Help with family research required!!!

[heathergale]

I am researching my family history and am particularly interested in finding out what happened to my late uncle Rudolph Morgenstern. He was a pilot in the Luftwaffe. We have a letter notifying the family of his 'missing in action'. It seems that on 8th April 1942 at 10.30am he took off on an observation flight with a navigator and 2 others - front and rear gunners. They flew over railways south of the Ladgasees (?). They had not returned by the next morning and therefore were reported as missing in action. However, the family had further information later that he had been seen in a Russian prisoner of war camp - not too sure. The Red Cross can find nothing. All the letters I have are in German and my German is poor! The letter reporting of him missing came from Hauptmann Hemsel, F.P. Nr L01154, Luftbaupostampt, Konigsberg. We have photographs and we believe Rudolph to be flying a Dornier DO17 Mk? The names of his crew seem to be Beobachter, Herrn Oberleutnant Harlan, Bahnerkundung - of course, this could be wrong as I am finding it difficult to interpret the letter! Any assistance, help, advice would be greatly appreciated! If anyone knew of him or his squadron etc information would be great!

[RT]

No loss match your flight on 8.april 42, no Morgenstern rudolf nd no Harlan pop-out from the missed men for 1942, really strange case..

remi

[Pawel Burchard]

Originally Posted by heathergale

They flew over railways south of the Ladgasees (?).

Ladogasee, or lake Ladoga, Leningrad area.

p.

[RT]

I found our man

Alheit martin fw bf x
Joppich willi ge bs x
Karlan horst oblt b x
Morgenstern rudolf oge f x

8 sept 41 1. Staffel Aufkl.gruppe 22 /Wolgda-salzy/ JU88 1269 4N+KM/H
So your date is wrong

Name of Oblt is Harlan horst 05.july 1913

Remi

A copy of the letter could clear the case for your date...

You could post it to cdts@cdts.fr

[Melvin Brownless]

Hello Heather,

Feldpost number L01154 relates to 1./(F)22.
Thanks for the further info Remi, well done.

Regards

Melvin

http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com/

[edwest]

I suggest you contact the Bundesarchiv in Germany here:


http://www.bundesarchiv.de/kontakt/index.html?lang=en




Good luck,
Ed

[heathergale]

Oh thank you all for your help! I will follow up your suggestions. I am intrigued to know what happened to Rudolph. A man on the 'Luftwaffe Missing in Action' site suggested I came to this one. He had found 5 flights to the Eastern area on that day BUT none reported as Missing in Action! How strange! My mother wrote to the Red Cross but no help at all. My father passed away 5 years ago never knowing what happened to his brother and I am doing this for him and my geneology research. It is all very confusing, especially as I am female and dont understand about planes and technical terms etc!

[heathergale]

Rudolph Morgenstern. RT you are quite correct! The date was 8.9.42. I didnt have my glasses on when I read it first time!

[RT]

8.sep. "1941"

[heathergale]

Thankyou! The date you have is correct!