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What was a 'Wehrflieger' in the Luftwaffe

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    What was a 'Wehrflieger' in the Luftwaffe

    Hi all

    I have been trying to establish why a Luftwaffe aircrew member who was awarded the Goblet of Honour, DKiG and flew over 200 missions with KGr. 28, KG 53 and Minensuchegruppe 1 from 1940 to 1944 should not have been awarded any kind of aircrew badge.

    There is no award certificate for an aircrew badge among his documents, no relevant entry in his Soldbuch (although all other awards are listed) and photos from 1940-43 show no aircrew award in wear (although he wore all his other awards). The man concerned was fairly old for aircrew (born January 1908) and his rank is always shown 'der reserve'.

    The attached entry in his Soldbuch shows 'Wehrflieger' and has 'Fliegerschützen' crossed out. What is a 'Wehrflieger' and does this explain why he never got an aircrew award?

    The man concerned is Oberfeldwebel Werner Petersen (image attached).

    Any assistance in solving this riddle would be much appreciated.
    Attached Files

    #2
    Perhaps - and I'm just spitballing here - he wasn't technically qualified as "aircrew"? Whatever his job on the aircraft was, it didn't have anything to do with the aircraft per se - it was just a means of him accomplishing his job.

    Just a stab in the dark,
    Hank
    Unless it was nighttime, or the weather was bad, and you were running out of gas - then it was a sweaty nightmare, like a monkey f*ing a skunk.
    ~ Dan Hampton, Viper Pilot

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      #3
      Wehrflieger are aircrews. Notice he was at an Untersuchungsstelle (1.43) and was deemed no longer suited for flight by a doctor. I have a Soldbuch from a guy who had similar awards and after getting a "no go" from the Untersuchungsstelle, ended up being an MP in Prag.
      Jeff

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        #4
        Originally posted by JUNGCO View Post
        Wehrflieger are aircrews. Notice he was at an Untersuchungsstelle (1.43) and was deemed no longer suited for flight by a doctor. I have a Soldbuch from a guy who had similar awards and after getting a "no go" from the Untersuchungsstelle, ended up being an MP in Prag.
        Jeff
        This is interesting Jeff.

        I know from July 1943 he was flying with Minensuchegruppe 1, tasked with detonating magnetic mines using a Ju 52 fitted with electromagnetic equipment. He stayed with this unit until the end of the war. My German is awful so any guidance welcome.

        Thanks for the help.

        Comment


          #5
          Werner Petersen was a Flight Engineer.

          01.07.1941 6./K.G.53 Luftflotte 2 (Mogdlew-Daschke)
          Heinkel He 111 H-4 WNr. 3260 A1 + GN 100%

          Lt. Horn, Erich. F. (Pilot) Unharmed (5/KG 53 DKiG 27.7.42)
          Gefr. Löffler, Karl. Bo. (Observer) Dead
          Gefr. Geiser, Hans. Bf. (Wireless operator) Unharmed
          Uffz. Petersen, Werner. Bm. (Flight Engineer) Unharmed (5/KG 53 DKiG 17.11.42)
          Obgefr. Blunk, Hans. Bs. (Airgunner) Unharmed

          /Ian
          Photos/images copyright © Ian Jewison collection

          Collecting interests: Cavalry units, 1 Kavallerie/24 Panzer Division, Stukageschwader 1

          Comment


            #6
            However according to the Honour Goblet list he was an Airgunner!

            Petersen, Werner. Unteroffizier. Bordschütze
            18.5.1942 Ehrenpokal

            Incidentally I have quite a few groups where no form of qualification badge is awarded or mentioned. Sometimes this can be determined by what schools he attended but sometimes not! Off the top of my head I think I have more that had their training pre-war and this is not mentioned in the Soldbuch. Lucky if you have his Wehrpaß!

            Additionally I have examples where the award is actually mentioned as a kit issue on page 6 or 7 rather than on the awards page.

            /Ian
            Last edited by Ian Jewison; 08-26-2013, 03:47 PM.
            Photos/images copyright © Ian Jewison collection

            Collecting interests: Cavalry units, 1 Kavallerie/24 Panzer Division, Stukageschwader 1

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Ian Jewison View Post
              Werner Petersen was a Flight Engineer.

              01.07.1941 6./K.G.53 Luftflotte 2 (Mogdlew-Daschke)
              Heinkel He 111 H-4 WNr. 3260 A1 + GN 100%

              Lt. Horn, Erich. F. (Pilot) Unharmed (5/KG 53 DKiG 27.7.42)
              Gefr. Löffler, Karl. Bo. (Observer) Dead
              Gefr. Geiser, Hans. Bf. (Wireless operator) Unharmed
              Uffz. Petersen, Werner. Bm. (Flight Engineer) Unharmed (5/KG 53 DKiG 17.11.42)
              Obgefr. Blunk, Hans. Bs. (Airgunner) Unharmed

              /Ian
              This is very interesting Ian. Thank you! I have Petersen's Flugbuch so will check out this flight. I know from memory that Petersen certainly flew with Horn a great deal.

              I'll check the Soldbuch again. Sadly I don't have Petersen's Wehrpass.

              Comment


                #8
                Hi Ian

                The entry is confirmed in Petersen's Flugbuch - he records 'adgeschossen (+1)' - shot down (1 dead) - on 1st July 1941. His next recorded flight was heading back to the Front from Radom (Poland) on 8th August 1941 but his next mission was not until 11th October 1941 against Moscow flying out of Schatalovka. Both these flights were again with Leutnant Horn.

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