What was a 'Wehrflieger' in the Luftwaffe

[Tim O.]

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.

[Hank C.]

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

[JUNGCO]

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

[Tim O.]

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.

[Ian Jewison]

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

[Ian Jewison]

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

[Tim O.]

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.

[Tim O.]

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.