Seeking info on Oblt Egon Troha's service with III./JG3 during 1940, and Adjutants of III./JG3 in 1940.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

I'm trying to determine the date that Oblt Egon Troha left the Gruppenstab of III./JG3, where he had been the Gr Adj since the unit was formed 01.03.40. In some notes I have, he turned over his Adj a/c, which carried the nickname "Grace" as well as the Gruppe wasp insignia, to Lt Leonhard Göttman, who apparently succeeded him as Gr Adj. sometime in August, 1940. I have Göttmann being SD and KIA in England on 07.09.40.

Troha, meanwhile transferred to 7./JG3 sometime before 26.08.40, when he claimed his 3rd victory with that unit. He scored another on 05.09.40 and on 01.10.40 he took command of 9./JG3 as Sta Kap. He was shot down in Yellow 5 (Actletners a/c) on 29.10.40, and taken POW in England.

My question is when did Troha transfer from the III Gruppenstab as Adjutant to 7./JG3?

Also, does anyone know who succeeded Göttmann as III./JG3 Gr Adj after he was shot down and killed on 07.09.40?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Chris Goss]

Troha handed over to Göttmann 30 June 40 but according to him, he took Grace with him and it was renumbered White 12

[Larry Hickey]

Chris,

Thanx Chris. Exactly what I needed. Any idea of the W.Nr. on Troha's W.Nr. for "Grace" (it is one of our EoE profiles). I'm also looking for a photo showing the style of Gr Kdr chevrons on Hptm Walter Kienitz's a/c circa the WC/FC. The nose of his a/c with the nickname "Fortuna" is in Prien's JFV II, but I need the chevron style as well. His is also one of the color profiles.

Any idea who succeeded Göttmann after he was SD on 07.09.40? I'm also looking for photos for profiles of Stab III./JG3 a/c, other than the ones already in Prien's books. Have you (or anyone else) got anything during 1940 for that unit, especially for the WC/FC or the BoB period?

Regarding the Gr T.O. position, I have Oblt Horst Rech starting out in March, 1940. My notes say that Troha mentioned Lt Edmund von Fondern as the Gr T.O. (he was KIA on 18.08.40 over England), but when did he take of over from Rech? If Fondern was the T.O., do we know who succeeded him?

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

[John Manrho]

Oblt. Rech was wounded in action on 27.9.1940 and did not return to the unit. Unfortunately his Personalakte is very small. So no knowledge when he joined Stab III./JG 3.

John

[John Manrho]

Forgot to mention, he got his EM 57216/3 on 12.6.1940 with III./JG 3.....

J.

[VtwinVince]

I have a couple of shots of Achleitner's a\c, if you're interested.

[Larry Hickey]

John,

I have most the EKM numbers for JG3 pilots during 1939-40, but I didn't know the date this was assigned to Rech. I assumed that being #3 it would have been issued about March, 1940, but that is obviously not your information.

I have only these EKMs for the III./JG3 Gruppenstab:

57215/1 (Unknown but possibly Kienitz?)
57215/2 Hptm Rudolf Bieber (possible Gr 1a - Hptm beim Stab?). Don't know date this was assigned.
57216/3 Oblt Horst Rech. I believe was a T.O.
57216.4 Oblt Egon Troha, Adj (don't know date this was assigned)

And the rest with Gruppenstab numbers during 1940 unknown.

Can you add any #s during 1940? Bieber is a problem as I don't know much about him, nor what date his Gruppenstab EKM was assigned.

I also now carry Göttmann's successor as Gr Adj as Oblt Herbert Eggers, who apparently took over during late Sept (possibly someone else acting in the position since Göttmann's death on 07.09.40), and continued in the position into the spring of 1941. This covers the Adj position, except for anyone temporarily in the position between Göttmann and Eggers.

Regards,

[John Manrho]

Larry,

Sorry, can not help. Was only interested in Oblt. Horst Rech as he flew with JG 6 at the end of the war.

John