Kdr. II/SG 3 in 1945

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hello,

In the LW officer's list by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey at ww2.dk I found the following entries:

• Heimke, Ernst (...) 18.01.45 appt Kdr. II./SG 3 (to 05.45).
• Heimlich, Adolf (...) 18.01.45 appt Kdr. II./SG 3 (to 05.45).

I assume that only one of them was Kdr. II./SG 3 at any time. Does anybody have some further information?

Thanks,

Roger

[Larry deZeng]

Can't say with 100% certainty, but it looks like HEIMKE was an acting Kdr. for a few days or weeks. He was only an Oberleutnant and it is unlikely that he would have been appointed a provisional or permanent Kommandeur. On the other hand, HEIMLICH was a Hauptmann and an experienced Staffelkapitän and, accordingly, met the criteria for the position of Gruppenkommandeur.
Larry deZ.

HEIMKE, Ernst. (DOB: 27.05.22 in Königsberg (Locknitz?)). (DKG). (n.d.) Oblt. in 10./SG 151. 03.08.43 Lt., 9./St.G. 1 WIA lightly - Ju 87 D hit by AA splinters vic Gosterul. 24.02.44 Lt., awarded the Ehrenpokal. 10.03.43 Lt., 9./SG 1 WIA (damaged fourth thracic vertibrae) - Fw 190 overran a/f of Rahmel - spent 4 to 6 weeks in the Marine Lazarett in Gotenhafen. 01.07.44 promo to Oblt./A1. 01.10.44 Lt. in an unspecified SG, awarded the DKG. 10.44 in 4./SG 3. 18.01.45 appt Kdr. II./SG 3 (to 05.45). Credited with one victory.

HEIMLICH, Adolf. (DOB: 27.03.16 in Graz). (DKG). 01.01.39 RDA as Lt., bei den Offizieren z.b.V. des R.d.L.u.Ob.d.L.(Sch.Etat). 01.08.39 promo to Lt.(RDA withheld). 05.40 Lt., in 2./Tr.Gr. 186. 06.43 Hptm., appt Staka 4./St.G.3 (to 18.10.43). 05.02.44 Oblt. in 4./SG 2, awarded the DKG. 01.05.44 promo to Hptm. 13.08.44 Hptm., 4./SG 3 WIA - Fw 190 F-8 in a mid-air collision vic Cilli (Celfe)/Slovenia SE of Ligadue [Version#2: in region of Riga?]. 05.10.44 Hptm., 4./SG 3. 23.10.44 Hptm., 4./SG 3 WIA - Fw 190 F-8 crashed at Libau airfield/Latvia - shot down in air combat. 18.01.45 appt Kdr. II./SG 3 (to 05.45). Credited with one victory.

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi Larry,

Thank you for the info. I think you are right. A Flugbuch page appears to confirm this: the following names were noted (on a page with entries from March to April 1945):

Major Hamester SG3
Hpt. Heimlich II./SG 3
Olt. Heimke

I assume the pilot belonged to 4./SG 3 and that Olt. Heimke was his Staffelkapitän while Heimlich was the Kommandeur of II./SG 3.

Roger

[Larry deZeng]

That sounds correct, Roger!

L.