly at Athen-Kalamaki during september 1942.

Cordial greetings,

[Larry deZeng]

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.

[byron-]

That`s a fine description Larry, hier some of the selfdestroied planes you mentioned

11.11.42 Ju 87 (W.Nr. 6261) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Tobruk,
11.11.42 Ju 87 (W.Nr. 6260) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Schlepper, Tobruk,
11.11.42 He 126 (W.Nr. 3237) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Schlepper, Tobruk,
11.11.42 Go 242 (W.Nr. 401) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Schlepper, Tobruk,
11.11.42 DFS 230 (W.Nr. 227603) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Tobruk,
11.11.42 He 126 (W.Nr. 4197) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Schlepper, Bomba,
11.11.42 DFS 230 (W.Nr. 227596) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Bomba,
11.11.42 He 126 (W.Nr. 3480) 100% von eigener Truppe zerstört, Schlepper, Derna

But are the following losses from the same unit too?

22.08.42Verb.Kdo. (S) 4, Go 242 (W.Nr. 0589) 100% Notlandung See in derBucht Neo Phaliron
02.10.42 Verb.Kdo. (S) 4, Go 242 (W.Nr. 0141) 100% Bruchlandung Fl.Pl. Kalamaki, Besatzung unverletzt


Does that (S4) mean Staffel 2 (Go) ?


b.