KG 26 and KG 77 staging airfields – June/July 1944

[Henofred]

Hello/Bonjour,

As it was for Cognac airfield, I wanted to know if some torpedo aircrafts from KG 26 and/or KG 77 have also used Avord during June-July 1944 as staging airfield at the time of their missions onto the Cherbourg and Normandy areas. Avord is located right in the Centre of France and as these German units were stationed in South France, the latter was on their way to these combat areas. If it were the case, are these Gruppen (…perhaps Staffeln) and mission’s days known? Any sort of details would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Frederic

[Brian Bines]

From Pow reports the following bases are shown :-

!/ ADIK 311A/1944 1H+CP 6/KG26 lost night of 18-6-44 took off from Montpellier for intermediate airfield possibly Angers, prior to shipping strike of the Cherbourg Peninsula. 1H+LT 9/26 took off from Montpellier on 18-6-44 making intermediate landing at Angers around 1500hrs.
2/ ADIK 308/1944 3Z+KP 6/KG77 shot down 2330hrs 22-6-44 took off from Istres making a stop at Cognac to refuel.
3/ ADIK 302/1944 3Z+CP 6/KG77 shot down 2345hrs 22-6-44 started Istres flew direct to Le Harve. Five aircraft of 6/77 carrying LC50 flares to illuminate torpedo attacks on shipping by I and III/KG77
4/ ADIK 305/1944 1H+FR took off from Montpellier on morning of 22-6-44 making an intermediate landing at unnamed airfield, shot down 0007hrs 23-6-44
5/ ADIK 306/1944 3Z+LL took of Salon at 1200hrs making intermediate landing at Dijon where they refueled and were loaded with two torpedos, shot down 0010hrs 23-6-44
6/ 1H+GP 6/KG26 Torpedos loaded at Montelimar and just after midday took off for Dole/Tavaux, where Bs became ill flew mission from Dole as a three man crew, shot down 2315hrs 26-7-1944
7/ ADIK 427/1944 1H+IP 6/KG26 ditched after hitting baloon cable 2330hrs 30-7-44, torpedos loaded at Montelimar, landed and refueled at Dole/Tavaux, prior to attack on shipping in Barfleur harbour.

Information from prisoner reports who may possibly have been confused or misleading but may be of some help to you. Perhaps the lastest book on KG26 might help, I do not have a copy yet,

Regards

Brian Bines

[martin75]

Hello,

Bourges / Avord was used by III / KG 26 during nights of 14-15 june, 18-19 june and 22-23 june, perhaps night 12-13 june but that I'm not sure.

Regards

Claude

[Henofred]

Brian and Claude, thanks a lot for these very useful details. That confirms my premonitions. By the way Brian, in the book “Luftwaffe aerial torpedo aircraft and operations in WWII” by Harold Thiele, the ADI(K) report No.311A/1944 (paragraphs 28-52) about the loss of a bomber is given for 14-15 June. A mistake in this book?

In addition since my message here I have received a private email with the following detail coming from ULTRA: June 12-13 - Take-offs from Cognac and Avord. Arrivals at dusk. Landings in south France. Heights for Ju 88: Torpedo aircrafts 500 meters; Pathfinder aircrafts 2100 meters. I have thus another date.

Regards,
Frederic

[Brian Bines]

Frederic, the report I have no. 311A/1944 is a further report on 1H+CP (first report ADIK 291/1944) and 1H+LT (first report ADIK 285/1944) both lost 18-6-1944. Report 311A/1944 only has paragraphs 1 to 25 so I do not know of the reason for the Harold Thiele reference ( some of these records are hard to read). ADIK report 275/1944 ( no start airfield shown) has Ju88 3Z+ET shot down by ships AA at 0030hrs 15-6-44 in mid channel, probaly the loss Thiele has for 14/15-6-44. Crew FF Ofw Willi Thiele pow wounded, B Ofah. Helmuth Schott +, Bf Ogef Alfred Hetzelt ? missing, Bs Gef. Strunk pow. The report says that Thiele and Strunk were the only survivors when their Ju88 was shot down by a N/F on the 20-4-1944 over the Med. they were picked up, landed in Majorca and returned to France by way of Spain, twice lucky,

regards
Brian Bines

[Henofred]

The loss in Thiele’s book refers to this Ju 88 Wk.Nr. 801587. Err is human. Thiele indicates well paragraphs 28-32 (I made a mistake in my previous answer, 52 instead 32). Once again, thank you Brian for these additional details.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Brian Bines]

Looking back on TOCH there was a thread from martin75 dated 26-5-2010 which shows 801587 as the aircraft of Ofw.Willy Thiele. There is also the loss of 833638 3Z+PH of 1/KG77 on the 14-6-44 crew Ff Lt. Erich Ficke, B Uffz Rudolf Wartha Bf Uffz Heinz Bock and Bs Uffz Adolf Bernhard all shown as missing. The body of Bf Heinz Bock Disc No. 73711 b. 28-8-1922 was picked up from the sea off Falmouth on the 18-6-44, and is now buried at Cannock Chase. I did enquire about his service record, thinking he may have been lost in the Steinbock attacks, but all I was informed was he was at Blindflugschule 6 and was posted to 1/KG77 on 10-6-1943,

Brian Bines

[Chris Goss]

A Leistungsbuch I have for a pilot of 2/KG 77 lists Dijon & Cognac. Another for KG 26 mentions Toul

[Henofred]

Thanks a lot Chris and Brian. Cognac and Dijon (...the latter with KG 54) are often quoted in books I have read. It seems both KGs (KG 26 and 77) have not been sent on the same staging airfields at the same time on their way out and in to the combat areas. I have read somewhere that later in July Merignac, Bourges and Chateaudun airfields were also in alert status for night landings. Perhaps for the same tasks?

Best regards,
Frederic

[Nick Beale]

From memory, I think you can add Dôle-Tavaux to the list as well, although I'd have to check on that.