CO list of Schlacht Gruppen, 39-45 - looking for assistance.

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Larry and Doug,

Thanks for sharing the list – I see quite a few familiar names there. I have a few comments and corrections, most of which come from primary sources. Dates are when there is evidence that they were leading the Staffel or Gruppe, not when they commenced or finished.


1./S.G. 4
Oblt. / Hptm. Karl Langenberg, 05.43-18.03.44 [killed]
Oblt. Hermann Schick, 09.07.44 [killed]
Hptm. Erich Schümer, 26.12.44 [killed]
Oblt. Werner Römmig, 01.03.45 [killed]

2./S.G. 4
Oblt. Johann Schuster, 04.03.45 [posted missing]
Oblt. Karl Christoffel, 16.03.45 [wounded]

3./S.G. 4
Oblt. Hans-Henning von Prittwitz und Gaffron, 05.43-11.03.44 [killed]
Oblt. Robert Rieprich, …-21.05.44 [killed]
Lt. Ernst Zibolka, 17.07.44 [posted missing]
Hptm. Heinz Jungclaussen, 26.12.44 [killed]

II./S.G. 4
Hptm. Berlage was with I./S.G. 10 on 20 April 1945.

4./S.G. 4
Oblt. Ernst Henkelmann, 22.03.44 [last mention]
Hptm. Friedrich-Wilhelm Strakeljahn led 4./S.G. 5, not 4./S.G. 4
Oblt. Ahrends is presumably Oblt. Karlheinz Ahrens

5./S.G. 4
Hptm. Erich Bunge, 20.02.44-22.03.44 [last mention]

6./S.G. 4
Lt. Johannes Lutter, 07.02.44-22.03.44 [last mention]
Lt. Horst Kulpa, 21.05.44 [killed]

III./S.G. 4
Hptm. Werner Dedekind, 06.10.43 [acting, came from 7./S.K.G. 10]

7./S.G. 4
Hptm. Werner Dedekind, 08.07.44 [left to take over II./S.G. 4]
Oblt. Herbert Eisele, 24.12.44-24.03.45 [posted missing]

8./S.G. 4
Hptm. Heinz Mihlan, 21.02.44-06.06.44
Oblt. / Hptm. Karl Bleckl, 11.12.44-09.02.45 [wounded]
Oblt. Heinz Danneberg, 03.03.45 [posted missing]

9./S.G. 4
Oblt. Ottmar Simon, 12.03.44 [injured, maybe resumed position later]
Oblt. Heinrich Hesse, 13.03.44-18.08.44 [wounded]
Lt. Karl-Ludwig Klepke, 24.12.44 [last mention]

I./S.G. 5
I can confirm that Hptm. Schröter was in command of this Gruppe.

4./S.G. 5
Hptm. Friedrich-Wilhelm Strakeljahn, 19.05.44 [left for II./S.G. 4]

9./S.G. 9
This should be 9./S.G. 4, and the man in question is Oblt. Karl-Ludwig Klepke, a long-serving member of the unit.

I./S.G. 10
Werner Zirus (former I./Sch.G. 2 and I./S.G. 10 pilot) refers to Hptm. Josef ‘Sepp’ Berlage as his Kommandeur, and there is evidence that this was the case. Berlage was Kommandeur of I./Sch.G. 2, which was re-designated as I./S.G. 10 in October 1943. Hptm. Berlage claimed an aerial victory with the Gruppenstab of I./S.G. 10 on 4 May 1944. I believe that he was replaced by Hptm. Fritz Schröter when Berlage took command of II./S.G. 104 in mid-September 1944. Hptm. Schröter claimed an aerial victory with the Stab of I./S.G. 10 on 27 October 1944, and his accounts of missions in the final months of 1944 talk about the battle for Budapest. Hptm. Josef Berlage was again a member of the Gruppenstab of I./S.G. 10 on 20 April 1945, so might have resumed command of the Gruppe after Schröter left for I./S.G. 4 in early January 1945. Not sure where Egon Thiem fits into the picture though, because his 1945 diary mentions various I./S.G. 10 personnel …

1./S.G. 10
Oblt. Walter Seifarth, 14.12.43 – 30.03.44 [last mention]
Oblt. Fritz Seyffardt, 13.07.44 [perhaps a misreading of Seifarth?]
Oblt. Dieter Weizsäcker, 09.10.44 [posted missing]
Oblt. Pohl, 20.10.44-09.02.45 [last mention]

2./S.G. 10
Oblt. Jürn Schmelzer, 10.08.43 [last mention, at this time unit was 2./Sch.G. 2]
Oblt. Hans Schulz, 07.03.44-10.02.45 [posted missing]

3./S.G. 10
Lt. Max Lange, 30.05.43-20.12.43 [posted missing]
Lt. / Oblt. Norbert Schmitt, 01.04.44-23.01.45 [last mention]
Oblt. Eugen Dick was with 6./S.G. 10, rather than 3./S.G. 10, and became a prisoner 19.01.45

5./S.G. 10
Oblt. Erwin Busch, 1943

6./S.G. 10
Lt. / Oblt. Erhard Nippa, 1943
Oblt. Eugen Dick, 19.01.45 [prisoner]


Any additions or corrections to the above would be welcome.


Cheers,
Andrew A.

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