Kampfgeschwader 55
Encyclopedia
Kampfgeschwader 55 "Greif" (KG 55) (Battle Wing 55) was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during World War II. The unit was one of the most famous in the Luftwaffe. The Heinkel
He111 medium bomber was the standard bomber for this unit from its conception through to the last days of the war.
55 was made on 1 May 1939, with Stab
, I., and II., Gruppen. The III. Gruppe was not created until December 1939. All of the pre-war aircraft were Heinkel
He111 Langnasen.
Assigned to Luftflotte 2
during the Polish invasion (Fall Weiss) the unit saw action for the first time. During the campaign KG 55 suffered one complete loss of aircraft and crew, in which an Oberleutnant Walter Fritz and his crew from 1./KG 55 were killed in action south west of L'vov. Three other Heinkel's were forced to land due to enemy action, but the crews did not suffer any fatalities.
. Stab./KG 55 began operations on 10 May in the Lorraine
region of France which would include missions over Nancy, Toul
and Epinal
. In the first day of action the Geschwader did not suffer any casualties. On the 12 May Allied fighters shot down a Heinkel of 4./KG 55, whilst it was attacking railway targets North East of Reims
, for the unit's first loss of the Battle. The next day, 13 May, cost KG 55 ten machines, six from Stab. and 4./KG 55. On that day alone the unit's losses had exceeded that of the Polish Campaign.
The losses suffered by KG 55 on 13 May were the worst of the battle. A further seven machines were damaged and forced to land throughout the remainder of the fighting, although only two machines and crews were completely lost. The first of these, a 9./KG 55 Heinkel, was flown by Unteroffizier Horst Mahnert. Whilst returning from a mission to bomb airfields in the Lyon
area on 2 June 1940 it strayed into Swiss airspace and was shot down near Ursins
by Capitaine Hans Thurnheer (in a Bf 109E).
. The battle was to be one of attrition. Because of the nature of the campaign the aircrews, once downed over the British Isles
, would be either killed or captured. The Luftwaffe
was being asked to operate as a strategic airforce, something for which it had never been designed.
For KG 55 initial losses were light, losing seven aircraft in July 1940, but losses were to mount, and the Geschwader was to lose some of its most experienced crews. On 14 August 1940 He 111P G1 + AA was shot down near the Royal Naval Armament Depot at East Dean in Hampshire by Spitfires of No. 609 Squadron RAF
, killing Geschwaderkommodore
Oberst Alois Stoeckl. He was replaced by Major Korte of I./KG 55. Major Friedrich Kless took over command of I/KG 55.
On 27 August 1940 fighter units from Luftflotte 3
were redeployed to assist Luftflotte 2
with their raids over London and the South East. That left KG 55 and the remaining forces of Luftflotte 3 without their own fighter cover. For a period of three weeks KG 55 were mainly assigned to night raids on aircraft production factories over England, though there were some notable daylight raids on Bristol and Southampton, escorted by ZG 26 of Luftflotte 2
, where cleverly disguised approaches helped the bombers get through.
On 25 September 1940 I./KG 55 took part in a raid on the Bristol Aircraft Factory at Filton
. An error by RAF controllers enabled the bombers to bomb the target successfully, stopping production and causing some 350 casualties. RAF fighters engaged the He 111s on their return to base, downing four and one Bf 110 escort fighter.
On 30 September, the last day of heavy daylight raids by the Luftwaffe
, KG 55's daylight attack on Yeovil was intercepted and successfully fought off. Subsequently, KG 55 and other forces were deployed on The Blitz
of British towns and cities. KG 55 were guided to their night-time targets by the specialist pathfinders of Kampfgruppe 100 using radio direction finding
equipment.
