II./NJG4 - drastic reduction in crew strength April 1945

[RodM]

I am wondering if anyone has any insight into the happenings with II./NJG4 in early April 1945, when it suffered a drastic and unexplained reduction in crew strength.

On 13 and 30 March 1945, the OKL ordered the disbandment of 5. and 6. Staffel and the Gruppenstab of II./NJG4 (this disbandment occurred with other Nachtjagdgeschwaders at the same time).

Thus, II./NJG4 reduced to 4./NJG4 by 2 April 1945, with a new established aircraft and crew strength of 16. The disbandment occurred at the same time as the Gruppe abandoned its airfields at Gütersloh, Lippspringe, and Wunstorf and retreated to Flensburg via Fassberg. The retreat occurred between 30 March and 10 April 1945.

On 29 March 1945, II./NJG4 reported a personnel strength of 27 crews. The Gruppe - soon to be 4./NJG4 - did not make another daily strength report until 11 April - the one Nachtjagdstaffel not able to make a daily report since the end of March. On 11 April, 4./NJG4 reported a personnel strength of only 8 crews, half the established strength of 16. None of the other reduced Nachtjagdstaffeln reported such a drastic reduction in crew strength.

As far as I am aware, 4./NJG4 flew no major Nachtjagd or Nachtschlacht missions between 1 and 10 April 1945 and thus could not have lost a bunch of crews during operations.

My question is: does anyone have any insight as to what befell 4./NJG4 in early April 1945 to cause such a drastic reduction in crew strength?

Many of the 27 crews on strength on 29 March 1945 would have transferred to the Army, but the Staffel should still have had around 16 crews and not the 8 as reported on 11 April.

Cheers

Rod

[MW Giles]

One thought, you state that the strength return is for II/NJG4 in March and for 4/NJG4 on 11.04.45.

I assume they did not just disband 5 and 6/NJG4 wholesale, but instead tried to get the best crews in II/NJG4 and put them all in 4/NJG4. Are we still awaiting the formal transfer of 8 crews from 5 and 6/NJG4 to the rump staffel?

Martin

[edwest2]

I would consider a reorganization and transfer of crews.

Ed

[RodM]

Hi Martin and Ed,

thanks for the inputs.

The transfers and reorganisation was complete by the time 4./NJG4 reported only 8 crews on strength on 11 April 1945. Even if there happened to be one or two crews still in transit to Flensburg, they would still be on unit strength.

The Nachtjagdgruppen worked in the second half of March 1945, rating their flying crews and determining which crews would stay with the Staffeln, which pilots might train on Me262s for day ops, and which crews would be given up for ground troops. Once the bulk of the administrative work was complete, the Gruppenstäbe themselves were disbanded on 30 March.

By way of comparison, of the 17 former Nachtjagdgruppen reduced to Staffel strength by 2 April 1945, crew strengths on 11 April 1945 were:

one Staffel (4./NJG4) with an actual crew strength of 8 (versus establishment of 16).
three other Staffeln with actual crew strengths between 12 and 15.
eight Staffeln with an actual crew strength of 16.
four Staffeln with an actual crew strength of 17.
one Staffel with an actual crew strength of 21.

As mentioned, I don't know why 4./NJG4 ended up so much under strength with only eight crews. The only possibilities I can think of are unusually high losses during transit flights or crew killed in bombing or strafing attacks.

Cheers

Rod