Peltz and Steinbock, Angriffsfuehrer England & IX. Fliegerkorps

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hello,

As part of the preparation of "Captured Eagles Vol. II", I studied different sources regarding the date when Dietrich Peltz was put in charge with the task of preparing Operation Steinbock. Almost every source I consulted had different dates or no dates at all.

There are also inconsistencies regarding the date when Peltz was put in charge of IX. Fliegerkorps and/or when he was promoted to "Angriffsführer England".

So, my questions are:

• Was Peltz put in charge of IX. Fliegerkorps at the same occasion as he was put in charge of Operation Steinbock (i.e. he only was put in charge of IX. Fliegerkorps to have the units at his commands to perform Operation Steinbock)?

• Was becoming "Angriffsführer England" equivalent to being put in charge of Operation Steinbock, or did these two "promotions" happen at different dates/occasions?

• Independent of the first question, when and at what occasion was Peltz put in charge of IX. Fliegerkorps (after studying various sources, the most reliable date gives September 1943) and when and at what occasion was Peltz put in charge of commanding Operation Steinbock (I guess it was also in September 1943, but some sources state November)?

• In Galland's book, he mentions a meeting with Göring where Peltz was also present. At the end of that meeting Göring, according to Galland, announced that Peltz would become "Angriffsführer England", but Galland gives no date for that meeting. Does anybody now more about it?

According to the most reliable sources, Peltz was put in charge of IX. Fliegerkorps in September 43 and at the same time was promoted to "Angriffsführer England" to prepare Operation Steinbock. But did this really happend during a meeting with Göring and Galland? And if so, when was this meeting?

I know, a lot of questions. But after studying various sources for hours I discovered many inconsistencies and am now - lacking any wartime source documents about this topic - not sure what really happened and this is a bit frustrating after spending so much time on this topic.

I would really appreciate your help.

Cheers,

Roger

[Nick Beale]

Larry de Zeng & Doug Stankey's database is the clearest account of Peltz's career that I've seen so far:

http://www.ww2.dk/Lw%20Offz%20-%20L-...ril%202012.pdf

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi Nick,

Thanks a lot for the link. I did not know Larry de ZEng & Doug Stankey's database yet, but it is an amazing resource and I am grateful that they share this information online.

From their document, I have summarized the relevant dates as follows:

24.03.43 appt Angriffsführer England (to 04.09.43).
18.05.43 Angriffsführer England, concurrently appt General der Kampfflieger 1.
04.09.43 appt Komm.Gen. IX. Fliegerkorps (to 12.11.44).
12.11.44 appt Komm.Gen. II. Jagdkorps (to 19.01.45).
26.01.45 appt Komm.Gen. IX. Fliegerkorps (J) (to 08.05.45).

So, it seems that Angriffsführer England and IX. Fliegerkorps and/or Operation Steinbock are not directly related. When he was appointed commander of IX. Fliegerkorps on 4 September 1943, was he at the same time also put in charge of Operation Steinbock, or did this also happend later and was not directly related to IX. Fliegerkorps?

Cheers,
Roger

[Nick Beale]

Before Steinbock began, IX. Fliegerkorps seems to have been more or less the whole force normally available to Angriffsführer England. Other bombers in the West were in 2. Fliegerdiv. (Mediterranean sector, under Luftflotte 2 in 1943) and Fliegerführer Atlantik (which became X. Fl.Kps.).

I don't know if:

(a) Peltz was made Angriffsführer England because Steinbock was already planned; or

(b) whether it was decided on after he took the post; and

(c) if the idea came later, whether it was something he argued for or it was someone else's idea.

[Huib Ottens]

Hi,

Just a thought:

To prepare and plan an operation like Steinbock would probaby require strengthening of the staff-positions. Perhaps from the same great Larry de Zeng & Doug Stankey files some indications might be found that may point to a more specific time-frame?

A quick browse in the G-K section gives the following information:

HÖSCHEN

, Friedhelm. 26.08.41 Oblt., appt Staka 2./JG 51 (to 04.42). 04.42 appt Staka
2./Jagdfliegervorschule 2. 09.11.42 Oblt., appt Staka 2./JFS 6 (to 19.03.43). 29.03.43 trf from JG 2 to Stab/Angriffsfuhrer England. 01.07.43 in Stab/Angriffsfuhrer England, promo to Hptm. †08.05.44.

KLUGE
, Rolf. 03.10.39 Oblt., in 3./Ausb.Abt.d.Lfl.Nachr.Schule 2. 10.04.43 Hptm. in Stab Hoh.Nafu/Luftflotte 3, trf to Stab Nafu/Angriffsfuhrer England. 01.08.43 promo to Maj.(A 1/Ln.) (RDA later advanced to 01.04.42?). 25.09.43 Maj. in Stab/IX. Fliegerkorps, trf to Stab Hoh.Nafu/Luftflottenkdo. 3. 10.44 Maj. and Hoh. Nafu 3/5 in Stab Hoh. Nafu/Lw.-Kdo. West. 01.45 Maj. and acting Kdr. II./Ln.-Rgt. 237. 02.45 Maj., trf to Nafu/I. Jagdkorps. 13.03.45 appt Nafu/9. Fliegerdivision (J) (to 04.45).

KNEMEYER

, Siegfried. (DOB: 05.04.09 in Ellerbusch). (W.B.K. Berlin X). (R,DKG). 04.40 in 4.(F)./Aufkl.Gr. Ob.d.L. 06.40 in 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. Ob.d.L. 04.41 Oblt. and Techn.Offz.(Ib) in Stab/Fliegerfuhrer Irak. 08.05.41 Oblt., in Aufkl.Gr. Ob.d.L. 27.07.42 Hptm., awarded DKG, 4./Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L. 09.42 Chef d.AmtsgruppeFlugzeugentwicklung in GL (Generalluftzeugmeister) (to 15.11.44?).05.05.43 Hptm. (Kr.O.) with Versuchsverband Ob.d.L., trf to Stab/Angriffsfuhrer England (to 01.08.43).
25.05.43 assigned new RDA of 01.02.40 for Hptm. 01.07.43 promo to Maj. (Kr.O./Fl.). 01.08.43 trf to Adjutantur des Reichmarschall/RLM. 29.08.43 Maj., awarded Ritterkreuz for service as Kdr. Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L. 18.10.43 Obstlt. and Techn.Offz. beim Ob.d.L. (also as: T.O. beim Reichsmarschall). 26.03.45 Oberst, Chef Hochfrequenz d.Lw./Generalnachrichtenfuhrer in OKL. †11.04.79 in USA.

Just 2 cents or more?

(Still looking for Siegfried Knemeyer information)

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi Nick and Huib,

Many thanks for your additional information and thoughts. It is probably almost impossible to answer the remaining question without transcripts of meetings or other official documents that give an answer to these questions.

Huib, that is an interesting observation and you are probably right that the preparation of a large operation like Steinbock needed a strengthening of the staff. So, maybe the decision about Steinbock was done sometimes in summer 1943 already.

As far as Galland mentions in his book, Steinbock was a reaction to the Hamburg RAF bomber raids at the end of July 43 and beginning of August 1944. So, maybe it was decided sometimes in August to prepare Steinbock.

Roger

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Roger Gaemperle

Huib, that is an interesting observation ...

Roger

Agreed. A very nice bit of reasoning.