Between 10 July and 31 October 1940 KG 55 lost 73 machines to enemy action, and a further eight were shot down during 1940 in night operations over Britain. The last Heinkel lost, piloted by Unteroffizier
Bruno Zimmermann, was shot down by Pilot Officer J.G Benson and Sergeant P. Blain in a Defiant
of No. 141 Squadron RAF
over Sussex
on 22 December 1940.
after an attack by No. 66 Squadron RAF
Spitfire
s. The pilot Eitel-Albert Barth
and his crew were rescued by the 3-Seenothalbflottille based at L' Aberwrach. The last recorded fatality occurred the previous day when Feldwebel
Lorenz Kempel and his crew were shot down and killed by Pilot Officer
Pickering of No. 66 Squadron RAF
, whilst carrying out a reconnaissance mission off Gurnard's Head, Cornwall
.
By the time KG 55 had ceased its actions over Britain, it had flown 4,742 sorties over the British Isles. 3,300 were against shipping and harbours, 700 against industrial targets, 391 armed reconnaissance flights and 350 attacks against airfields between 24 June 1940 and 11 June 1941.
KG 55's units began a last minute withdrawal to the Eastern borders of the Reich
in preparation for Hitler's war on the Soviet Union. I. Gruppe, III. Gruppe and the Geschwaderstab moved from their respective bases to Zamość
in Poland, while III Gruppe were located to Klemensow aerodrome south east of Lublin
in Poland.
On 8 March 1941 the Erganzungstaffel was formed into IV. Gruppe, but was deployed to Dijon
in France and remained there until 4 May 1944.
KG 55 was to provide air support for Army Group South
attacking into the Ukraine
in its drive toward the Caucasus and the Soviet oil fields.
The opening day of the campaign resulted in the loss of seven aircraft. The next day a 8./KG 55 Heinkel was shot down by flak over Luck, the crew bailed out but were later found by advancing German forces to have been shot in the head. Two of the men were found at the local Commissar's house.
The Luftwaffe established air superiority after destroying and capturing over 4,000 Soviet aircraft in the first weeks of the invasion (this figure rose to 21,200 by December 1941). Losses in the Kampfgruppe
n had also been heavy. The vast expanse of the front, the wear and tear of machines constantly advancing eastward took its toll. By August 1941 KG 4, KG 27, KG 53 and KG 55 were reduced to just 128 serviceable aircraft between them.
The Geschwader played an instrumental role in the Battle of Kiev
, in which the Wehrmacht
effectively destroyed three Soviet Armies, killing or capturing 600,000 Red Army
soldiers. I./KG 55 was credited with the destruction of 58 railway cars, 675 trucks and 22 tanks in this battle alone.
1942
During the stalemate trough the severe winter of 1941/42 the units of KG 55 were redeployed to rest in Western France, not to return until April 1942 (with the exception of IV. Gruppe). KG 55 once again was deployed to the Ukraine to support the 11th Army in the Crimea, and the 6th Army pushing eastward from the Charkow area into the Caucasus. During the night of the 23/24 August the unit took part in the 'maximum' effort attack on Stalingrad which destroyed the centre of the city; one Heinkel was lost.
Disaster struck the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, for on 18 November the Russians counter-attacked and cut off the 6th Army. Hermann Göring
assured Hitler that 'his Luftwaffe' could airlift in supplies. Göring wrongly believed a Heinkel that could carry 2000 kg of explosives could as easily carry 2000 kg of cargo.
The Junkers Ju 52
and Heinkel 111's bore the brunt of Göring's supply plan. The Germans resisted fiercely but on 14 January 1943 Pitomnik airfield was captured by the Soviets and many supplies were then parachuted in. The last German elements surrendered on 2 February. KG 55 contributed only a small fraction of the meagre 90 tonnes of supplies the German 6. Armee received daily. Over 165 He 111's were lost over Stalingrad, KG 55's losses were 59.. The Geschwader flew in 3,296 tons of supplies including 1,541 tons of food and 768 tons of ammunition, and 1,110 tons of fuel. KG 55 also evacuated 9,028 wounded soldiers.
KG 55 covered the retreat of the German forces until the spring and II./KG 55 celebrated their 10,000 mission on 11 May 1943.
