III./Flak 12

[Perry Floyd]

Any information on this unit would be greatly appreciated. Thanks..
III./Flak 12

[Larry deZeng]

Any information on this unit would be greatly appreciated. Thanks..
III./Flak 12

It was formed November 1935 in Berlin-Lankwitz. It was a Scheinwerfer (searchlight) Abteilung (= battalion) with 3 and then later 4 batteries. From the beginning of the war in served in northern Germany and then in 1942 transferred to the Belgium-Holland area where it served as I./Flakscheinwerfer-Rgt. 1. At the end of 1942 or beginning of 1943, it moved to the Torino (Turin) area in North Italy where it came under Flak-Rgt. 149. On 5 July 1943 the Abteilungstab was ordered to Piacenza where it was renamed Flakscheinwerfer-Abt. 558.

--BHS1956

[Perry Floyd]

Many thanks, did it end the war at Piacenza or is that unknown?

[Larry deZeng]

Many thanks, did it end the war at Piacenza or is that unknown?

Now as Flakscheinwerfer-Abt. 558, it was still at Piacenza in August 1943, but only as a Stab (HQ and staff) without any batteries. A few weeks later it was re-designated Stab/Flakführer Oberitalien (Stab/Flakscheinwerfer-Abt. 558), and then on 1 November 1943 it was re-designated yet again, this time as Stab/3. Flak-Brigade, which remained in North Italy to the end of the war.

Meanwhile, Flakscheinwerfer-Abt. 558 was briefly reconstituted in August 1944 in Finland or North Norway. On 18 November 1944 it's Stab was ordered to return to the Reich where it was disbanded a few weeks later. Its batteries remained in Norway and were probably absorbed into other Flak units there.

A rather convoluted history, I'd say.

--BHS1956

[Perry Floyd]

Greatly appreciated