St/Kpt. 3/ZG26 after 18.8.40

[Dean M. Wick]

Good evening: Could anyone confirm who assumed the role of St/Kpt., or for that matter St/Fhr., of 3/ZG26 after the loss of Oblt. Hans Kirchhoff on 18.8.40? I've seen in a previous post that Oblt. Johannes Kiel took over, but there is evidence to suggest that Hptm. Kurt Holler, later a prominent night fighter, flew at least 6 missions with 3/ZG26 in Sept./ Oct.1940. Accepting that rank often gave way to combat experience, is it possible that Hptm Holler was St/Kpt. during that period? Any comments welcomed. Cheers. Dean

[Doug Stankey]

A review of our personnel files shows:

DICKORÉ, Friedrich-Karl. (DOB: 12.03.11). 01.02.34 entered service with the Heer (Infanterie). 01.01.35 trf to the Luftwaffe and assigned to JG 132 as a pilot. 12.03.36 appt Adjutant in I./JG 134 (Dortmund). 01.12.36 appt Geschw.Adjutant in Stab/JG 134. 01.03.37 reassigned to I./JG 134 (Dortmund). 11.04.38 received the Lw. advanced flying certificate. 01.08.38 appt Staka 3./JG 134. 01.11.38 appt Staka 3./ZG 142. 01.03.39 promo to Hptm. 01.05.39 appt Staka 3./ZG 26. 29.09.39 Kdr. I./ZG 26 05.02.40 appt Kdr. Jagdgruppe 101 (to 29.02.40). 01.03.40 Hptm., appt Kdr. II./ZG 1. c.26.06.40 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./ZG 76 (to 15.08.40). 15.08.40 KIA – in Bf 110C after colliding with another aircraft during combat off the south coast of England; crashed in Channel near Weymouth.

KIEL, Johannes. (DOB: 14.04.12 in Kiel). (R, DKG). 1939 in I./JG 231. 01.09.39 3./ZG 2. 07.04.40 Lt., 3./ZG 2 shot down over France and taken prisoner. 07.04.41 appt Staka 3./ZG 26. 05.41 in I./ZG 26. 23.09.41 awarded the Ehrenpokal. 01.02.42 promo to Hptm.(d.R./Fl.). 04.02.42 Lt., awarded DKG, II./ZG 26. 18.03.42 awarded Ritterkreuz, I./ZG 26. 01.05.42 appt Staka 6./ZG 2. 15.05.42 trf to "an unknown unit". 1942-43 assigned to Kdo.d.Erprobungsstellen 01.10.42 trf to Erprobungskommando 16. 1943 Hptm., appt Staka 2./Erg.Zerst.Gr.? (to 00.43). 05.08.43 Hptm., appt Staka 7./ZG 26. 11.43 appt Kdr. III./ZG 76. 29.01.44 Kdr. III./ZG 76, KIA – shot down near Kirchheimbolanden. Credited with c.25 air victories and the destruction of at least 62 aircraft on the ground, 9 tanks, 20 artillery guns, 16 locomotives, a submarine, 3 MTBs and a transport.

HOLLER, Kurt. (DOB: 10.05.11 in Tannensbergsthal). (DKG). 00.41 Oblt., Staka 9./NJG 1 (to 08.11.41?). 08.11.41 Oblt., appt Staka 1./NJG 1 (to 01.05.42). 01.05.42 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./NJG 4 (to 22.06.43). 28.09.42 Maj., awarded Ehrenpokal. 16.02.43 Maj., named from provision to permanent Kdr. III./NJG 4. 04.06.43 Maj., awarded DKG, Stab III./NJG 4. 22.06.43 KIA – in Bf 110 E-2 (G9+AD) hit by return fire from a bomber and crashed near Schouwen/Holland. Credited with 18 victories.

KIRCHHOFF, Hans-Jürgen. 16.10.39 Oblt., TDY from KG 51 to JFS Schleissheim. 02.06.40 Oblt. and Techn.Offz. I./ZG 26 - WIA. 18.08.40 Oblt., Staka 3./ZG 26 KIA - Bf 110 D-0 shot down off the French coast.

Thus it appears that Holler may have been an acting Staka 3./ZG 26 but we don't have any direct evidence to support that.
Dickoré had been Staka earlier on but it looks like it is unlikely to have resumed command at the time in question, as he had moved on to another unit.

Kiel, on the other hand, became Staka later but may have held the position at the time in question in an acting capacity. He looks like your best bet.

We hope that all this helps.

HLdZ
DGS

[Evgeny Velichko]

Gents, I have following:

01.05.1939-05.02.1940 Hptm. Friedrich-Karl Dickoré TFD Appointed Gr.Kdr. II./ZG 1
06.02.1940-18.08.1940 Oblt. Hans-Jurgen Kirchoff KiA Shot down in Bf110D-0 by RAF firghters

Note:
Oblt. Paul Förster. Oblt. Hans Jürgen Kirchoff fiel zwar im Luftkampf am 18.08.1940 über Thames Estvary, allerdings begleitete nicht er, sondern Oberleutnant Paul Förster das Amt des Stakas der 3./ZG 26 zu diesem Zeitpunkt. Oblt. Kirchoff war lediglich Angehöriger des Stabes der 3. Staffel.

18.08.1940-01.11.1940 Oblt. Josef Graf von Hoensbroch
01.11.1940-06.04.1941 Oblt. Kurt Krebitz
07.04.1941-01.05.1942 Oblt. Johannes Kiel TFD Appointed StaKa 6./ZG2

[Stig Jarlevik]

Interesting Evgeny

Meyer/Stipdonk puts Paul Förster in command from 5.2.40 to 4.7.40 when he moved to NJG 1

Cheers
Stig

[Dean M. Wick]

Gentlemen: Thanks for the imput thus far. Evgeny, you have mentioned Oblt. Graf von Hoensbroch as St/Kpt. after Oblt. Kirchhoff. I had him as St/Fhr. of 1/ZG26 after Hptm. Kogler went missing on 11.8.40. Did Kogler reassume command of 1/ZG26 from Hospital, allowing for Hoensbroch to move to 3/ZG26? Oblt. Kurt Krebitz I recognize as being a former V(Z)/LG1 pilot. Does Oblt. Kiel fit into the mix at all then during this period? Interesting information, again, thanks. Dean