Bergunskommando or Salvage Detachments

[Henofred]

Thank you gents for these answers and samples, greatly appreciated. Now, we have archives call numbers where to search...

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Hans K, do you have something in your copies around March 6, 1943 for the Brest-Peninsula, Brittany, France?

Best regards,
Frederic

[sveahk]

Originally Posted by Henofred

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Hans K, do you have something in your copies around March 6, 1943 for the Brest-Peninsula, Brittany, France?

Best regards,
Frederic

Sorry, nothing from that part of France and almost nothing that early in 1943.

Rl 22/3 and 22/6 are from april-november 1943 and almost only southern France.

RL 22/2 (not quite sure about that number), 22/4 and 22/5 deal with northern France, Belgium and Holland. Mostly summer and autumn 1943.

Found another one - RL 22/24 - who gives us 33 "Bergungen" in 1943, and curiously enough most of them are crashed Ju-87 belonging to Stukageschwader 101, all at St Raphael...! A training school or just too much french wine...?

Greetings Hans K

[Henofred]

Hans K, thank you for the details regarding the content of these archives call numbers (...and to have taken a look in your papers).

About your "funny" assumption, the rosé wine is particularly good in that part of southern France!

Best regards,
Frederic

[Larry deZeng]

Frederic,

In France, prior to 1 September 1943, the Flugzeug-Bergungstruppe came under the Luftflotte 3 Chef Ingenieur. He in turn parceled them out for attachment to the Koflug (Kommando Flughafenbereich) as the need dictated, and these in turn could assign them for temporary duty with individual Fliegerhorstkommandanturen. Additionally, the Werft-Kp. at each Fliegerhorstkommandantur had its own organic Bergungstrupp, sometimes 2 or 3 of them. None of these little 8 to 12 man Trupps kept their own records, such as a KTB mit Anglagen. They just filled out forms and filed hand-written reports to the Fl.H.Kdtr. and the Koflug.


In March 1943, there were an estimated 35 independently numbered Flugzeug-Bergungstruppe in West France plus another 100+ that were organic to the Werft-Kpn.

Since you are specifically interested in March 1943 in Brittany, you might want to determine the Koflug responsible for the Brest Peninsula and the Fliegerhorstkommandanturen that were there at that time. IMHO, that would be the best place to look. These records are in BA-MA RL 20 and RL 21.

Hope this helps a bit!

Larry

[Henofred]

Hello/Bonjour Larry,

Thank you for these additional details, not simple I see. But already, I learned a little more on these "Bergungstrupps".

Best regards,
Frederic

[gilles collaveri]

Originally Posted by sveahk

Found another one - RL 22/24 - who gives us 33 "Bergungen" in 1943, and curiously enough most of them are crashed Ju-87 belonging to Stukageschwader 101, all at St Raphael...! A training school or just too much french wine...?

indeed, St.G 101 was based at St Raphael and dozens of JU87 crashed all around : Hyeres, Frejus, etc...

[Gildas]

Hi Fred, nothing for Gouesnou in the department archives. I would add, strange, as Gouesnou hold a citation for having helped 12 airmen.

I only have one probable, 2Lt William Hawkins on 21 March 1944...
Yes, certainly these Bergunskommando reports would help a lot !
Best to all

[Henofred]

Demat Gildas,

Really too bad the departemental archives don't have any records. You should try also the Gendarmerie Nationale archives, which hold some copies of reports - maybe they have something.

By the way, about Hawkins: http://www.4thfightergroupassociatio...inswcweb_a.pdf

All the best,
Frederic

[Gildas]

Many thanks to all for this very interesting information.

Frederick,I think the second loss on March 6th, 1943, the one of F/O PRIHODA Josef is not at sea, even if he was reported as MIA, but south of Gouesnou, as reported on Erik Moombeck JG2 history. Moreover that there's an unknown airman who rests at Brest with that date on his stone. A scholar at Gouesnou saw a plane falling down in this area from high level, making a big sound, but without being able to give a date. The crash area I was indicated is built.


Kind regards
Gildas

[Henofred]

Gildas, you are probably right.

There is perhaps a Gendarmerie report about this loss in the Finistere departemental archives? A report which could validate your testimony in some way.

Best regards,
Frederic