1943
KG 55 supported German forces throughout 1943, and was heavily involved in Operation Citadel and continued to cover the retreat across Russia. As air superiority slipped away, losses in the bomber units began to climb. Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes holder Oberfeldwebel Willi Nemitz and Oberleutnant Herman Meyer of Stab II./KG 55 were killed in the space of three weeks in May 1943.
Many of the Heinkels were modified to enable them to carry out low strike missions in the face of enemy air superiority. The specialist train-busting unit 14.(Eis)/KG 55 had its Heinkels fitted with an electric altimeter that enabled them to fly at tree top level over the railway tracks and began using the Ju 88C-6 aircraft in this role. The unit lost nine aircraft but flew over 5,000 missions before disbanding on 27 April 1945.
1944
The role of the unit in Russia continued much as in 1943. Most notable during this year was the completion of KG 55's 50,000th mission on 10 May 1944. With production of the Heinkel ceasing in 1944 the unit was being prepared to re-equip with ground attack versions of the FW 190. KG 55 was mostly disbanded in 1944 with only 14.(Eis)/KG 55 surviving into 1945.
Luftwaffe records reveal the unit had flown 54,272 combat sorties, dropped 60,938 tons of bombs, carried 7,514 tons of supplies, and lost 710 killed and 747 missing from 1 September 1939 to 1 October 1944.
The unit was withdrawn from front line duty, and was assigned to training duties using mainly modified fighter aircraft.
The only active unit of the Geschwader was IV. Gruppe, which continued operations in the west from 1941-1945. IV. Gruppe would lose 50 aircraft in the west before the end of the war.
Formed 1 May 1939.Disbanded 9 April 1945.
I. Gruppe
Formed with 1./KG155, 2./KG55 and 3./KG55 1 May 1939.
II. Gruppe
Formed 1 May 1939 along with 4./KG55, 5./KG55 and 6./KG55
III. Gruppe
Formed on 1 December 1939 along with 7./KG55, 8./KG55 and 9./KG55.
IV. Gruppe
Formed on 1 April 1940. Reformed 1 August 1940 as Ergänzungsstaffel/KG55. On 1 March 1941 it was redesignated 10./KG55.
Stab IV./KG55 was formed on 7 March 1941, followed by 11./KG55 on 21 March 1941 and 12./KG55 on 7 April 1941.
14. (Eis)/KG55
Unit formed 1 June 1943, disbanded 27 April 1945
Heinkel
Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight.-History:...
He111 medium bomber was the standard bomber for this unit from its conception through to the last days of the war.
History
On 1 April 1934 a unit called the Hanseatische Fliegerschule e. V. was formed, initially based at Fassberg. The Designation KampfgeschwaderKampfgeschwader
Kampfgeschwader were specialized bomber units in the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I and the Luftwaffe during World War II.- In World War I :...
55 was made on 1 May 1939, with Stab
Stab (Luftwaffe designation)
During World War II, the suffix Stab was used in the German Luftwaffe to designate a headquarters unit. This applied to subordinate units in each Gruppe or Geschwader — the equivalent units to wings and groups in other air forces.These command units used the green colour of their aircraft...
, I., and II., Gruppen. The III. Gruppe was not created until December 1939. All of the pre-war aircraft were Heinkel
Heinkel
Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight.-History:...
He111 Langnasen.
Polish Campaign
1939Assigned to Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
during the Polish invasion (Fall Weiss) the unit saw action for the first time. During the campaign KG 55 suffered one complete loss of aircraft and crew, in which an Oberleutnant Walter Fritz and his crew from 1./KG 55 were killed in action south west of L'vov. Three other Heinkel's were forced to land due to enemy action, but the crews did not suffer any fatalities.
Battle of France
The end of the Phoney War on 10 May 1940 came with Operation Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), the invasion of France and the Low CountriesLow Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. Stab./KG 55 began operations on 10 May in the Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
region of France which would include missions over Nancy, Toul
Toul
Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....
and Epinal
Épinal
Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...
