Aerial photograph I.
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Aerial photograph II.Comment
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Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Gosau
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Rudolf Gosau completed his Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) service in Arbeitsgau 7, Abteilung 8/73, located in Kaltenkirchen, Kreis Segeberg from 09-June-1934 to 30-September-1935, before joining the newly formed 7./Infanterie Regiment 69 (Feldpost Nr: 06752) stationed in Hamburg-Wandsbek in the Donaumont-Kaserne and the Lettow-Vorbeck-Kaserne on 01-October-1935. He also earned the Deutsche Reichsportabzeichen in Bronze (Nr: 606682) on 07-November-1938.
On 16-August-1939 Rudolf Gosau then aged 23 years, signed his Verpflichtungsschein for 12 years service with the Luftwaffe, due to be completed on 16-April-1951. On 30-April-1941 Unteroffizier Rudolf Gosau was awarded the Luftwaffen Bordfunkerschein on completion of his training at Ausbildungsgruppe Gotha. A promotion to Feldwebel followed on 01-May-1941.
Unteroffizier Rudolf Gosau was subsequently assigned to 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 based at Warschau, which operated with both Messerschmitt Bf-110 and Junkers Ju-88 aircraft. Under the leadership of Gruppenkommandeur Oberstleutnant Fritz Köhler and Staffelkapitän Oberleutnant Gerhard Schwarz, 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 operated under the command of Luftflotte 2 in support of the Central Sector of the Eastern Front. 18-July-1941 saw the award of the Fliegerschützenabzeichen, after the successful completion of at least 5 operational flights, with the Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse awarded on the same day. By 24-July-1941 Unteroffizier Rudolf Gosau had carried out 20 operational reconnaissance flights and was awarded the Frontflug-Spange für Aufklärer in Bronze.
2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 transferred to Smolensk-North (Stabna) along with Stab/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 during the second half of August. From Smolensk-North, Flugzeugführer Kurt Eulenberger and Bordfunker Feldwebel Rudolf Gosau carried out 3 operational flights for Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 in Messerschmitt Bf-110C-5 ‘F6+KK’ on 23/24-August-1941. Feldwebel Rudolf Gosau was awarded the Eiserne Kreuz 1. Klasse for his actions on 27-August-1941. In recognition of 60 operational reconnaissance flights, Feldwebel Rudolf Gosau was subsequently awarded the Frontflug-Spange für Aufklärer in Silber on 07-October-1941.
December-1941 saw both 1.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 and 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 transferred from the Eastern Front to Catania and Gerbini, Sicily with II.Fliegerkorps, with a delay en-route at München-Riem. The Staffel was granted Christmas leave in Germany before moving to Sicily with new aircraft in mid-January-1942. Photo reconnaissance flights over Malta were carried out throughout January and February.
On completion of 110 operational reconnaissance flights, Feldwebel Rudolf Gosau was awarded the Frontflug-Spange für Aufklärer in Gold on 25-March-1942 and promoted to Oberfeldwebel, effective 01-April-1942.
On 21-June-1942, 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 provided cover for a North Africa bound convoy consisting of the ‘Rosalino Pilo’ (8326 tons); ‘Reichenfels’ (7744 tons) and the Italian destroyer ‘Da Recco’. The convoy came under attack by RAF Bristol Beaufighter and Bristol Beaufort aircraft off the east coast of Tunisia and 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 lost 2 Junkers Ju-88 aircraft during the action. The ‘Rosalino Pilo’ was damaged by MTB’s and ‘Reichenfels’ was sunk, from this point forward Italian convoys began to take a route to Tunisia via Taranto and the Greek Coast instead of heading South from Sicily.
10-August-1942 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122, now led by Staffelkapitän Hauptmann Dirk Lütjens, sent out aircraft to search for the strategically vital relief convoy en-route from Gibraltar to Malta, codenamed ‘Operation Pedestal’. The supplies were carried by 14 merchant ships, the most important being ‘Ohio’, the only large, fast tanker available, an American ship with a British crew. The convoy was to be protected by 2 large forces of warships, one as distant cover (Force Z), and the other as close support all the way to Malta (Force X).
The supporting warships consisted of 2 battleships, 3 aircraft carriers, 7 cruisers and 32 destroyers. Once they reached the Sicilian channel, Force Z (the battleships, the aircraft carriers, and 3 cruisers) was to return to Gibraltar, leaving the convoy to continue to Malta escorted by the remaining 4 cruisers and destroyer flotilla of Force X. At 0400 11-August-1942, Junkers Ju-88 aircraft of 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 departed Elmas to carry out a preliminary sea reconnaissance in search of the convoy. At 0615 it was located 03E 1825, and the shadowing operation continued throughout the following days, being performed by 12 Junkers Ju-88 aircraft sending beacon signals on 406 kilocycles. The shadowing aircraft passed navigational instructions to the dive and torpedo bomber aircraft as they approached to attack the ships of the convoy.
