14/JG77 Norway 30 July 1941

[Andre Stewart]

Hello Mark,

Thanks for sharing your info.

My interest is in the "gap" between his capture in May 40 and his appt as St Kap 9./ZG76 in Apr 41.

Mentzel seems to have "disappeared from the records" after his POW stint. In all likelihood he returned to I./ZG2 after release. This unit suffered serious losses during BoB and was disbanded in Sep 40. And now with info from your entries it is probable that he was assigned to III./ZG76 on or around that time. The fact that III./ZG76 moved to Norway in early 41 makes Mentzel well placed to take up the St.Kap appt of 14./JG77 later on.

Of course all these are purely my own deductions and can only be verified from Mentzel's personnel records or other primary sources. But this is what I can make out of his movements to "fill in" the gap.

Very interesting indeed. Once again, my thanks.

rgds
andre