Kriegsmarine Award to Luftwaffe Man

[Tim O.]

Hi all

My collecting area is Luftwaffe but I thought I should share this rather unusual award of the Minesweeper Award Badge. The 'Mausi' units flew aircraft fitted with electric coils to detonate magnetic mines dropped by the Allies into the coastal waters of Occupied Europe and Russia. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the man in question wearing the badge but here he is for reference.

[Tim O.]

This image shows a Junkers 52 fitted out for the 'Mausi' role.

[Martin W]

Great document Tim and a shame you do not have a photo of the recipient wearing the Minesweeper badge,although from the image you have provided he is a well decorated airman.

Here is one of my favorite images of a member of a Mausi unit.Clearly we can see that he wears the horizontal pin Deumer type of Minesweeper award.


Regards,Martin.

[JAndrew]

That is so cool. Years ago I built a model of that very aircraft type. I never realized the Luftwaffe personnel were awarded these badges.
JAndrew

[Tim O.]

That's a great photo Martin. I have a German language book on the Mausi units, which includes a photo of a Staffelfuerer wearing this award but I can't imagine there were too many awarded to Luftwaffe aircrew.

Yes this man was highly decorated. I am lucky that I have all his award certificates, Soldbuch and Flugbuch. I only acquired the group recently so much to research.

[Norm F]

Marvelous thread!

Best regards,
---Norm

[Martin W]

Yes this man was highly decorated. I am lucky that I have all his award certificates, Soldbuch and Flugbuch. I only acquired the group recently so much to research.

Hi Tim,

please show us the rest of the grouping.i certainly would like to see it.

For interest here is some additional information on the Sonderkommando Mausi.


http://www.balsi.de/Weltkrieg/Einhei...ando-Mausi.htm



Regards,Martin.

[Ian Jewison]

Tim,

Is this your man?

Petersen, Werner. Feldwebel.
Bordschütze with 5./Kampf-Geschwader 53

As Unteroffizier: 18.5.1942 Ehrenpokal
As Feldwebel: 17.11.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Luftwaffe Mausi units of course received this award as did Flak Fährenflottille. Here is an old thread with an entry for the latter:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=183846

/Ian

[Tim O.]

Tim,

Is this your man?

Petersen, Werner. Feldwebel.
Bordschütze with 5./Kampf-Geschwader 53

As Unteroffizier: 18.5.1942 Ehrenpokal
As Feldwebel: 17.11.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Luftwaffe Mausi units of course received this award as did Flak Fährenflottille. Here is an old thread with an entry for the latter:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=183846

/Ian

Hi Ian

Yes that is him. I must admit I bought the grouping mainly because of his Battle of Britain connection. He flew with 2. Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 126, which was a specialist unit deploying air-dropped mines on sea and land (flying Heinkel 111); he then transferred to 5. Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 53 and flew over Russia. In 1943 he transferred to Minensuchgruppe 1, ironically (since he started the war dropping them!) clearing magnetic mines until the end of the war using the Junkers 52 'Mausi'.

Thanks for the thread - very interesting.

Where did you get Petersen's details? I am still trying to work out why he was apparently never awarded an aircrew badge as a gunner.

[Tim O.]

Hi Martin

I'll post more tonight.

Best wishes
Tim O.

[Ian Jewison]

Where did you get Petersen's details?
I am still trying to work out why he was apparently never awarded an aircrew badge as a gunner.

From "Die Ordensträger der Deutshen Wehrmacht 1939-1945" a CD by VMD, however they went out of business I believe due to copyright issues.

No doubt Petersen was awarded the Airgunner's badge but chose not to wear it? After completing 3 missions in which ever role he was entitled to it anyway after completion of the appropriate training of course.

With that said I have examples of Soldbuch and Wehrpass where clearly the guy has had the correct training but no award entry has ever been made and the relative award citation is missing! So were they missed out? I am sure they would have kicked up a fuss at the time to get one!!

/Ian

[albertofl]

Phantastic!!!I would like to have a look,if possible,to this TOP grouping.Marevelous photo also,Martin.

[Tim O.]

Hi Ian

I will post tonight the pages from his Soldbuch with no reference to any Air Gunner Award. My understanding is he would have qualified in mid-1940 on the basis of the missions he had undertaken; the photo shown above is from 1943. None of the photos from 1941-43 show him wearing an Air Gunner Badge, there is no award certificate in the group and no entry in his Soldbuch, so at present I don't think he was awarded the badge. Rather a mystery!

[Norm F]

...
With that said I have examples of Soldbuch and Wehrpass where clearly the guy has had the correct training but no award entry has ever been made and the relative award citation is missing! So were they missed out? I am sure they would have kicked up a fuss at the time to get one!!

To that point I can add the observation that my father's Soldbuch doesn't include the entry for his EK2 award although I have his actual award document and numerous photographs of him with the EK2 ribbon in wear (awarded in 1943). So it's clear that depending on location and circumstances the Soldbuch is not always complete.

Best regards,
---Norm

[petopoint]

very interesting

Very interesting thread. Across the community on finding these awards and particulars.
Nice collectible document and photos to match.