. In the first day of action the Geschwader did not suffer any casualties. On the 12 May Allied fighters shot down a Heinkel of 4./KG 55, whilst it was attacking railway targets North East of Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, for the unit's first loss of the Battle. The next day, 13 May, cost KG 55 ten machines, six from Stab. and 4./KG 55. On that day alone the unit's losses had exceeded that of the Polish Campaign.
The losses suffered by KG 55 on 13 May were the worst of the battle. A further seven machines were damaged and forced to land throughout the remainder of the fighting, although only two machines and crews were completely lost. The first of these, a 9./KG 55 Heinkel, was flown by Unteroffizier Horst Mahnert. Whilst returning from a mission to bomb airfields in the Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
area on 2 June 1940 it strayed into Swiss airspace and was shot down near Ursins
Ursins
Ursins is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-Geography:Ursins has an area, , of . Of this area, or 77.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 20.9% is forested...
by Capitaine Hans Thurnheer (in a Bf 109E).
Battle of Britain
Having achieved a series of low cost victories in the first ten months of the war, the airmen of KG 55 were in confident mood heading into the Battle of BritainBattle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. The battle was to be one of attrition. Because of the nature of the campaign the aircrews, once downed over the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
, would be either killed or captured. The Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
was being asked to operate as a strategic airforce, something for which it had never been designed.
For KG 55 initial losses were light, losing seven aircraft in July 1940, but losses were to mount, and the Geschwader was to lose some of its most experienced crews. On 14 August 1940 He 111P G1 + AA was shot down near the Royal Naval Armament Depot at East Dean in Hampshire by Spitfires of No. 609 Squadron RAF
No. 609 Squadron RAF
No. 609 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, originally formed as a bomber squadron and in World War II active as fighter squadron, nowadays provides personnel to augment and support the operations of the Royal Air Force. The squadron is no longer a flying Squadron, but instead has the role...
, killing Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
Oberst Alois Stoeckl. He was replaced by Major Korte of I./KG 55. Major Friedrich Kless took over command of I/KG 55.
On 27 August 1940 fighter units from Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on September 26, 1944...
were redeployed to assist Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
with their raids over London and the South East. That left KG 55 and the remaining forces of Luftflotte 3 without their own fighter cover. For a period of three weeks KG 55 were mainly assigned to night raids on aircraft production factories over England, though there were some notable daylight raids on Bristol and Southampton, escorted by ZG 26 of Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
, where cleverly disguised approaches helped the bombers get through.
On 25 September 1940 I./KG 55 took part in a raid on the Bristol Aircraft Factory at Filton
Filton
Filton is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Bristol, about from the city centre. Filton lies in Bristol postcode areas BS7 and BS34. The town centres upon Filton Church, which dates back to the 12th century and is a grade II listed building...
. An error by RAF controllers enabled the bombers to bomb the target successfully, stopping production and causing some 350 casualties. RAF fighters engaged the He 111s on their return to base, downing four and one Bf 110 escort fighter.
On 30 September, the last day of heavy daylight raids by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
, KG 55's daylight attack on Yeovil was intercepted and successfully fought off. Subsequently, KG 55 and other forces were deployed on The Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
of British towns and cities. KG 55 were guided to their night-time targets by the specialist pathfinders of Kampfgruppe 100 using radio direction finding
Battle of the beams
The Battle of the Beams was a period early in the Second World War when bombers of the German Air Force used a number of increasingly accurate systems of radio navigation for night bombing. British "scientific intelligence" at the Air Ministry fought back with a variety of increasingly effective...
equipment.
Between 10 July and 31 October 1940 KG 55 lost 73 machines to enemy action, and a further eight were shot down during 1940 in night operations over Britain. The last Heinkel lost, piloted by Unteroffizier
Unteroffizier
Unteroffizier is both a specific military rank as well as a collective term for non-commissioned officers of the German military that has existed since the 19th century. The rank existed as a title as early as the 17th century with the first widespread usage occurring in the Bavarian Army of the...
