7/ZG 1. Bases.N Africa.

[stefaan]

Hi Guys.
I hope someone can clear this unit's bases for me.
I have notes that 7/ZG1 was based at Bir el Abd, and on the back of photos that the wrecks were found at Qotafiya satelite, ie near LG 21.
This pretty much confirms the German and SAAF location as they were opposite each other. Orders of Battles note that 7/ZG1 was there 8.42 - 10.42.
Problem is that I have some S9 109's noted as Derna as the location, with no dates.
Must have been later than that noted above due to the Allied Advance.
I cannot find any reference that 7/ZG1 was at Derna (Prof Google failed me).
Does anybody have info if and when this unit was at Derna??
Is there any book that reliably gives the history of this unit and it's 109E's??
Thx a mil
Stefaan

[John Manrho]

Hello Stefaan,

I have some details of a pilot who flew missions with 7./ZG 1. He flew 49 Feindflüge between 31.8.1942 and 12.10.1942. The only thing that is mentioned in his records for all these flights is "Abu Oges"...does this ring a bell?

Thanks,

John

[Larry deZeng]

After its arrival at El Daba on 25 Aug 42, DEFE 3 ULTRA signals consistently reported III./ZG 1 at Bir el Abd from at least to 2 Sep 42 to at least 24 Oct 42 based on near-daily signal intercepts. It was disbanded a few days later and is said to have handed over its remaining serviceable 109's to I./Schl.G. 2 at Bir el Abd. That the Gruppe had some stray aircraft scattered about elsewhere in Cyrenaica before and after it was disbanded should come as no surprise. It would be perfectly normal for a few aircraft to be at rear airfields for repair or installation work that required skills, tools and parts not available at the forward airfields, or to pick up small parts needed to repair deadlined aircraft back at Bir el Abd, or on a courier flight to fetch mail and/or documents, etc.

As for John's Abu airfields, I have just 3 listed:

Abu Haggag (EGYPT) (a.k.a. LG 16) (c. 31 09 N – 27 47 E)
Abu Nimeir (EGYPT) (a.k.a. LG 68) (31 07 00 N – 27 47 00 E)
Abu Smeit (EGYPT) (a.k.a. Bîr Abu Smeit, LG 15) (c. 31 06 N – 27 43 E)

No Abu Oges.

L.

[stefaan]

Hi Guys.
John, I have not seen Abd Oges mentioned. The hand scribbled notes on the back shows either Derna or Qutofiya. Qutofiya was just over the road of Bir el Abd, so that makes sense.
I think Larry is correct in that they were moved back for maintenance, but the guys may have forgotten the base's name and just mention it as on the way to Derna.

[John Manrho]

Checked again and I made a mistake. Only 6 of the Feindflüge are related to an airfield called Abu Oges. This must be a target and I found that this is a group of a/f called Bir-Abu-Ogos. See also website;

http://www.wwii-photos-maps.com/targ...ica/index.html

GenQMstr records show that III./ZG 1 a/c were damaged at Flpl. Bir-el-Abd between 2/9/42 and 24/10/42. So this must have been the base.

Cheers,

John,.

[stefaan]

Thx John.

[ouidjat]

Hi Guys,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...g_World_War_II

Pretty useful link in particular for English/German names comparision...
If you don't find the German name in English reports ... Well, it's not surprising.

Regards, Franck.

PS: I really did appreciate the geographical coordinates links!