The main area of operations for JG 77 in late August-early September 1941 was the Berislav sector. Berislav was a town in southern Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnieper river. After days of bitter fighting, the German 11th Army occupied Berislav during the last few days of August. River crossings began soon afterwards with JG 77 flying fighter cover. After the river crossing was successfully forced according to plan, German troops quickly managed to establish a bridgehead on the southern bank of the Dnieper, hold it against the Russian counterattacks that soon began, and even expand it. Meanwhile, heavy fighting continued in front of the bridgehead on the east bank of the Dnieper near Dnepropetrovsk; the Soviet Air Force was operating in great numbers here, causing significant trouble for German troops, particularly with its ground-attack aircraft. By 01 September the bridgehead on the south bank of the Dnieper had reached a depth of ten kilometres. There were persistent Soviet counter-attacks with tank and air support - JG 77 claimed some 19 victories on 01 September including two for Hptm. Mader and two for Lt. Freytag. On 3 September the river crossing was significantly delayed by continuous Russian air raids, and in the afternoon, around 4:30 p.m., the pontoon bridge was put out of action for about six hours by a direct bomb hit. However the 'bridgehead' around Berislav was successfully consolidated, paving the way for an operational advance toward the Crimea. On Friday 05 September JG 77 filed seven claims in combats around Berislav. Ogfr. Alfred Papendick downed an 'I-16' for his second victory. It would be his last. Three days later, on 8 September 1941 he was shot down and killed in combat with Soviet fighters six kilometres west of Berislav at the controls of Bf 109 F-4 WNr. 7067 'black chevron+'.
These two unpublished images show Papendick's grave in the small German cemetery at Berislav and the wreck of his burnt-out Friedrich - note two Abschussbalken on the tail and the ship silhouette above these. 7. Staffel was of course Huy's Jabo unit so Papendick likely took part in the anti-shipping sorties flown by III. /JG 77, either around Crete a few months previously or against the Soviet Black sea fleet off the Crimean peninsula ..
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