Bruno Zimmermann, was shot down by Pilot Officer J.G Benson and Sergeant P. Blain in a Defiant
Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant was a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force early in the Second World War. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any forward-firing guns. It was a contemporary of the Royal Navy's Blackburn Roc...
of No. 141 Squadron RAF
No. 141 Squadron RAF
No. 141 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 January 1918 at Rochford, for home defence in the London Area. The Squadron moved to RAF Biggin Hill in February and giving up its mixed collection of types in favour of Bristol F.2 Fighters during March...
over Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
on 22 December 1940.
| KG55 known raids over England (list currently incomplete) |
|
|---|---|
| Date | Target |
| 14 August 1940 | Middle Wallop |
| 26 August 1940 | Portsmouth. |
| 28 August 1940 | Liverpool. |
| 15 September 1940 | Portland. |
| 25 September 1940 | Bristol. |
| 26 September 1940 | Southampton. |
| 30 September 1940 | Yeovil. |
| 13–14 November 1940 | Birmingham. |
| 14–15 November 1940 | Coventry. |
| 19–20 November 1940 | Birmingham. |
| 3–4 January 1941 | Manchester |
| 11-12, 13–14 January 1941 | London |
The Channel Front
KG 55 continued operations over Britain into the summer of 1941. Subsequently it did not participate in the Balkans Campaigns of April/May 1941. The unit was to lose a further fifty one aircraft in missions over Britain, the last being forced to ditch in the English ChannelEnglish Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
after an attack by No. 66 Squadron RAF
No. 66 Squadron RAF
No. 66 Squadron was a Royal Flying Corps and eventually Royal Air Force aircraft squadron.-In World War I:It was first formed at Filton on 30 June 1916 as a Training Squadron equipped with BE2c,d & e, BE12 and Avroe 504A machines. The squadron received its first Sopwith Pup on 3 February 1917,...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s. The pilot Eitel-Albert Barth
Eitel-Albert Barth
Eitel-Albert Barth was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
and his crew were rescued by the 3-Seenothalbflottille based at L' Aberwrach. The last recorded fatality occurred the previous day when Feldwebel
Feldwebel
Feldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually translated as sergeant being rated OR-6 in the NATO rank comparison scale, equivalent to the British Army Sergeant and the US Army...
Lorenz Kempel and his crew were shot down and killed by Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
Pickering of No. 66 Squadron RAF
No. 66 Squadron RAF
No. 66 Squadron was a Royal Flying Corps and eventually Royal Air Force aircraft squadron.-In World War I:It was first formed at Filton on 30 June 1916 as a Training Squadron equipped with BE2c,d & e, BE12 and Avroe 504A machines. The squadron received its first Sopwith Pup on 3 February 1917,...
, whilst carrying out a reconnaissance mission off Gurnard's Head, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
By the time KG 55 had ceased its actions over Britain, it had flown 4,742 sorties over the British Isles. 3,300 were against shipping and harbours, 700 against industrial targets, 391 armed reconnaissance flights and 350 attacks against airfields between 24 June 1940 and 11 June 1941.
Eastern Front
1941KG 55's units began a last minute withdrawal to the Eastern borders of the Reich
Reich
Reich is a German word cognate with the English rich, but also used to designate an empire, realm, or nation. The qualitative connotation from the German is " sovereign state." It is the word traditionally used for a variety of sovereign entities, including Germany in many periods of its history...
in preparation for Hitler's war on the Soviet Union. I. Gruppe, III. Gruppe and the Geschwaderstab moved from their respective bases to Zamość
Zamosc
Zamość ukr. Замостя is a town in southeastern Poland with 66,633 inhabitants , situated in the south-western part of Lublin Voivodeship , about from Lublin, from Warsaw and from the border with Ukraine...
in Poland, while III Gruppe were located to Klemensow aerodrome south east of Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
in Poland.
On 8 March 1941 the Erganzungstaffel was formed into IV. Gruppe, but was deployed to Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
in France and remained there until 4 May 1944.
KG 55 was to provide air support for Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
attacking into the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
in its drive toward the Caucasus and the Soviet oil fields.
