Oblt Helmut Zilken III./JG 54

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

I'm searching confirmation of the details of the loss of Oblt Helmut Zilken of III./JG 54, a 12-victory ace.

Gunther Rosital's JG 54 losslist shows him as MIA on 16 March 1942 but gives no other details: location loss and aircraft are unknown. It is the only loss listed in this file for this day

The Volskbund database confirms the date of death as 16 March 1942 and gives as death place "3km westl.Tigoda (500m v.Rand d.Tuschin-
skij-Sumpfes)" and says he was buried on 18 September 1943 in Tscherwino.

I was able to find a "lake Tigoda" on Google Map here:
http://maps.google.fr/maps?hl=fr&q=T...-8&sa=N&tab=wl

The location is north of Novgorod and in JG 54 operation area.

Another (Russian) source, probably coming from Luftwaffe loss lists, show one JG 54 for this day: the Bf 109 F-2 WNr 9651 of Stab III./JG 54, a 100% with the pilot KIA. Sadly this source is not listing crew or pilot names. For the loss location, this source says it is not easily readable but is probably written as "Myasnoy Bor". This place is also north of Novgorod.

I would like to know if someone has the Quartermaster loss file where Zilken is listed, to confirm the aircraft listed above was his, and the loss area was north of Novgorod.

Even more interesting will be the NVM file of Zilken.

My personnal hypothesis so far is that Zilken went missing in one of the actions flown this day by III./JG 54 (that claimed 12 victories during the day in several air battles) and was last seen in Myasnoy Bor area. In fact his damaged aircraft flew 25-30 km westwards before crashing in a marsh near lake Tigoda, where he was found more than a year later, hence the late burial date.

Thanks in advance

Laurent

[John Beaman]

here's what's in the QM entry:

Bf 109F-2, 9651, Zilken, Oblt. Helmut, 7./JG 54, schwarze << + ^^, TW+WQ, 16-Mar-42, KIA due to Luftkampf., Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #5)-, Mjasnojbor 3km westlich Tigoda

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks John, at least one of my guesses was confirmed by the QM report.

I just wonder what this report looks like, ie it is possible that Zilken was listed as MIA, later modified as KIA, and in this case it will be interesting to know when this amendment was made.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, Laurent

Your assumption is correct, he was listed as MIA and this was then corrected to KIA.

Can not access my database from here (writing this from mobile), will post details later

Regards,
Andreas B

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, guys

Here is the record from GenQu:

http://www.ahs.no/ref_db/lw_loss_pub...?lossid=135854

My guess is that the correction with regards to his fate would be 'Als tot erklärt', thus someone (wife, parents ?) took the legal steps to get him declared as killed in action.

If someone have the Namentliche Verlustmeldung they often contain a handwritten note in these cases, carrying the same laconic message, which in this case would be something like a date in 1944 and then "für tot erklärt"

Regards,
Andreas B

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Andreas

Another explanation would be that his remains were found and identified in September 1943, where he was buried in a German military cemetary in USSR, and some months later the news reached the QM that updated the file.

I just note that you have "Unbekannt" as the loss location in your database. So maybe you're right and the QM never learnt that the body (and probably the wreck) were found.

[RT]

"für tot erklärt"


Seems indicate not that some Body was found , but the administration declare that he was dead because...., maybe just because family ask, or wife want to remarry.. oder..

Remi

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, Remi

I thought as much. Usually the case when such a long time goes by.

Strange though that he seems to have been located and buried almost half a year before he was declared dead.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Jan Gazda]

I do not know if it is the matching claim but a five plane division from 3 GIAP KBF claimed Me 109 that day near the area although they reported the combat some 40 km to the north from Mjasnoj Bor. The victory was credited to st.lt. Kostylev and Borisov. Kostylev claimed also a Hs 126 during the same flight and survived the war as HSU with 9+34 victories.

FWIW

Jan