I've got another picture out of an Ju-52 guys photo collection that had a bit of writing on the back of it. A part from reading "flight to Gomel 8 Oct" I can't read any other word on the page. I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to offer any translation help. I only hope the scan is clear enough and someone out there has a bit of free time.
-
-
Reverse Image
This the frontside of the photo above. -
Hello Dirk:
I shall give it a try: Besides what you correctly read in the first two lines I could only make out 'Orel' ( russian placename also given below).
Then it says: burntout russian plane on the airfield of Orel. It is the plane which was mentioned about November 1 in a frontline broadcast. On the morning when the airfield was taken , this plane landed on the airfield without suspicion . When a German sidecar motorcycle appeared, the plane attempted to take off. The cycle crew member opened fire on the approaching plane . It crashed and burned still on the ground. It is noteworthy that burned remains in the plane belonged to a female, possibly the pilot.
Bernhard H. HolstComment
-
Thanks
Bernhard- Thank you for the great translation. With my poor German I never would have been able to figure it out! Again thanks for taking the time on this one. DirkComment
-
nice one
Hello,
Nice to see this translation in accordance to the picture itself, and it is very interesting in the fact that the Russian plane was shot down by normal troops with normal weapons ( forgive me the expression : normal => this means with Infanterie weapons, such as ; machine gun, rifle, etc ...
It is sad that there is no exact date given for this deed because this could help us in the research if the persons ( lets say : the motorcycle dispatcher ) received the very rare award ( non portable !!! ) : award document for shooting down a plane ( sorry for the lazy translation ) or in German " Anerkennungsurkunde des Oberbefehlshabers des Heeres für Flugzeugabschüsse " .
I wil give it a try in looking trough the list buts without a date it can be very hard to nearly impossible
.
Anyone interested in this rarely seen award ?
Friendly Greetings,Comment
-
flugzeugabschuss
Hello ,
Dirk i think i have found some rather interesting info for you .
this rare award document ( only awarded for persons or units who shot down a enemy plane with infatery awards => this means no flak of any kind, etc ... ) was awarded only 591 times between September 1941 until February 1945 !!!!!
from this 591 there where only 525 award documents printed and send towards the recipient ( either single soldier or unit !! ) , it is however not known howmany of these award docs. reached their distination ( the awardee ) due to several reasons ( los, etc .. )
this total number ( = 591 ) can be devided in 2 mainsections :
* Single soldiers : 285 awards ( from wich 17 to officers and 8 awards to Waffen SS personel )
* units : 306 awards ( from wich ( again ) 17 to units of the Waffen SS !!! )
it is remarkable that this rarity was also awarded to non - wehrmacht personel ( such as Organisation Todt, NSKK , etc ... ) , both previous mentioned organisations have one awardee .
there is also one non german person who receievd this rare award : the Italian Legionair Pizzato.
the actual award docs. where handed out in the field and where made official in the Tagesbefehle from the Army's .
Sofar the general information and now towards Dirks picture , i have found only 2 such awards for the city of Orel and these are :
* 04.10.1941 , one enemy plane shot down by Orel by the following unit : 3./SR 12 , award handed out on 10.12.1941
* 15.09.1942 , one enemy plane shot down by the following unit : 1./Inf.Lehr.Btl. ( 2.e Pz.Armee )
comparing both to the date mentioned on the picture ( and knowing the fact that these kind off messages did take a while ( in time ( from the actual action towards the handing out in 1941 about : 37 days !!! ) until they where confirmed, etc ... and the award was handed out it is quite possible that the first mentioned unit ( namely : 3./SR 12 ) did actualy shot the plane down and that it was this message that did reached the Army broadcast of 01.11.1941 ( as mentioned on the reverse of this picture )
Both dates, city etc ... are very close and i believe we have a winner knowing the rarity of this award !!! ( it was not every day that there was shot down a enemy plane by infantery weapons !!!! )
Friendly greetings and thanks for reading.Comment
-
David do you have some photo or scan of the document or the award itself? After the institution of the Single handed airplane destruction badge this disappear and his recipients has the right to wear the new one or were totally different orders?
Interesting to know something more about such rare distintion.
