German airfield Topolia in Greece

[Larry deZeng]

Byron - here is all that was known by A.I.2.(b)/Air Ministry and other sources:

Topolia(GR)(c. 38 29 20 N – 23 10 15 E)
General:emergency landing ground in SE Greece approx. 75 km NW of Athens and 1.2 km ESE of Topolia (today: Kastro) at the NE corner of the drained area of Lake Copais.History:the landing ground was rapidly prepared by the Luftwaffe in April 1941, and used by large numbers of transport aircraft operating under Stab/KG z.b.V. 2 to haul paratroops and elements of the 5. Gebirgs-Div. during the invasion of Crete.Little is known of its subsequent history but it may possibly have been used by occasional transport aircraft during the summer months.Surface and Dimensions:had a peat-rich surface soil that was baked hard in summer but was quite soft in winter.Dimensions unknown.Infrastructure:none noted.
Operational Units:KGr. z.b.V. 60 (May-Jun 41); KGr. z.b.V. 101 (May-Jun 41); KGr. z.b.V. 102 (May-Jun 41).
Station Commands:none identified.
Station Units (on various dates – not complete):none identified.
[Sources:AFHRA A5262 p.387 (7 Sep 43 updated to 23 Mar 44); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA; PRO/NA; web site ww2.dk]