8./JG 2 Staffelkapitän

[sidney]

Dear All,

Would someone be able to advise the name(s) of the 8./JG 2 Staffelkapitän(e) from the date of Staffel's formation until Hptm. Alexander von Winterfeldt took command of the Staffel sometime in June 1940.

Any assistance in this respect will be much appreciated.

Regards,
Sinisa

[Chris Goss]

All the published sources have drawn a blank as to the name

[sidney]

Chris,

Thank you for the confirmation, it is highly valued.

Regards,
Sinisa

[sidney]

Just some additional notes that I gathered thus far.

In his book entitled Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", on page 123, John Weal refers to Hptm. von Winterfeldt as the 8./JG 2 first Staffelkapitan. Perhaps he meant the first known Staffelkapitan?

On the other hand in Prien, Stemmer and others book Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 2, page 54, one can see practically identical emblem to 8./JG 2 emblem sported under the cockpit of the Stab/JG 2’s Bf 109 E-1 "Arrow* and bar" sometime in the spring of 1940 as one of the Geschwaderadjutants' personal emblem. Whether the said personal emblem somehow influenced the choice of the 8./JG 2 emblem during the period when III./JG 2 shared the Frankfurt-Rebstock airfield with Stab/JG 2 between 10 April 1940 and 9 May 1940 is not known.

Whether the Geschwaderadjutant might have been the first (and acting) Staffelkapitan of 8./JG 2 is also the matter of conjecture. There is no proof for that except the loose connection via the apparent similarity of the emblems.

Any further constructive thoughts or comments will be most welcome.

Regards,
Sinisa

[Larry deZeng]

III./JG 2 (including 8. Staffel)

Per Christopher Shores, Fledgling Eagles, pp. 80, 188:
Ordered formed 11 October 1939 at Wien-Schwechat by Luftflotte 4. However, formation was actually carried out at Burg bei Magdeburg and completed by 15 March 1940.

Per 1999 Holger Nauroth book:
Formed at Burg bei Magdeburg between 15 March and 10 April 1940.

Per Michael Holm website ww2.dk:
Formed 16 March 1940 at Magdeburg/Ost.

Per Ulf Balke in a private letter dated 1993:
Formed 1 February 1940 using personnel from I. and II./JG 51 as cadre.

Here are all (I think) of the 8. Staffel officers for the early 1940 period:

ARNIM, Harald Freiherr von. 28.09.40 Lt., with 8./JG 2?
BETHKE, Siegfried. 22.08.40 Oblt., appt Staka 8./JG 2.
FALTING, Walter. 18.10.40 Oblt., Staka? 8./JG 2 KIA
GERLITZ, Erich. 03.05.40 Hptm., in 8./JG 2.
METZ, Karlheinz (Karl-Heinz). 06.40 Oblt., in 8./JG 2. 01.08.40 appt Staka 8./JG 2 (to 06.09.40).
PALTING, Walter. 05.10.40 Oblt., 8./JG 2. 18.10.40 Oblt. and Staka 8./JG 2, KIA.
STOLLE, Bruno. 03.40 trf to III./JG 2. 15.03.40 with 8./JG 2. 03.05.40 Lt./Oblt., in 8./JG 2. 07.09.40 appt Staka 8./JG 2.
WILLINGER, Franz. 06.40 Lt./Oblt., in 8./JG 2.
WINTERFELDT, Alexander von. 09.39 Staka 8./JG 2! 05.40 with 3./JG 2. 05 or 06.40 trf to 8./JG 2. 26.06.40 Hptm., appt Staka 8./JG 2.
WOLLSCHLAGER, Ulrich. 03.05.40 Lt., with 8./JG 2.

Clearly, one or more of the above preceded WINTERFELDT before he was appointed Staka on 26.06.40. GERLITZ, METZ and STOLLE are all good possibilities.

L.

[Chris Goss]

I think that Metz & Stolle were too junior (albeit Metz was eventually St Kap when taken POW) and isn't Falting the same as Palting?

[sidney]

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for the additional notes on the subject.

Regards,
Sinisa

[Chris Goss]

I have found some notes which say Hptm Erich Gerlitz, then Von Winterfeld, then Metz, then Falting then Stolle in Spring 1941

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

I think that Metz & Stolle were too junior (albeit Metz was eventually St Kap when taken POW) and isn't Falting the same as Palting?

Yep, and thanks for spotting that. I'll ask Doug to add it to his list of probable duplicates for investigation and correction in next year's edition.

L.

[sidney]

Post Nos.5 and 8 refer. An excerpt from Douglas Stankey and Larry de Zeng work in progress on the LW officers careers - GERLITZ, Erich. (DOB: 12.02.12 in Austria). 03.38 Lt., Staka Jagdstaffel 5 of Jagdgeschwader II of the Austrian Air Force. 15.03.38 Hptm., appt Staka 3./JG 135. 01.11.38 appt Staka 3./JG 233. 01.05.39 appt Staka 3./JG 51 (to 14.03.40). c.14.03.40 appt Staka 7./JG 2. 03.05.40 Hptm., in 8./JG 2. 13.06.40 Hptm., 1./JG 1 ...

From the above it is evident that from the beginning of his career with the Luftwaffe Hptm. Gerlitz held command posts with various Staffeln. Unless he was demoted for the reason unknown, his transfer from 7./JG 2 to 8./JG 2 meant that he likely took the command of the latter Staffel too.

The above also implies that there was yet another Staffelkapitän, or at least acting Staffelkapitän with 8./JG 2 before Hptm. Gerlitz.

Regards,
Sinisa