Cheers
AngelLooking for DKiG Heer winner Soldbuch who also won the TDB and/or CCC, specially in Silver.Comment
-
Flugzeugabschusse
Hello Angel,
I wil try to get a scan of this rare document ( it can be a rather poor one ) , until i have fscanned, etc ... i can add the following information , the award document is very similar ( in appearance ) ot the one known for the Honour roll calsp ( Heer ) document or the so called " Anerkennungsurkunde " 2nd. type.
It has the same big eagle on the upperside from the award doc. and can only be determined by the text that is on it , namely :
" ICH SPRECHE DEM
....... ( place for rank and name )
FÜR DEN ABSCHUSS
EINES FEINDLICHEN FLUGZEUGES
BEI ..... ( place and date of the action )
MEINE
BESONDERE ANERKENNUNG AUS "
Hauptquartier, Den ...........
DER FÜHRER
( signature of A.Hitler )
the reason for the institution of this award doc. might be somehow unclear ( due to the fact that regio 1941 the Germans had about complete air superiority !!! ) , and the shooting down from a enemy plane ( from single soldiers ) could also be awarded withe the EK II ( and similar => regarding ex. officers, etc ... )
But ( and here it is very important !!!!!! ) , the iron cross could not be awarded collectively ( this means in the case of a shooting down from a plane by a unit !!!! )
This award was certainly meant to award units rather then single persons ( this seems to be also a reason for the awarding of a award document rather then a wearable award !!! ) , it is the suprising to see that about 49 % of these award docs. where handed out to single soldiers !!!
I have not compared it towards the institution of the single hand destruction of a plane but i strongly believe it is very comparable to the honour roll clasp ( first the recipient did also only receive the award and its only in late 1944 that the actual clasp was instituted and could be worn !!!!!!!! ) , it is possible ( and likeable ) that the institution of the wearable strip was similar to the honour roll clasps but if they where actual awarded , etc .. thats another question ?
Friendly greetings,Comment
-
how does it looks like ?
Hello,
IN the attachement one can see one of this award documents ( this one is scanned out of the book by M.Dörr " Die INhaber der Anerkennungsurkunde des ObdH 1941 - 1945 " page 36-37 ) awarded to the later KC holder Wilhelm Berkenbusch ( KC on 15.01.1945 ) .
He did shoot a Britisch plane with his MG on 23.10.1942 , very interesting to note is that he won the EK 2 on a later occasion ( 07.03.1943 ) and it seems that these two where awarded for other facts of bravery !!!!!
There is a picture to see in this book wich shows Oberfeldwebel wearing his KC besides other awards ( so this picture was taken after 15.01.1945 thats for sure )
another point of interest ( and mayby as a answer towars your ( Angel ) question
the SHAD badge ( Single Handed Airplane Destruction badge ) was instituted on 12.01.1945 ( according to Klietmann , it should follow a little the same way as the TDB => silver for one plane , gold for 5 planes ) , now this is a extreme late award and is there evidence that this badge ever has been awarded ? ( i don't think so or at least i havent found it yet !!! ) looking at the picture of Mr. Berkenbusch he doesn't wear it at least altough according the regulations he should be entitled to this one .After the institution of the Single handed airplane destruction badge this disappear and his recipients has the right to wear the new one or were totally different orders?
the rest to follow ,
Greetings,Comment
-
Great
Stijn-Great research!!! I wish I could add more but I can't. The other pictures in the series show the aircrew members winning awards in Gomel (EK 2 and WSM) around 7 Oct and a airbrone shot near Gomel. I'll guess the photo posted above was taken after that time. I studied the album and believe he had the picutres glued down at one time then pulled them out and swtiched to hinge mountings. Probbaly wrote the comments on the back later in the year (1941). Again if you are correct on the shoot down award-- really a great reserach effort on your part. Again thanks. DirkComment
-
never sure
HellO Dirk,
Thanks fo the compliments, and you are hit the nail 100 % as you mention : " iff " im correct .
This is something we can never be sure of ( exept with exact date => but is is my pleasure of pointing the unaware in the direction of yet another German ( mainly unknown and very rare ) award
Glad i was of som help.
Friendly GReetings,Comment
Comment