Heinz Wilberg - mystery solved

[Kapper]

Marcel

I just went searching for what I had on the Battle of the Ruhr information and realised that you already knew about the guest pilots to NJG1 from a previous post.

My apologies

regards,

Craig...

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Graig,

No problem, I appreciate your good intention even when this subject had been tackled already

All the best, Marcel

[Andre Stewart]

Hello Marcel,

My apologies for the very late response -- can't seem to spend as much time on Toch as I'd like to...

Unfortunately, there is no separate mention of Wilberg's stint with 3./NJG1 ~ it seems to have been part of his service with 4./NJG4, which is given as 1 Feb 1942 until 24 Nov 1942. The next day he took up appt as Adjutant in Stab II./NJG4 where he remained until his death.

Sorry could not be of more help.

rgds
andre

[Johannes]

Hi Andre

The author John Foreman once told me when I thought it strange that claimers kept popping up with NJG1 from other units that NJG1 and NJG1 only had the authority to "borrow" pilots from other units for one off operations!

Regards

Johannes

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Johannes,

That story is besides the truth I am afraid: it was the NJG 1 that defended the main routes to the industrial Ruhr area, with Gruppen at Leeuwarden (IV./NJG 1), Twente (III./NJG 1), Deelen (Stab NJG 1), Venlo (I./NJG 1) and St.Trond/Belgium (II./NJG 1) so it was logical to reinforce these units with crews waiting 'in vain' in other parts of occupied Western Europe and the Third Reich.

It was Josef Kammhuber who decided to deploy crews of other nightfighter Geschwader and ordered these to reinforce the NJG 1 Gruppen on the airfields mentioned above.

Fw. Wilberg was one the many pilots who spent a short spell at the I./NJG 1 in Venlo, he is named twice on still existing duty rosters.

All the best, Marcel