Operation Niwi 10/05/1940

[Luc Vervoort]

hi !

On 10/05/1940 98 Fi156's (Fieseler Storch) were used to airlift approx 400 men of the Grossdeutschland Division to the area of Nives and Witry in Belgium.
Who has more details about this operation ? From which units were these planes ?

Many thanks and best regards

Luc

[Juha]

I know at least 3 books which deal with the NiWi operation but they all concentrated on the land operations so none gives info on the units from which the Fi 156s came.

The results of the operation were just opposite to the Germany's aims so in that sense the operation was a fiasko. The Belgian units which lost contact to higher HQs because of the landings in their rear didn't withdraw but on the contrary because they didn't get their withrawal orders they kept their positions and hold up German panzer spearheads hours longer than their would have done without the Niwi.

[Juha]

On Fi 156s
I think that they hoarded almost every Fi 156 available to this operation and to a couple smaller similar operations. So the planes came from almost all units which had Fi 156s.

[Jan Masterson]

Originally Posted by Juha

I know at least 3 books which deal with the NiWi operation but they all concentrated on the land operations so none gives info on the units from which the Fi 156s came.

The results of the operation were just opposite to the Germany's aims so in that sense the operation was a fiasko. The Belgian units which lost contact to higher HQs because of the landings in their rear didn't withdraw but on the contrary because they didn't get their withrawal orders they kept their positions and hold up German panzer spearheads hours longer than their would have done without the Niwi.

The belgian unit you are talking was companies from the "Chasseurs Ardennais", famous engagement were at Bodange and Chabrehez.

Cheers,

Jan

[Juha]

Yes Jan
I'm more familiar with the defence of Bodange, because a long time ago I studied the attacks of 1st and 6th PzDs in May 40. And the stand of 5. Coy of Chasseurs Ardennais at Bodange ruined 1st PzD's timetable for 10.5. and the combat at Bodange was one of the hardest if not the hardest for the 1st Pz during the May - June 40 campaign. One plus for Germans of the Oper. Niwi was that before the 2nd Battalion lost contact to 5. Coy it ordered it to send its only A/T weapon, the T-13, to help to clear the rear areas.

[granni55]

In the book:Fliegerhorst Crailsheim,you can read,that there were young pilots
which had to do the job with the"Elitedivision Grossdeutschland" until the Fi 156 came.Then they trained to fly the Storch.There was built the "Fi 156
Storchgeschwader" whitch did the operation NIWI.After op. NIWI the Storchgeschwader ended .
I hope I could help you
MfG granni

[Luc Vervoort]

Granni,

Many thanks for your reply.

It is interesting to read that the unit only 'lived' only very short and that young pilots were used. That's possible the reason why the operation was not a complete success.

Best regards

Luc

[granni55]

My father told me that the pilots all didn't no the landing place only the leaders because of security and that in his group the leader couldn't start-
a defect tire - so they missed the landing place