Minensuchgruppe Soldbuch and docs.

[JeremyJ]

This group was posted many years ago prior to my owning the items but thought it was worth reposting.

Soldbuch and documents to Leutnant Edgar Neumann who served with Minensuchgruppe 1. The group engaged in the very risky job of sweeping for mines in the dangerously slow Ju52's. Visually they were easily recognized by a large magnetic ring fixed to the bottom edge of the wings and tail.

At any rate the group is quite unique in that Neumann qualified as a Beobachter and was in addition awarded the Kriegsmarine Minesweeper Badge.

Enjoy

[JeremyJ]

..

Unit page

[JeremyJ]

..

unit page2

[JeremyJ]

./

awards

[JeremyJ]

.//

Observers Badge

[JeremyJ]

./.

Minesweeper Badge

[JeremyJ]

///.

Ek2

[JeremyJ]

././

Ek1

[JeremyJ]

'/.

Aufklar. Spange in Bronze

[JeremyJ]

,./

Oops Spange

[JeremyJ]

,./;

Beobachterschein

[JeremyJ]

,;./

Ausweis

[JeremyJ]

,;./'

And finally a portrait of Leutnant Edgar Neumann.

[Larry deZeng]

Actually, the Minensuchstaffeln had very few losses to enemy aircraft because they flew so low to the water. A German language study of these units from inception to the end of the war actually says they had more losses from routine crashes and accidents than from enemy action. The great majority of aircraft lost to enemy action were strafed on the ground or blew up when detonating mines at too low an altitude. There were a total of 6 Staffeln formed during the war.

Use of the Ju 52/3m transport aircraft in this role was first proposed around Sep 1940, when the German Navy requested that 100 Ju 52s be made available for this purpose by the Luftwaffe. Generalluftzeugmeister Milch agreed that the Ju 52 was the best choice for this role. Formation of Sonderkommando “Mausi” followed a few days later and began to equip with the first of the modified Ju 52s, now designated Ju 52/3m (MS). These were outfitted with a large duralumin hoop installed under the aircraft that was energized by a generator located in the cabin that produced 300 amps of direct current to detonate magnetic mines. Later, other Ju 52s were equipped with a devise called a Knallkörpergerät or KK-Gerät, that could dispense 30 small explosive charges for detonating acoustic mines. In a typical operation, a "Mausi" Ju 52 would fly over a suspected minefield at an altitude of 18 to 21 meters (60 to 70 feet), with the mine detonating 9 to 12 meters (30 to 40 feet) astern of the aircraft. A variant of the “solo” method was to fly 3 of the hoop-fitted Ju 52s abreast at low altitude over the water followed by 3 of the KK-Gerät-equipped Ju 52s in line abreast 200 meters astern of the others. If the mine was anchored too deep in the water or the aircraft flew at the wrong altitude, the mine would fail to detonate. Minesweeping operations with aircraft entailed endless flights with only occasional success, and when a mine was located and detonated it was often fatal to the aircraft. A number of Ju 52 “Mausi” aircraft were lost on these operations to this cause.

1./MSGr. 1

also as: 1. Minensuchstaffel (after 29 Feb 44)


Formation. (Dec 42)
Formed 1 December 1942 at Gilze-Rijen/Holland using assets from the disbanded Sonderkommando “Mausi”. The Staffel transferred to France, probably in spring 1943.

Holland, France, North Germany and Denmark. (Dec 42 - May 45)
Apr 43: from April 1943 on, the Staffel had an average of 12 to 18 Ju 52s on strength.
3 Jul 43: Ju 52 destroyed in a mine explosion near St-Nazaire, 100%, 2 KIA and 2 WIA.
4 Jul 43: a man from the Staffel KIA during an Allied air attack on Fp. Nantes.
23 Sep 43: based at Vannes/Brittany.
1 Dec 43: Ju 52 shot down into the sea by a fighter off the French coast, 100%, 1 KIA, 1 WIA and rest of crew rescued.
12 Jun 44: transferred to Cognac/SW France this date.
Jun 44: Staffel sent 6 of its Ju 52s from Cognac to Budapest-Budaörs in Hungary to assist in the removal of mines from the Danube that had been laid in the river during the spring by RAF aircraft operating from Italy. The detachment was relieved by 5./MSGr. 1 in July and returned to France.
10 Jul 44: based at La Leu, Cognac and Biarritz under X. Fliegerkorps.
Aug 44: departed France and is believed to have initially gone to Westerland/Sylt before moving to Dievenow a month or two later.
8 Dec 44: at Dievenow/58 km WSW of Kolberg in Pomerania.
5 Feb 45: Dievenow under Luftflotte 6.
4 Mar 45: all or elements transferred to Peenemünde.
Apr 45: Staffel moved to Bøtø on Lolland, Denmark’s southernmost island.
28 Apr 45: in Denmark.
8 May 45: disbanded in Denmark.
FpN: (L 33762)
Staffelkapitän:


2./MSGr. 1

also as: 2. Minensuchstaffel (after 29 Feb 44)


Formation. (Dec 42)
Formed 1 December 1942 at Bremerhaven-Weddewarden (? confirmation lacking – Copenhagen-Kastrup has also been mentioned) using in part assets taken from the disbanded Sonderkommando “Mausi”. The Staffel operated mainly in the North Sea area and around Denmark.

North Germany, Hungary, Norway and Denmark. (Dec 42 - May 45)
19 Dec 42: Ju 52 crashed east of Heligoland (Helgoland) in the Heligoland Bight (bay NNW of Cuxhaven) (cause not given), 100, 1 WIA.
3 Feb 43: Ju 52 shot down west of Borkum in the East Frisian Islands, 100%, 1 KIA and 3 WIA.
Apr 43: from April 1943 on, the Staffel had an average of 12 to 18 Ju 52s on strength.
19 Jun 44: 2. Minensuchstaffel was being used as a reserve Staffel for the others, providing additional aircraft and crews where needed.
24 Jun 44: Staffel based at Wesermünde (Blexen)/3 km W of Bremerhaven and had just been reinforced with an additional 7 Ju 52s taken from other units.
25 Aug 44: had a Kette (3 Ju 52s) with 2 officers and 34 men temporarily at Budapest-Budaörs in Hungary to assist in the removal of mines from the Danube that had been laid in the river during the spring by RAF aircraft operating from Italy.
Sep 44: the Kette in Hungary along with others that may have been operating elsewhere on a temporary basis were recalled to Wesermünde during early September.
5 Feb 45: Wesermünde with a Kdo. (detachment) at Oslo-Fornebu.
7 Apr 45: Staffel ordered to transfer from Wesermünde to Flensburg this date primarily for use in the Heligoland Bight, but also to reinforce the mine-detecting efforts of 5./MSGr. 1 based at Vaerløse in S Denmark of needed.
28 Apr 45: at Flensburg and in Denmark with a single Kdo. of 3 Ju 52s based at Oslo-Fornebu; Staffel surrendered in those locations on 8 May 45.
FpN: (L 49244)
Staffelkapitän:

--Larry

[JeremyJ]

,./;

Thanks Larry,

Very much appreciated. I have the Minensuchgruppe unit history you noted though have, unfortunately, not had the time to go through it in depth.

Thanks again.

Jeremy