Eugen Gremelsbacher, Bildberichter Fallschirmjäger A.O.K (formerly XI. Flieger.Korps), Heinkel 'Zwilling' and Gotha Go 242 transfer flight from France to Sicily

 

To bolster their forces preparing to defend the Allied landings in Sicily, the Germans organised an ‘air bridge’ to bring in reinforcements. On 17 July 1943, 16 Gotha Go-242 gliders from Luftlandegeschwader 2 (with the heavy equipment of the 1st parachute division: 1.Fallschirm-Jäger.Division) departed the huge airfield at Istres in southern France for Italy, landing at Torre di Faro (Sicily) between 20 and 27 July 1943 after a stop in Naples. The photo-report in ECPA-D file 11FLG F 1396/7 by PK photographer Eugen Gremelsbacher depicts a Heinkel He-111 ‘Zwilling’ tug on the transfer flight between France (Istres) and Italy (Naples-Pomigliano). Each Heinkel towed two Gotha Go-242 gliders and carried the heavy equipment (eg 2cm Flak 38) of 1. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division.

Below; He 111 Z coded 'DG+DX' taxying in after landing in Naples. Note three of the five engines already shut down.

The reporter on board the Heinkel followed the progress of the mission from the empty starboard cockpit of the Zwilling and photographed the crew: bombardier, radio-navigator, pilot and co-pilot. As the transfer mission drew to a close, the aircraft flew over Vesuvius before landing on the runway at Naples-Pomigliano airfield. The port of Naples is not far from the airfield, and the reporter took a shot of the docks, cranes and a medieval tower. In the shade of the Naples airfield buildings, paratroopers from the 1 Fallschirm-Jäger-Division were photographed recovering after the trip. The glider pilots had to destroy the Gotha Go-242s in Sicily.

 

Eugen Gremelsbacher was an Uffz. and photographic reporter for the Fallschirmjäger A.O.K (formerly XI. Flieger Korps). He was born on 13 March 1911 in Elbing (Westpreußen) and died on 08 March 1944 on the Eastern Front (see report reference FALLAOK F2024 for his grave) after being wounded the previous day. He is buried in Perwomaisk cemetery, grave N°24, row 8 (source Bundesarchiv). He filed photo reports from France (Orange, Istres) and Italy (Naples, Torre di Faro in Sicily, Livourno region in Tuscany). As Gremelsbacher died over 80 years ago, his photographs are 'out of copyright' and are in the 'public domain'. See here for more on this.

RAD 'Arbeitsmann' on airfield guard duty -Instapic #18

  

RAD 'Reichsarbeitsdienst' (labour service) personnel were often employed as airfield 'guards'. Here an 'Arbeitsmann' on airfield guard duty somewhere in the West from an ECPA-D PK photo 'reportage' on the activities of the RAD. (from the DAA files). The second image shows a close-up of the 'Dienststellenabzeichen' on the left upper arm. 

SS Fallschirmjäger Btl. 500 Drvar May 1944, "Rösselsprung" - ebay photo find #380

 

 "Rösselsprung" was a failed German airborne and ground operation aimed at capturing or killing the Yugoslav Partisan leader Marshal Josip Broz ('Tito') in the Bosnian town of Drvar. Launched on 25 May 1944, the 'airborne' part of the assault was carried out by the SS-FJ battalion 500 - some 340 paratroopers were transported on board 34 DFS 230 gliders, the remainder of the battalion jumping from TG 4 Ju 52 Transporter. Meanwhile the town of Drvar was also bombed by the Luftwaffe. The gliders were towed by Hs 126 and Ju 87 tugs. A number of these images appeared in subsequent German newpaper reports - almost certainly taken by PK Berichter. In the end the operation was a failure - the area was well-defended by strong partisan forces while German intelligence regarding Tito's exact location was faulty. 

This was the image of victory that was publicized. These F-J paras show off their trophies including the flags of the Allied Mission. The rifle of the man in the middle has a grenade launcher on its muzzle.

