Luftwaffe Quartermaster files and FlaK

[TormodChristiansen]

Can anyone with some experience with the Gen.Qu. files answer me if they contain information about gliederungen or other information related to Flak-units?

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by TormodChristiansen

Can anyone with some experience with the Gen.Qu. files answer me if they contain information about gliederungen or other information related to Flak-units?

I am very familiar with all of the Flak and Flak-related documentation that survived the war and is currently at BA-MA Freiburg and/or on NARA microfilm or on IWM microfilm. But I do not understand your question. What exactly are you looking for? Also, have you tried using SEARCH on this web site, on AHF and on WAF? I have answered questions on where to find information on the Flakwaffe numerous times since about 2001, so you might find an old thread that would prove helpful to you.

L.

[TormodChristiansen]

I'm researching the heavy and light Flak units around Kristiansand, Norway.

Therefore I was wondering if the Qm. recorded information about the constant reorganisations of the Flak-units and distrubution of Flak-guns (in Norway) I have certain holes in this structure on Flakabteilung-level from mid-1941 to summer 1944. (The responsibilty of the heavy Flak around Kristiansand was turned over to the Marflak.abt. 714 during Fall of 1944)

Yes, i saw the lengthy disussion about Flak on this board earlier and on AHF there are some 3500++ discussions regarding FlaK. I have also seen the various online lists as http://www.gyges.dk/barl001.pdf. I'm just trying to find alternative ways to seek more information about Flak-units, so it's great to get some input from others that have experience with LW-files in either IWM, BAMA or NARA :-)

[thenelm]

The Gen.Qu. due include casualties from the LW ground forces, though I suspect hardly complete. From my recollection they also tend to leave out names, only the numbers of men lost, with the exception of officers where you might get a name. No material, i.e. flak guns, info included either.

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Tormod,

I presume you have seen the Norway during WW2 website and especially the Festung Norwegen section which covers all types of AA and coastal artillery. They have a discussion board also.
Sorry but I cannot manage to post a direct link for the above.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

[Larry deZeng]

Tormod -

The Gen.Qu.(6.Abt.) Verlustmeldungen microfilms/microfiche do have the personnel losses for Flakartillerie personnel from Sep 39 to the end of Jun 43. After that date the losses of Bodenorganisation, Flak and Ln. personnel were transferred to a separate report which has not been found.

BA-MA Freiburg Signatur RL 5 includes 506 folders (c. 11 linear meters) of voluminous Flak-Abschüßmeldungen that includes material on the location, strength and subordination relationship of the Flak formations.

BA-MA Freiburg Signatur RL 40/41 includes the Flakkarte showing the distribution of Flak forces from 1 Nov 43 to Dec 44. There are also a few stray Kriegsgliederung charts for the period prior to Nov 43.

That’s the good news. Now for the bad news. If you are looking for precise day-by-day movement orders for the Flak in Norway from April 1940 to May 1945, I do not think you will find it. The shifting of a Batterie from here to there was made at theater level and those records for Norway are very incomplete.

Finally, have you checked with others Norwegian researchers about this? The Norwegians have examined the Luftwaffe in Norway exhaustively and some of them may be able to give you more precise information concerning your country.

L.

[TormodChristiansen]

A bit late reply here:

@Martin: Yes, I know about the NUAV page, the problem is that covers the status quo pr. may 1945, I was more looking for the mid war (1941-43) organisation.

@Larry: Thanks for the hints for where to look! Specially for the RL 40/40. Is there a own section covering Norway in this signature?

I have gathered some info about the early and late Flak from various Heer Kampfweisungen and some Kriegsmarine records, but haven't looked through the Luftflottenkommando 5 files yet.

All of the norwegian researchers says the same thing about Flak: difficult ;-)

[Larry deZeng]

@Larry: Thanks for the hints for where to look! Specially for the RL 40/40. Is there a own section covering Norway in this signature?

There are at least some Flak Kriegsgliederung charts in RL 40 for the Luftflotte 5 area, but I do not know how many.

Good luck!

[Andreas Brekken]

Hehe....

Flak isn't THAT difficult... we just haven't bothered ;-)

To be a bit more serious - there are som many holes to fill, and just to little time... so I think the answer is rather that most researchers in Norway (I am not including the concrete crazy guys) have been more into the flying units of the Luftwaffe and spent less time on the ground based units like Flak, Bau, Felddivs etc.

Regards,
Andreas

[TormodChristiansen]

Careful what you call crazy in this hobby, when you know that every one of us on this board shares a fascination for some seriously outdated military hardware ;-D

The Luftwaffe ground organisation (at least in Norway) isn't the easiest thing to follow, I have found out that Luftwaffe, Heer and even the BdO (Police) had their own seperate FluWa orgnanisations. It must have been a nightmare to try to gather all of these units in to a functional warning system.