Need victory claims info for II./ZG1 later III./ZG76

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

I've asked about this before, but am still trying very hard to solve this problem.

As some of you know, the records of several Zerstörer units from the 1940 period were burned up during a British bombing raid during WW II, and were unable to be replaced, since the units had already been disbanded.

Among those "lost" units were victory data for II./ZG1, and its immediate successor, which in July, 1940, became III./ZG76.

For II./ZG1 during the French Campaign, we have the pilot's names, staffel, and aircraft types claimed for 29 of its victories, but no times or locations. All of these were attributed to pilots from the Gruppenstab or 6 Staffel, except one, a Swiss 109 on 8.6.40 attributed to Oblt. Rolf Kaldrack of 4 Staffel. In addition we know the dates and aircraft types claimed, but not the pilots names, locations or times for nine more victories. German records indicate that II./ZG1 recorded a score of 46 victories by the end of the French Campaign (including one previous to the FC), so we know virtually nothing about 7 more victories. Of the known victories but without pilot info, we know that two of these were scored by Lt. Rolf Hermichen of 6 Staffel, one by Oblt. Rolf Kaldrack of 4 Staffel, and one by Fw. Johannes Lutter also of 4 Staffel. We do not know the dates for any of these victories, although some unconfirmed data has been extrapolated about these victories. This leaves us with 12 victories without any record of any kind from the French Campaign.

The problem becomes much worse beginning in July, 1940, when II./ZG1 became III./ZG76, which was heavily engaged during the Battle of Britain. From July through October, the re-designated Gruppe reported scoring 66 more victories. Dates, pilot's names, Staffel and type claimed are known for only 10 of these, but no places or times. Again, except for two victories by Hptm. Rolf Kaldrack, all are either Stab (Lt. Richard Marchfelder) or 9 Staffel (ex 6./ZG1). For the missing data we do have dates and general types for 23 of these. Among those are believed to be 7 by Rolf Kaldrack (he won the KC for 11 victories by early November, 1940) of Stab and 7 Staffel, 7 by Fw Herbert Kutscha, 5 by Oblt. Günther Tonne, 4 by Lt. Rolf Hermichen, 4 by Fw Johannes Lutter and 4 by Fw. Hans Peterburs, all of 9 Staffel. In addition, Lt. Dietrich Weyergang, Staffel unknown, scored 5 victories. Even knowing this, we have 33 victories from III./ZG76 during the BoB with no known data whatsoever. The reported victory total for II./ZG1-III./ZG76 "up to" October, 1940, is reported to have been 112 victories.

What becomes apparent is that we have good info for Lt. Richard Marchfelder of the Stab, plus info on many victories for pilots from 6./ZG1-9./ZG76. But we have virtually nothing on 5./ZG1-8./ZG76, and very incomplete data for 4./ZG1-7./ZG76.

Regarding 5./ZG1-8./ZG76, we now have four known photos of the scoreboard of Bf110C 2N+AN showing from 3 to 7 victory tabs. We don't know who this StaKap was, but it appears that all of these photos date to the BoB period, so would apply to the StaKap of 8./ZG76. The 5th Staffel lost two StaKap during the FC, Hptm. Roderick Küppers, SD and KIA 13.5.40, and his successor, Oblt. Günther Schmidt, who was SD and WIA on 11.6.40. Neither of these could have run up seven victories during the FC. It appears that Hptm. Max Graf Hoyos succeeded Oblt. Schmidt, and subsequently took command of 8./ZG76 in July. However, he was SD and killed on Aug. 12th, so he would have been unlikely to have scored enough victories to be the pilot of 2N+AN with the 7-victory scoreboard. He is, however, believed to have scored at least a couple of victories during the FC. It appears that the aircraft in question must have been flown by Hoyos' successor, who, although unknown, was a highly successful pilot during the Battle of Britain. So who was this pilot?

Also, can anyone, through any personnel records, logbooks, or any other kind of documentation, including dated scoreboard photos, provide any victory data for any of the pilots/gunners of II./ZG1 or III./ZG76 during 1940, especially any of the pilots listed above, and particularly anyone from 4/7 or 5/8 Staffel? If the research community cannot come up with this info, we are likely to be left with incomplete data on this unit forever.

Along with my fellow EOE research team members, we have pursued this about as far as it can go without input from document collectors or researchers into the personal records of these airmen. So, if you know anything that might be helpful, please contact me either on or off the message board. Perhaps someone has interviewed a survivor from these units, or acquired personal letters to relatives back home reporting some of the missing info? The holy grail would be to locate photos of the unit scoreboard(s) (if there were any) sometime during 1940. Does anyone even have any suggestions as to where and how we might locate this missing info?

Thanks