JG 3 losses at Rostov, 1 February 1943

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

I found today two death cards for the same member of Stabskom I./JG 3, who was wounded by bomb splitters on 1 February 1943 in Rostov railway station and died of his wounds in an hospital at Krakau (German name of Cracow) on 13 February: his name is given as Sibo Jansen on both cards but is Ibo Janssen on Volksbund (same DOB, home town, date and place of death). Does anyone have the correct name of this man ?

By the way I checked fold3 to see what happens on 1 February 1943 in Rostov railway station and found death cards for five other men of I./JG 3 killed there on this date by bombs (cards: https://www.fold3.com/image/699270736 + https://www.fold3.com/image/693002077 + https://www.fold3.com/image/699622090 + https://www.fold3.com/image/692925420 + https://www.fold3.com/image/693263030 ). 2 of these cards say the death occured at 1715 hrs, so it was at night. Has someone a report of what happened there ? Maybe in Prien's old JG 3 books, that I don't have.

[Larry deZeng]

Laurent -

On 20 Jan 43, I./JG 3 was ordered to return to Germany without aircraft to rest, refit and re-equip. The journey by train was grueling and frequently delayed, beginning with a Soviet air attack on the station at Rostov on 1 February that cost the Gruppenstab 11 killed and wounded. It took until 10 March before the entire Gruppe was assembled at Döberitz near Berlin.
[Source: Prien - JG 3]

L.

[ARADO001]

Hello Laurent.
Lt. Gerhard Benkendorff was probably also a victim of the bombing attack on the Rostov railway depot. He is mentioned in Fold3 as severely wounded, died the same day.

https://www.fold3.com/image/692359799


Regards,

Patrick

[ARADO001]

Hello again,

Sorry, forgot to mention that Lt. Gerhard Benkendorff (28.03.1921, Danzig) was from 3./JG 3. He is in the Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries listed as Benkendorff, ? with 12 victories. This is probably the same man.

Regards,

Patrick

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Patrick and Larry, exactly what I was searching. I also searched this incident in Luftwaffe loss lists, but ground human losses are far harder to find than air ones as they were often reported far later.