Flughafenbetriebskompanie Wehrpass

[TobyR]

Here's a Werhpass I recently acquired to an eventual Oberfeldwebel with a Flughafenbetriebskompanie.

I've been trying to research which squadrons he would have been with but have had little success so far. I always struggle when it comes to reading German script.

I can see that he was involved in both the Battle of Britain and Ostfront.

Interestingly, I also noticed that his final entry on p.12 (Aktiver Wehrdienst) is for Jagdverband 44.

All the best,
Toby.

[TobyR]

2

[TobyR]

3

[Jonathan M]

From September 1939-April 1944 he was with KG 1 'Hindenburg'.
Just finished research on a similar FBK Wehrpass to a wireless mechanic that was on the books of KG's 51 and 30.


Jonathan

PS Some info on KG 1
http://www.ww2.dk/air/kampf/kg1.htm

[Simon O.]

From 39 to april 44 at least it does say KG 1 'Hindenburg' and the second to last entry seems to say 11 staffel III./JG2

[Jonathan M]

Simon,

what does the (Qu) refer too,quartiermeister?
If so what's its relevance?

Jonathan

[Larry deZeng]

His F.B.K.s (2., 5. and then 3.) all serviced KG 1 (KG 152 was the predecessor of KG 1). 143. F.B.K. (Qu) was formed 15 Apr 44 in Germany by renaming 1. F.B.K./KG 51. On 23 Aug 44 it was under Jägerzuführungskommando West and located as follows: 1 Zug at Holzkirchen, 1 Zug at Mannheim-Sandhofen, and 2 Züge at Darmstadt-Griesheim. At that time it would have been servicing Me 262 jets. Likewise, III./Ergänzungs-JG 2 with 9.-11. Staffel was all Me 262 and based at Lechfeld.

Finally, I suspect those JV 44 entries in green are questionable. You may want to get the opinion of our SB/WP experts on that entry.

--Larry

[TobyR]

Jonathan, Simon, - thank you both for your help! I would also be interested in Qu. When I was trying research the FKB on the web, I found mention of another FKB with Qu after it.

[TobyR]

Thank you Larry for your detailed reply.

Can I ask why you think the JV 44 entry might be questionable?

[Larry deZeng]

Simon,
what does the (Qu) refer too,quartiermeister?
If so what's its relevance?
Jonathan

I'm not Simon, but I thought I might field this question, if permitted to do so. "Qu" is the abbreviation for (are you ready?) Quartiermeister (Quartermaster) - you were right! At the end of 1942 the Organisationsabteilung/Genst.d.Lw. ordered the doing away with the Flughafenbetriebskompanien, which were organically attached to specific Kampfgeschwader and making them usable and transferable anywhere. They were renumber from 101 to 154 and the suffix (Qu) slapped on the end to show that they now belonged to the Generalquartiermeister of the Luftwaffe and no longer to individual Kampfgeschwader. Each had a specific type of aircraft it serviced and did Class I and Class II maintenance on, e.g., Bf 109s, Fw 190s, Ju 88s, Me 262s, etc.

More details on this exciting organizational change can be found in:

Radtke, Siegfried. Kampfgeschwader 54: von der Ju 52 zur Me 262 - Eine Chronik nach Kriegstagebüchern, Dokumenten und Berichten 1935 – 1945 (Munich, 1990). Page 167.

Now that you are all asleep, I'll tip-toe outta here.......

--Larry

[Jonathan M]

Thanks Larry, didnt tip-toe softly enough
Jonathan

[Larry deZeng]

Thank you Larry for your detailed reply.
Can I ask why you think the JV 44 entry might be questionable?

IMHO, it looks like a postwar entry intended to "sex-up" the marketability of the document. However, I am not an expert on detecting the authentic from those that have been tampered with, so I would strongly recommend that the "experts" here, of which there are many, take a good look and express their opinions. We have all been fooled before, so an ounce of caution is worth a pound of cure (an old English saying that was hijacked by your colonial American cousins in 1877).

--Larry

[Jonathan M]

I would agree with Larry and err on the side of caution with that entry. Though in many instances different clerks would have filled in different parts of a Wehrpass the handwriting doesnt 'feel' right to the period. but like Larry says the experten will be able to provide more insight.
Jonathan

[Simon O.]

Good info as ever Larry, you're a goldmine.


Definitely worth seeking other opinions on the JV44 entry, it looks tagged on after the fact to me too but there are many others with greater experience than i on these kinds of things.

Are there any other entries in the same hand?

[TobyR]

Thanks again everyone!

Larry - you are definitely a goldmine of info.

Re. the entry, hopefully others can comment. It didn't feature in the price when I bought the grouping (wasn't even mentioned) and it did come from a good source (a friend in Germany). I will have to ask him whether he acquired it from a relative. Not that this is proof positive. As it is, I can't see any other entries in the same hand.

I've attached a pic of the rest of the grouping.

Curiously, I can't find entries for the West Wall Medal and Czech Annex. Medal, though I'm struggling to read the first line in his award entries.

Best,
Toby.