2.(H)/15 Signatory Question

[Richard Mills]

A long shot I know however, I am hoping that someone here might be able to identify the 2.(H)/15 signatory attached, taken from a Wehrpass entry dated in 1938?

All help shall be gratefully received.

Regards Richard.

[Larry deZeng]

Richard -

Searched our data base for all Aufkl.Gr. 15 entries and got just one hit at the Staffel-level: a Gerhard Troch in 3.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 15. That's it. Hopefully somone will be able to decipher the signature, which looks something like LIEBHAR.

L.

[Rasmussen]

It's "Stephan" not Liebhar.

[Merlin]

It's Oberstleutnant Emil Stephan, Kommanduer of the group from 11.36 until 10.39.

[Larry deZeng]

Hmmm.........

I have:

Aufklärungsgruppe 15 [PREWAR]

Formed 1 October 1937 at Göppingen (ex-Aufkl.Gr. 115) with He 46s. Organized as a close (Heeres or Army) reconnaissance group with a Gruppenstab and 1. – 4. Staffel. Renamed Aufklärungsgruppe 13 on 1 November 1938.

Kommandeur:
Maj. Albert Müller-Kahle (1 Oct 37 - 1 Nov 38)

MÜLLER-KAHLE, Albert. (DOB: 29.06.94 in Wiezen/KreisNienburg/Weser). (RkHS, PleM).
09.03.14 entered the Heer. WWI served with the Fliegertruppe, rising to Lt. 11.10.17 awarded
Ritterkreuz des königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern. 13.10.18 awarded Pour le
Mérite. 18.10.18 promo to Oblt. 08.05.20 returned to the ground forces. 30.09.23 promo to acting
Hptm. 01.05.33 began involvement in the DLV. 01.05.34 entered Luftwaffe as Hptm. (RDA 01.03.28)
and assigned to Fliegerschule Braunschweig. 01.07.34 appt instructor at Aufkl.Fl.Schule Hildesheim (to
28.02.36). 01.08.34 promo to Maj. 01.03.36 appt Kdr. Fliegergruppe 115 later Aufkl.Gr. 115 then
Aufkl.Gr. 15 (to 31.10.38). 01.10.36 promo to Obstlt. 01.11.38 appt Kdr. Aufkl.Schule Hildesheim (to
02.10.39), then Kdr. Aufkl.Schule Brieg (to 15.01.40). 01.01.39 promo to Oberst. 27.08.39 promo to
acting Gen.Maj. 16.01.40 appt Kdr. Aufkl.Schule 2, Brieg (to 28.02.41). 01.02.41 promo to Gen.Maj.
18.02.41 appt Koluft/AOK 9 (to 03.09.41). †17.10.41 (suicide following humiliation at the hands of Gen.
Heinz Guderian).

His full career profile above comes directly from the Biblio-Verlag series on Generale der Luftwaffe.

L.

[Rasmussen]

deleted

[Larry deZeng]

Agreed. Stephan was Gruko Aufkl.Gr. 13 (never 15).

Here are the Staka of 2.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 13:

Staffelkapitän:
Hptm. Hermann Fischer ( ? - Mar 40) 9/39
Hptm. Hans von Ploetz, acting (1 Oct 39 - 31 Oct 39)
Hptm. Wolfgang Meder-Eggebert ( ? - ? )
Hptm. Hermann Herbig ( ? - Aug 42) 8/40

L.

[Richard Mills]

Gents

Many thanks to all of you for your respective help with this.

Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, I have just noticed that although the handwritten entry refers to 2.(H)/15, the stamp refers to Kommandeur der Aufklarungsgruppe 13 and not 15......which would indicate the signature is indeed of Oberstleutnant Emil Stephen (unless I am mistaken!)

Regards Richard.