During this operation, 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 lost Junkers Ju-88 ‘F6+FK’, shot down by Fleet Air Arm Hawker Hurricanes operating from HMS Indomitable on 11-August and Junkers Ju-88 aircraft ‘F6+KK’ on 13-August, shot down by Malta based Supermarine Spitfires 150 km west of Malta. The tanker ‘Ohio’, carrying 10000 tons of oil, was towed into Valletta Harbour by Royal Navy warships on 15-August-1942. This was the last of 6 surviving ships of the original 14 merchant ships that made up the ‘Operation Pedestal’ convoy. The arrival of the merchant ships, and the survival of the tanker ‘Ohio’ ensured the arrival of enough materials to maintain the island of Malta, but it did not mean the siege was at an end.
The ultimate result of ‘Operation Pedestal’ was that it ensured that Malta stayed in the war. For the high price of 9 merchantmen sunk, an aircraft carrier (HMS Eagle), 2 cruisers (HMS Manchester & HMS Cairo), and a destroyer (HMS Foresight) sunk, the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy had saved Malta, as roughly 32000 short tons (29000t) of general cargo had reached the Grand Harbour, together with petrol, oil fuel, kerosene and diesel fuel, enough to give the island around 10 weeks life beyond the existing stocks of only a few weeks. Royal Navy gunners and Fleet Air Arm aircraft shot down 42 of the approximately 330 attacking Axis aircraft.
Elements of the 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 were temporarily detached at Heraklion in Crete, flying reconnaissance missions over the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt in September-1942, as Oberstleutnant Roman Schneider replaced Gruppenkommandeur Fritz Köhler.
2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 flew sorties towards the Straits of Gibraltar on 11-October-1942, resulting in Junkers Ju-88D-1 ‘F6+KK’ being damaged in combat with Gibraltar based Supermarine Spitfire aircraft, eventually crashing in Spanish Morocco.
In November-1942 Junkers Ju-88A aircraft were now considered to be inadequate for the tasks assigned to the unit, consequently Messerschmitt Me-210 and Junkers Ju-88T aircraft began to appear in the Gruppe inventory. 08-November-1942 Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Gosau was awarded the Frontflug-Spange für Aufklärer in Gold mit Anhänger in recognition for completion of 250 operational reconnaissance flights.
Throughout November and December, 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 carried out numerous reconnaissance missions over the area of the Western Mediterranean, Algiers and Tunis, losing several Junkers Ju-88 aircraft to enemy action. On 07-December-1942 Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Gosau was awarded the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe für Besondere Leistung im Luftkreig, with the award being confirmed on the Luftwaffe Ehrenliste.
In January-1943, operating from Trapani, 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 was engaged in shadowing Allied convoys off the North African coast, with Junkers Ju-88 aircraft fitted with maritime search radar, after the convoys had been initially located by 1.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122. Hours before the convoy was to be attacked by bombers and torpedo aircraft from Kampfgeschwader 26, Kampfgeschwader 30 and I./Kampfgeschwader 60, the shadower would begin transmitting a homing signal. Also commencing in January-1943, 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 flew a number of operational evaluation flights with Messerschmitt Me-210 aircraft. Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Gosau was granted leave from 18-January to 09-February.
Whilst on leave he received a telegram informing him of an extension to his leave and a subsequent telegram instructing him to fly with a Messerschmitt Me-210 aircraft from Munich to Trapani. On 28-January-1943 Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Gosau was awarded the Deutsche Kreuz in Gold, with confirmation in the Luftwaffe Ehrenliste dated 15-February-1943.
There are no further documents relating Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Gosau to 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122, or any other Aufklärungs Gruppe, and the 2.(Fern)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 Startkladde from January-1945 to April-1945 does not list Oberfeldwebel Gosau.
However, it is known that he was discharged from the Luftwaffe on 17-May-1945 and appears to have survived the war without injury and is recorded as being married with one child.
Research stgeorge64Comment
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Front flight clasp in bronze.Comment
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Front flight clasp in silver.Comment
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Front flight clasp in gold.Comment
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Front flight clasp's in bronze, silver and gold are signed by Fritz Köhler.Comment
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Front flight clasp in gold with hanger signed by Roman Schneider.Comment
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Index card of Roman Schneider.Comment
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Interesting reading, thanks for sharing.Comment
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Great stuff......Comment
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Very informative and well put together Karol.
Best regards,
AndyComment
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