Bomber Unit Redesignation

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

Thanks Larry. I have your books but they are in UK whilst I am in the Balkans and I am taking advantage today to get on with my next book. Of interest, Luftflotte 3 first refers to III/KG 54 in Feb 41 and the first mention of III/KG 54/KGr 806 is 7-8 Mar 41

That's indeed interesting, Chris. Is that from original Luftflotte 3 documents? If so, then the planned transformation/re-designation predates anything I've seen before. The Gruppe's losses continued to be charged to Kampfgruppe 806 right up to the end of August 1942, to wit:

30.8.42: (Süd) - Ju 88A-4 (M7+FL) shot up and severely damaged by Beaufighters, evidently while flying convoy escort in the Gulf of Taranto area, 1 WIA.

It was only from 1 Sep 42 on that they were charged to III./KG 54.

Perhaps the Ia Abt./Luftflotte 3 knew something the Führungsstab/Ob.d.L. didn't know? You know what a bunch of independent cusses those Luftflotten-Chefs were (Hugo Sperrle, in this case)!

Larry