296 Verlag set to close

 

Some sad news. According to the email that just dropped, Dr Kurt Braatz is closing his 296 Verlag at the end of the year. 296 Verlag has produced some marvellous titles over the years and some of the best Luftwaffe memoirs and biographies bar none. I'm assuming that this news means there will be no English-language translation of Jules Meimberg's book - my 'favourite' Luftwaffe memoir - or any of the other '296' memoirs and biographies in fact - Josten, Krupinski, Cescotti etc etc. Small consolation, up to year's end (20 December) all remaining stock while available is price-dropped - just 15 euros per volume (63% off listed). Wolfrum, Zorner and Drewes are now OOP.

296 catalogue overview and orders here

 

An extract from Roderich Cescotti's "Langstreckenflug" on this blog - flying the Do 217 M-11

Dewoitine D.520s and Arados in JG 105, Chartres

 

A line-up of D.520s with a single Ar 96 of JG 105 in early 1944. The story of JFS 5/JG 105 from June 1941 to June 1944 is told in Avions issue No. 253 (July/August 2023). 

The numbers of machines and pilots lost during 1944 is notable, no doubt the result of short-cuts in training programmes, the employment of non-German types, Allied bombing raids on French airfields and RAF fighter sweeps. During February 1944 there was an accident or incident every day of the month  - on 6 February a strafing attack destroyed two  D.520s and on the 9th a D.520 was shot down by 166 Sqn Typhoons**. During March 1944 Chartres was bombed on the 2nd (six D.520s damaged or destroyed), raided by RAF Typhoons of 174 Sqn on the 16th and bombed again on 27 March (five D.520s destroyed). During April 1944 there were over 60 accidents and incidents with an important bombing raid on April 10. In total, some 51 aircraft were damaged or written off during the month. The last mention of a D.520 in JG 105 was 20 April 1944 - by now spare parts were likely at a premium and none of the D.520s went back to Germany with the unit, a transfer that got underway on 7 June.

Click on the image for a wide-screen view.

A closer view of the two D.520s nearest the camera 'yellow 77' and 'yellow 76'. The spires of the cathedral in Chartres can be seen in the background.

**

"..During a 'Ranger' to the Chartres area on 9 February, Plt Off D. Erasmus of 266 Sqn claimed a Bf 109 shot down. This was in fact a Dewoitine D.520, an ex-Armée de l´Air fighter taken over by the Luftwaffe and used by JG 105, which was based at Chartres. D.520 No 483 was shot down and Uffz. Woll was killed. Four days later (on 13 February 1944) Sqn Ldr G.B. Warnes of 263 Squadron, also a Typhoon unit, claimed another Bf 109 in the same area. Again this was a D.520 of JG 105 - No 664 in which Uffz. Bartl was killed. It is interesting to note that at this time the Luftwaffe operated four such Jagdgeschwader in France, which would continue to operate until August 1944 (sic), when there was a general withdrawal back to Germany. The other units were JG 101 at Pau, JG 103 at Chateauroux and JG 107 at Nancy."

 In '2nd TAF' by Shores and Thomas

more SG Fw 190s - ebay photo find #379

on offer here

Fw 190 F-8 "White 12" / USA marking "G*K4" W.Nr 583234, 4./SG 2, Kitzingen, May. 1945...

Hans Ring, Luftwaffe victory claims

 

Hans Ring was one of the leading Luftwaffe victory claims researchers during the 60s and 70s. This image was taken from a 1961 issue of Jägerblatt, the article was entitled 'Were our victory claims too high?'  It shows Ring (standing), and from left, Hans Otto Boehm, Col. Ray Toliver and Ernst Obermaier in Munich in September 1961. Boehm was an early 'President' of the German fighter pilots association (Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger). He died in 1964. If Ring is still with us then he must almost certainly be in his 90s.

Also on this blog;

Han's Ring review of Walther Dahl's memoir 'Rammjäger', April 1962