KG30 - Gruppenkommandeurs and Staffelkapitän

[Peter Cook]

I am trying to establish a list of Gruppenkommandeurs and Staffelkapitän in KG30 during the Battle of Britain period. I have the following:

Gruppenkommandeur
I Gruppe - Major Fritz Doench - to 31/07/1940, who after?
II Gruppe - Hauptmann Erich Hass - to 16/10/1940
II Gruppe - Hauptmann Karl-Joachim von Szymonski (presumably after 16/10/1940)
III Gruppe - Major Johannes Hackbarth - to 09/09/1940, who after?

Staffelkapitän
1 Staffel - Hauptmann Heinrich Lau
2 Staffel?
3 Staffel - Oberleutnant Siegmund-Ulrich, Freiherr von Gravenreuth
4 Staffel?
5 Staffel - Oberleutnant Willi Flechner
6 Staffel?
7 Staffel - Oberleutnant Heinrich Paepcke
8 Staffel?
9 Staffel?

There is an entry in deZeng/Stankey for "Hauptmann Friedrich Wilhelm Kaufner - 07.06.40 appt Staka in KG 30" which doesn't identify the Staffel.

Can anyone fill in the blanks?

Peter

[Black6]

It would be good to know who succeeded Werner Baumbach as StKap of 4 Staffel when he flew Berlin-Moskow-Tokyo (Jul-Sep 1940 I think), possibly Hass? I have Erich Hass as StKap 4/KG 30 then promoted Hptm in Oct 40 and Kdr. II/KG 30 till 16 Oct 40 - Killed. I've also noted Hajo Herrmann as StKap 4/KG 30 at some point in this period.

I believe that Herbert Bonsch had transferred from being StKap Z Staffel/KG 30 to StKap 4/NJG 1 about 1 Jul 1940 and have never been sure of the II Gruppe role of Walter Fritz Brede in Jul-Aug 1940.

[Chris Goss]

Don't forget KG 4 became KG 30 in Oct 40

7 Hptm Heinrich Paepcke; Oblt Friedrich Franz Podbielski (St Fhr) POW 27 Oct 40 then Hptm Hajo Herrmann (who was replaced by Oblt Heinz-Hugo Schlockermann)
8 Oblt Dietrich Marwitz +27 Oct 40 (possibly replaced by Hptm Gerhard Metzenthin)
9 Oblt Friedrich Karl Rinck

When I have time I will look for others

[Black6]

I have Konrad Kahl as StKap 5/KG 30 to 1 Sep 1940

Friedrich Kaufner as StKap in KG30 from June 1940 but Staffel not identified.

Hptm Gerhard Kollewe was Kdr III Gruppe 10 Apr 40 to 13 Aug 40.

I have Hptm Heinrich Lau as StKap 1/KG 30 from May 1940 until Sep 1940 when appointed Kdr I/KG 30 but then badly injured in an motoring accident 24 Sep 40 resulting in months in hospital.

Hptm Heinrich Paepcke was in place StKap 7 Staffel from April 1940

I have Hptm Szymonski as Kdr II/KG 30 from June 40 to 8 Oct 40 and also Hptm Eberhard Roeger appointed to command II/KG 30 on 17 Oct 40 (until Jul 41- Vermisst)

Uncertain but possibly Hptm Schulze-Langsdorff was StKap 8/KG 30 until he was shot down early July 40 - KIA

I have Oblt Franz Wieting as StKap 6/KG 30 from March 40 and Hptm Erich Stoffregen as StKap 6/KG 30 in Nov 40

[Peter Cook]

Very helpful, thank you Chris and Peter

Peter

[Chris Goss]

Of further interest:


Hackbarth was signing as III Gr Kdr 15 Aug 40; Kollewe prior to that
Hptm Egbert von Loesch 1./KG 30 St Kap to 16 May 40
Hptm Karl Hielscher 2./KG 30 to 16 May 40; returns 23 Jun 40
Hptm Klaus Hinkelbein Gr Kdr II./KG 30 in Jun 40
Oblt Theo Beerman 5./KG 30 St Kap to 10 May 40
Hptm Guenter Noll 6./KG 30 St Kap to 16 May 40
As to Baumbach, I have him as 5 Staffel, then RLM from around June to October 1940 and have him taking over 4 Staffel in March 1941?

[Black6]

Amongst my notes I have this officer

(Flieger) Hptm Wolf-Christian Karl Schilling, born 21 Nov 1912 at Pana/Elbe, died in hospital, Standort Krankh. Neumünster, while serving with Stab III/KG 30 on 12 Jul 1940. Buried at Merschwitz, Landkreis Meißen, Saxony on 15 Jul 1940.

I dont know where he fits in.
Peter

[Peter Cook]

Thanks again Chris and Peter

[Pieter H]

Based on all very useful inputs above, plus my own analysis using the DeZheng/Stankey LW-Officers database for the KG30 StaKas on May 10, I come now to the following list:

Gruppenkommandeur
I Gruppe
Major Fritz Doench - to 31/07/1940
?
Hauptmann Heinrich Lau from 9-40

II Gruppe
Hptm/Maj Klaus Hinkelbein till 19-9-40
Hauptmann Erich Hass - to 16/10/1940, killed
Hauptmann Karl-Joachim von Szymonski (presumably after 16/10/1940)

III Gruppe
Hptm Gerhard Kollewe 10-4 till 13-8
Major Johannes Hackbarth - to 09/09/1940
Hptm Szymonski 6-40 to 10-40 I think this is wrong, does not fit in any case

Staffelkapitäne
1 Staffel
Hptm von Loesch to 16-5 killed
Hauptmann Heinrich Lau from 16-5, to 9-40 (GrK I./KG30)
Oblt Siegmund-Ulrich, Freiherr von Gravenreuth from 23-9

2 Staffel
Hptm Karl Hielscher 2./KG 30 to 16 May 40; returns 23 Jun 40

3 Staffel
Oblt Siegmund-Ulrich, Freiherr von Gravenreuth from 4-40, 23-9 StaKa 1./KG30

4 Staffel
Oblt Erich Hass 3-40 to 9-10-40 (GrKomm II./KG30)

5 Staffel
Oblt Willi Flechner to 8-42, inoperational, wounded/sick 4-40 to 6-40?
ObLt Beermann acting 10-5, PoW
Hptm Arved Crüger interim till 22-6?
Hptm Konrad Kahl from 21-8-40, was 5./KG26

6 Staffel
Hptm Günter Noll, 16-5 PoW
Oblt Franz Wieting 16-5? Till early 41

7 Staffel
ObltHeinrich Paepcke from 4-40

8 Staffel
Hptm Schulze-Langsdorff till 3-7-40 killed

9 Staffel
?

So almost complete from May to October 1940. Frustrating that we can't find a name for 9./KG30, though.


Cheers, Pieter

[Chris Goss]

I do have the name Rinck for 9 Staffel who was POW on 27 Jan 41 having made 100 war flights. He was an Oblt in 9./KG 4 and taken POW 10 May 40 with two of his crew also captured on 27 Jan 41 so was obviously released after and flew throughout BofB