Hptm. Walther von Pokafalva as Acting Gr.Kdr. of I./ZG1

[Evgeny Velichko]

Hallo gentlmen.

Finishing and crosschecking my Zerstorer Command Officers (Geschw.Kdr.s, Gr.Kdrs, StaKas) list, finally found a little strange info about Hptm. Walther von Pokafalva and his last duty. So, "official" version (as on M.Holm's webpage) is as follows:

Stab./ZG1

Maj Arved Cruger, 4.1.42 - 2.3.42
Maj Ulrich Diesing, 3.3.42 - 21.9.42

Stab I./ZG1

Maj Ulrich Diesing, 1.1.42 - 2.3.42
Hptm Walther von Poka (acting), 2.3.42 - 7.3.42
Hptm Wolfgang Schenck, 7.3.42 - 20.8.42

Stab II./ZG1

Hptm Rolf Kaldrack 4.1.42 - 3.2.42
Maj Gunther Tonne, 4.2.42 - 1.2.43

Main reasons of officer movements were:
1. Maj.Arved Cruger went out from SKG210 to KG77.
2. Death of Hptm. Rolf Kaldrack.

But:
1. Maj. Arved Cruger went to Komodore of KG77 not on 2.3.42, but on 12.3.42. In this case, Maj. Diesing (I Gr. Kdr) became Komodore of SKG210. This followed a new I Gr.Kdre - Hptm. Schenck came back from Erprobungstaffel 210 (Me210A) and became new Komandeur of I./ZG1 (to aug.1942).

2. Hptm. Kaldrack was killed in a collision during dogfight with LaGG-3 of 66 iap on 3.2.1942. And his place of II.Gr.Kdr. went to StaKa of 1-st Staffel of his Gruppe (i.e. 4./ZG1) - to Hptm. von Pokafalva.

3. I./SKG210 and I./ZG1 was not at the front and on combat operations all through the winter 41/42 (exept for 2./SKG210 to mid-december 1941), and it was no use to take combat Staffelkapitan and appoint him to the Komandeur of "not-at-the-front" Gruppe.

4. And the last. Hptm. von Pokafalva was killed in action on 7.3.42, i.e. in five days before mentioned above changes with I./ZG1! He could not be appointed on Gr.Kdr. of I./ZG1, as it was still Maj.Ulrich Diesing!

Data from John Vasco's book "Wespengeschwader" (SKG210/ZG1 loss list) states:

(Staffelkapitan and acting-Gruppenkommandeur)

Acting Gruppenkommander of what Gruppe - is not stated.

So, Hptm. Walther von Pokafalve was Acting Gr.Kdr. of II./ZG1. After his death, Hptm. G.Tonne (of 6./ZG1) became Gr.Kdr. of II./ZG1.