St Kap 1(F)/120

[Rune Rautio]

I have the following commanders of the unit:

- Hptm. Hugo Löhr (to 14.07.43)
- Hptm Kurt Behnke (from 14.07.43)
- Hptm Friedric Heidenreich (KIA 30.05.44)

Mission No 1000 took place in October 1941, crew Hptm. Hartwig.

Rune

[Chris Goss]

Most interesting. Hartwig was a Beobachter with 1/120 but at the end of Nov 41 was still an Oblt. The photos for the 1000th Feindflug is definitely 2 or 7.11.4-- (2 or 3) but not 1941

[Rune Rautio]

Regarding the date of mission No 1000, I am really confused. I have a series of PK-photos showing the crew after arrival to Sola, showing the sign "1000 . Englandflug" and Oblt. Siegfried Fidorra as one of the gathering officers. Fidorra was killed in an accident 03.04.42....

Also, I have a xerox copy from of a German wartime magazine (I think it is "Luftflotte Nord") showing a series of photos from the celebration of the 2000th sortie with 1.(F)/120. During correspondance with late Hugo Löhr many years ago, he wrote on that page: "5./7. Mai 1943".

The same correspondance also give som more informatioon about the Stakas of the unit. According to Löhr, there were total 7 Staffelkapitäne.

Hptm Heinz Orlowski commanded the unit 7 months, but he spent 4 of these months being retrained for Ju 88 in Germany, and in December 1942 he went to the Mediterainian. Löhr was his z.b.V. more than 14 months until he took over the command in December 1942.

Rune

[Chris Goss]

PM has been sent to you

[Andy Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Rune Rautio

The same correspondance also give som more informatioon about the Stakas of the unit. According to Löhr, there were total 7 Staffelkapitäne.

Rune

Hi Rune,

I thought you might be able to shed some light on the problem, hence my posting on Andreas' Aviation History Society Norway Forum

I'd be interested in knowing the 7 Staffelkapitäne and the dates they served in the position if you have the data and are willing to share.

Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Rune Rautio]

Hi Andy,

Unfortunately, the correspondence with Hugo Löhr do not identify all the Stakas, and that is actually my fault cause at that time I did not pay so much attention to 1.(F)/120 as I was basically researching 1.(F)/124. So, I did not follow that tread as I today wish I had. But I will hopefully return to the subject with more information, as I just talked with a friend of mine in Germany who was with the Fernaufklärnern. He know some still living veterans of 1.(F)/120, that he is going to phone and write to. Hopefully that will complete the list with the three missing names.

Rune

[Chris Goss]

..but we now have 5-Schub, Orlowski, Lohr, Behnke, Heidenreich

[Andy Fletcher]

Hi Rune,

Hopefully your contact will be able to find out the missing names. Look forward to hearing what you find out, but as Chris says five out of seven isn't bad going.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Seaplanes]

In a list of Luftwaffe unit commanders in Norway dated May 1, 1945, the Sta.ka. of 1.(F)/120 was Hptm. Schmidt (unfortunately no given name listed). The commander of the units detachment at Vaernes airfield was a Oblt. Lindhorst.

From an interrogation report ADI (K) No. 127/1944 (PRO AIR 40/2416) regarding the Ju 88D-1 A6+BH shot down off Lerwick, Shetlands on March 5, 1944. The following is told about the units commanders:

"The Gruppenkommandeur of (F) 120 is stated to be Oberstleutnant von Zezschwitz, who has his headquarters in Stavanger town.
Hauptmann Löhr, previously reported as Staffelkaitän of 1.(F)/120, went sick in October 1943 and was replaced by Hauptmann Behnke, who was Staffelkapitän of 1.(F)/124. Towards the end of February 1944, however, Behnke left the unit and was replaced by no other than our old friend Hauptmann Friedrich Heidenreich who had been Staffelkapitän in 1941.

Heidenreich gained the Ritterkreuz in June 1941 and shortly afterwards was seriously injured in a crash after being shot up by fighters. He was subsequently put in a spell at a training school and this is thopught to be his first reappearance in operations."

In a similar report ADI (K) No. 29/1945 regarding the loss of Ju 188 A6+FH on December 28, 1944:

"The Staffelkapitän of 1.(F)/120 is Major Schmidt, a pilot who fflew between 20 and 30 operational sorties in 1940/1941 for which he received the E.K. 1. Since then he has sucessfully avoided flying on operations and his present activities are confined to lecturing his Staffel on the glories of National Socialism etc. Needless to say he is neither respected nor popular and in practice the Staffel was led by Oberleutnant Neugebauer, the observer of A6+FH dealt with in this report, who also carried out the duties of Technical Officer."

[Rune Rautio]

Thank you for that confirmation! Interesting that Heidenreich commanded the Staffel during two periods. I think we have all the Stakas now, and we seem to miss only the first name of Major Schmidt - and more accurate information about the time (date to date) they served as Stakas.

I notice that the interrogation of the crew Oblt Cardaun states that Löhr went sick in October 1943 and was replaced by Behnke. Fact is that Löhr and Behnke switched command 15.07.43 - Löhr from 1.(F)/120 to 1.(F)/124 and Behnke the other way.

Rune