German Abbreviation

[David P. Williams]

I have found this abbreviation in a Soldbuch from Luftwaffe pilot.

He was attached to this unit in Sept/Oct 1939. Can anyone identify it for me please and what its role was and where was it located.

M.Fl.Betr. Stoff Kol. (mot) I/XIII

many thanks,

David

[NagaSadow]

Hello!

Mittlere Flugbetriebsstoff Kolonne (motorisiert) I/XIII
Basically a motorized supply column transporting fuel, lubricants etc.

[David P. Williams]

Many thanks for such a speedy response.

An unusual attachment for an airman.

Has anyone else come across this when dealing with Luftwaffe personnel?

Thank you again.

[SES]

Originally Posted by David P. Williams

Many thanks for such a speedy response.
An unusual attachment for an airman.
Thank you again.

Hi David,
You can't be serious, no airforce will operate without fuel. BTW roman XIII refers to the Luftgau the administrative organization supporting the airfields.
bregds
SES

[David P. Williams]

Thank you for your response.

My surprise is that a qualified pilot, having attended A/B Schule, would be attached to a unit delivering fuel. All air forces need fuel, but the drivers and other ranks don't tend to be pilots, navigators or general air crew members.

Many thanks all the same.

[hucks216]

Obviously without seeing the soldbuch unit & lazarett pages it is hard to cast any light on it but was he actually at the flying schools as a pilot or maybe a ground crew member? Or was he later posted to another flying unit as a pilot (i.e. if they were the last flying units he attended as aircrew maybe he failed to qualify?)

[David P. Williams]

He was already a qualified pilot and went on to win some of Germany's highest decorations.

[Larry deZeng]

Mr. Williams -

It would be very easy to get angry with some of your questions because they show a profound lack of knowledge about the Luftwaffe and air forces in general during World War II. The reaction might be to tell you to do some basic reading on the organization of the Luftwaffe, especially the Bodenorganisation, Luftnachrichtentruppe and the Flakwaffe. If you are going to collect militaria, you should know these things at some level, at least. But I will not fault you because there is no published source that gets into this subject at even a superficial level. The only source that I know of is:

British Air Ministry Publication S.D. 431, The Organisation of the German Air Force, January 1943. SECRET. 129p.

To answer your question about the guy with the Flieger-Betriebsstoffkolonne, you would need his Karteikarte or Personalakte to determine how it happened. He may have "washed out" of A/B school, he may have been injured in an accident and sent to a less demanding job, he may have been court-martialed, stripped of rank and sent to the Flieger-Betriebsstoffkolonne, he may have been determined "unreliable", he may have voluntarily requested a transfer, etc. You would have to examine his records to find out.

I think what irks some of us is that you and other militaria collectors and dealers usually make money in your back and forth trades and exchanges, sales and resales. But you have no problem coming here and asking the members to donate their free, no charge time to do research for you. Put yourself in our shoes. Wouldn't you feel at least a little peeved? Your comments, please.

L. deZ.

P.S. m.Fl.Betr.St.Kol. 1/XIII (FpN: L 11213) was formed on general mobilization 26 August 1939 in Luftgau XIII, which was the Nuernberg area. It's probably not possible to find out at which of the many airfields in Lg.Kdo. XIII's territory.

[PhilippeDM]

Is this the Same David P. Williams of next books?
Cerberus Publishing Ltd., - David P. Williams - Day fightersHunters for the Reich - 2002
Chevron Publishing Ltd, - David P. Williams - Nachtjäger - Luftwaffe Night Fighter Units 1939-1943 - Classicolours - Volume One - 2005
Chevron Publishing Ltd, - David P. Williams - Nachtjäger - Luftwaffe Night Fighter Units 1943-1945 - Classicolours - VolumeTwo - 2005
Tempus Publishing Ltd., - David P. Williams - Night Fighters - Hunters of the Reich - 2001

[David P. Williams]

Mr de Zeng,

Quite a statement, which if you knew me is way off the mark!

I am NOT a dealer or collector and to make such a presumption 'irks' me as you put it. Perhaps I have slighted you in another life?

I do not come here to 'leach' your free time or others. If you look at some of my 300+ posts you'll see I contribute when I can as well as ask the better informed on the forum to help me in my own research.

My main field of interest are the Nachtjagd and RAF Bomber Command. I do not, nor have I ever, professed to be an expert in everything Luftwaffe. It was such a huge organisation I am sure there is no-one out there that knows everything, and sometimes everyone needs a little pointer in the right direction. This is, I'm sure, the purpose of this forum.

Your presumption of me being a dealer/collector, as well as tone, have surprised me. I do not have any items of Luftwaffe memorabilia except for photographs.

The pilot in question was Hauptmann Martin Becker, who I interviewed on several occasions before he passed away in 2006. The question of why he was with this unit did not arise until after he died. He was with the unit for several months, he was not injured, disciplined or 'washed out' In fact he had outstanding reports and assessments.

Please feel free to call upon me at any time you require any reciprocal assistance in the future - no charge of course!

Thank you for your help.