Correct translation of German Nachtjagd terms

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by SES

. . . and that is precisely what was and is called Armed Recce by the allies during WW II and by NATO to-day.
SES

Or what civilians call "looking for trouble."

[SES]

;-)
bregds
SES

[JohnnyB]

Hmm....I would say that "Straßenjagd" means strafing roads and everything that moves on it.

[Horst Weber]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Hmm....I would say that "Straßenjagd" means strafing roads and everything that moves on it.

That's what I would say, too.

The term is in the German language very specific.

On my opinion, the term "Straßenjagd (road pursuit)" is not comparable to "armed recce", since an "armed recce" has an open end, whilst a "Straßenjagd" is targeting (mostly well known) roads and its traffic.

On the other hand, I'd never heard a term like "bewaffnete Aufklärung" by the Luftwaffe in WW 2.

Best wishes !

Horst Weber

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

This develops into an interesting discussion! To add some more, this is what I got back from my co-author of the NJWD 2nd edition Rod Mackenzie, when I sent him the translation of B.K.::

Befristete Krähe (B.K.): literally ‘time-bound crow’, a Luftwaffe codeword for temporarily discontinued operational readiness.

From what I’ve seen in the context of the ULTRA operational reports, B.K. led to a stand-to to operational readiness, often followed by 30- and/or 15-minute readiness, whereas E.K. led to the stand-down from operational readiness. Thus B.K. and E.K. appears to have marked the start and end of a period of operational readiness.


Cheers, Theo

[Andrew Arthy]

Originally Posted by Horst Weber

That's what I would say, too.

The term is in the German language very specific.

On my opinion, the term "Straßenjagd (road pursuit)" is not comparable to "armed recce", since an "armed recce" has an open end, whilst a "Straßenjagd" is targeting (mostly well known) roads and its traffic.

On the other hand, I'd never heard a term like "bewaffnete Aufklärung" by the Luftwaffe in WW 2.

Best wishes !

Horst Weber

Hi Horst,

See the attached document from January 1943 for "bewaffnete Aufklärung". "Straßenjagd" is also mentioned regularly as a mission type in the same document.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com/earticles

[Horst Weber]

Originally Posted by Andrew Arthy

Hi Horst,

See the attached document from January 1943 for "bewaffnete Aufklärung". "Straßenjagd" is also mentioned regularly as a mission type in the same document.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com/earticles

Good morning Andrew !

Thank you very much for the clarification !. Personnally, I'd never seen this term. I thought it was adapted in the military standard terminology, when West-Germany joined the NATO. Well, you'll never too old to learn !.

Thanks

Horst Weber

[Mikael Olrog]

Hello Theo,

Do you have any date of publication that you are working towards that you're in a position to share with us? I think there are many of us looking forward to your new books.

Best regards
/Mikael

[JohnnyB]

Hi Horst,

take a look at the below attached text. "Bewaffnete Aufklärung" is something what I heared from my father as he was an Observer in 1.(F)122 and as he talked about this time.


Seeaufklärer
Die Luftaufklärung für den Seekrieg hatte die Weite des Seeraumes, die feindlichen Küstengewässer und die Häfen zu überwachen. Sie sollte Unterlagen über die Bewegungen des Gegners und seine vermutlichen Absichten erbringen. Weite Flächen des Meeres wurden von mehreren Flugzeugen in sogen. Fächeraufklärung abgesucht. Wurde ein feindlicher Flottenverband oder Geleitzug gesichtet, wurde er durch Funk gemeldet.

***Das Aufklärungsflugzeug hielt solange Fühlung, bis der Gegner von eigenen Luft- oder Seestreitkräften angegriffen wurde oder bis ein anderer Aufklärer das Fühlungshalten übernahm. Oft wurde auch die bewaffnete Aufklärung angewandt. Der gesichtete Feind wurde mit Bordwaffen und Bomben, später auch mit Torpedos angegriffen.

---

***The reconnaissance aircraft held as long as contact, until the enemy was attacked by its own air or naval or until another reconnaissance took over the command. Often the armed reconnaissance was applied. The enemy was sighted, and later attacked with on-board weapons and bombs and torpedoes.

Source:
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...ader/Index.htm

Cheers, Rainer

[Theo Boiten]

Hello Mikael,

The planned publication date for all five volumes of the NJWD 2nd edition is Spring 2016, each volume will be around 400 pages and fully illustrated with at least 200 photos per volume (many of them previously unpublished Nachtjagd photos). Its a massive undertaking, but I'm now gradually beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Cheers, Theo