Rudolf Loytved-Hardegg

[Ian Jewison]

Gents,

I have been searching the internet trying to find the Gruppenkommandeur of (Fern) Aufkl.Gr. 22 for January 1941....trying to match a signature without success.

However the signature does seem to match that of Major Loytved-Hardegg for that period, however he was supposed to be Kommandeur of Aufkl.Gr. 122.

Were the units co-located or is the data on him incorrect?

Thanks in advance
Ian

[Andy Mitchell]

Ian,

Try this

THOMAS, Erik. (DOB: 10.02.97 in Kray Essen). WWI served in the Fliegertruppe, rising to Lt.d.R. c.
04.40 Obstlt., appt Kdr. Aufkl.Gr. 22 (to 03.41?). 13.08.40 Kdr. Aufkl.Gr. 22. 01.04.42 promo to Oberst.
Credited with 10 victories in WWI.

I have an Offizier Stellensesetzung that also gives the above and has Major Loytved-Hardegg Gr.Kdr. for AufklGr.122.

Although if you check the Officer Career Summary for Major Loytved-Hardegg you will see an earlier connection with AufklGr.22

LOYTVED-HARDEGG, Rudolf. (DOB: 17.07.05 in Konia/Turkey). (i.G.). (DKG). 01.04.25 entered
service with the Heer (Infanterie). 01.10.30 to Fliegerschule Böblingen for pilot training (to
31.01.31). 01.10.32 to Lipetsk/Russia for flight training at Flugzentrum Lipetsk (to 31.05.33).
01.03.34 trf to the Luftwaffe and assigned to the Hauptbildstelle/RLM. 01.07.34 trf to Aufkl.Gr. 121
(Neuhausen) as Bild-Offz. and Staffel-Führer. 04.10.35 certified fluent in English. 17.09.36 appt
Staka Aufkl.St. (H) A/88 (Legion Condor) (to 13.01.37). 01.03.37 trf to Aufkl.Gr. 22 (Prenzlau).
16.02.38 Generalstab training at the Luftkriegsakademie Berlin-Gatow and also trained as a Bild-Offz.
(to 30.06.38). 01.07.38 appt Ia op 1 in Stab/Luftgaukdo. XIII (Nürnberg). 02.09.39 Hptm., appt
Ia/Luftgaukdo. VIII. 01.11.39 Hptm., trf into the Generalstab d.Lw. 15.03.40 appt Ic in
Stab/Gen.d.Lw. beim Ob.d.H. 15.06.40 Maj., appt Kdr. Aufkl.Gr. 122 (to 04.03.41). 05.03.41 appt
Ic in Stab/Luftflotte 1. 29.12.41 trf to Ob.d.L./RLM pool but ordered to remain in present position to
31.01.42. 01.04.42 appt Gruppenleiter in Abt. für Wehrmacht Propaganda/OKW. 01.01.43 promo to
Obstlt.i.G. 15.01.43 appt Qu. in Stab/IV. Lw.-Feldkorps. 01.03.44 trf to XI. Fliegerkorps for further
assignment. 27.07.44 Obstlt. and Kdr. Fallschirmjäger-Rgt. 8, ordered to Gefechtsstand (battle
headquarters)/Fallschirm-AOK for temporary duty to be determined upon arrival. 08.44 appt Kdr.
Fsch.Jg.Rgt. Loytved-Hardegg (to 09.10.44). 09.10.44 appt Kdr. Fsch.Jg.Rgt. 21 (to c.01.45).
23.01.45 Obstlt.i.G., Kdr. Fsch.Jg.Rgt. 21 awarded the DKG. 01.04.45 promo to Oberst. 08.05.45
captured in Nordholz. 16.01.46 still in custody.

[Larry deZeng]

FWIW:

Aufklärungsgruppe 22
(Unit Code 4N+)

Stab/Aufkl.Gr. 22

Formation and History. (Nov 38 - Mar 41)
Formed 1 November 1938 at Kassel-Rothwesten airfield in west-central Germany (ex- Stab/Aufkl.Gr.24). On or about 26 August 1939 elements of the Stab are believed to have been removed and used to form Koluft AOK 1 while the remainder of the Stab stayed at Kassel-Rothwesten, where documents identify it as being located in November 1939. Around May 1940 Stab/Aufkl.Gr.22 was ordered to Norway to control maritime reconnaissance operations from there under X.Fliegerkorps. It is referred to in documents from this period as both Stab/Aufkl.Gr.22 and Aufklärungsgruppe Thomas. On 13 August 1940 the Stab was located at Trondheim under X.Fliegerkorps/Luftflotte 5 with 2.(F)/22 and 3.(F)/22, but by 25 November it may have moved to Stavanger-Sola. On approximately 16 March 1941 the Stab was either disbanded or, together with Koluft AOK 1, renamed Koluft AOK 11.

FpN: (L 19925)

Kommandeur:
Obstlt. Hans Pampe ( 1 Nov 38? - Nov 39)
Obst Gotthardt Kapuste (Nov 39 - Mar 40)
Obstlt. Erik Thomas (Apr 40? - Mar 41?)

© H.L. deZeng IV, 2003

[Ian Jewison]

Thanks Gents,

For some reason I am not getting emails when someone replies to a thread I am subscribed to.....anyway....

The signature is definitely that of Major Loytved-Hardegg and he signs as Gruppenkommandeur (Fern) Aufkl.Gr. 22.

There are other copies of his signature on different documents, however I do not have it to hand at the moment to check the dates.

Regards,
Ian