The opening day of the campaign resulted in the loss of seven aircraft. The next day a 8./KG 55 Heinkel was shot down by flak over Luck, the crew bailed out but were later found by advancing German forces to have been shot in the head. Two of the men were found at the local Commissar's house.
The Luftwaffe established air superiority after destroying and capturing over 4,000 Soviet aircraft in the first weeks of the invasion (this figure rose to 21,200 by December 1941). Losses in the Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
n had also been heavy. The vast expanse of the front, the wear and tear of machines constantly advancing eastward took its toll. By August 1941 KG 4, KG 27, KG 53 and KG 55 were reduced to just 128 serviceable aircraft between them.
The Geschwader played an instrumental role in the Battle of Kiev
Battle of Kiev (1941)
The Battle of Kiev was the German name for the operation that resulted in a very large encirclement of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Kiev during World War II. It is considered the largest encirclement of troops in history. The operation ran from 23 August – 26 September 1941 as part of Operation...
, in which the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
effectively destroyed three Soviet Armies, killing or capturing 600,000 Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
soldiers. I./KG 55 was credited with the destruction of 58 railway cars, 675 trucks and 22 tanks in this battle alone.
1942
During the stalemate trough the severe winter of 1941/42 the units of KG 55 were redeployed to rest in Western France, not to return until April 1942 (with the exception of IV. Gruppe). KG 55 once again was deployed to the Ukraine to support the 11th Army in the Crimea, and the 6th Army pushing eastward from the Charkow area into the Caucasus. During the night of the 23/24 August the unit took part in the 'maximum' effort attack on Stalingrad which destroyed the centre of the city; one Heinkel was lost.
Disaster struck the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, for on 18 November the Russians counter-attacked and cut off the 6th Army. Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
assured Hitler that 'his Luftwaffe' could airlift in supplies. Göring wrongly believed a Heinkel that could carry 2000 kg of explosives could as easily carry 2000 kg of cargo.
The Junkers Ju 52
Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
and Heinkel 111's bore the brunt of Göring's supply plan. The Germans resisted fiercely but on 14 January 1943 Pitomnik airfield was captured by the Soviets and many supplies were then parachuted in. The last German elements surrendered on 2 February. KG 55 contributed only a small fraction of the meagre 90 tonnes of supplies the German 6. Armee received daily. Over 165 He 111's were lost over Stalingrad, KG 55's losses were 59.. The Geschwader flew in 3,296 tons of supplies including 1,541 tons of food and 768 tons of ammunition, and 1,110 tons of fuel. KG 55 also evacuated 9,028 wounded soldiers.
KG 55 covered the retreat of the German forces until the spring and II./KG 55 celebrated their 10,000 mission on 11 May 1943.
1943
KG 55 supported German forces throughout 1943, and was heavily involved in Operation Citadel and continued to cover the retreat across Russia. As air superiority slipped away, losses in the bomber units began to climb. Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes holder Oberfeldwebel Willi Nemitz and Oberleutnant Herman Meyer of Stab II./KG 55 were killed in the space of three weeks in May 1943.
Many of the Heinkels were modified to enable them to carry out low strike missions in the face of enemy air superiority. The specialist train-busting unit 14.(Eis)/KG 55 had its Heinkels fitted with an electric altimeter that enabled them to fly at tree top level over the railway tracks and began using the Ju 88C-6 aircraft in this role. The unit lost nine aircraft but flew over 5,000 missions before disbanding on 27 April 1945.
1944
The role of the unit in Russia continued much as in 1943. Most notable during this year was the completion of KG 55's 50,000th mission on 10 May 1944. With production of the Heinkel ceasing in 1944 the unit was being prepared to re-equip with ground attack versions of the FW 190. KG 55 was mostly disbanded in 1944 with only 14.(Eis)/KG 55 surviving into 1945.
Luftwaffe records reveal the unit had flown 54,272 combat sorties, dropped 60,938 tons of bombs, carried 7,514 tons of supplies, and lost 710 killed and 747 missing from 1 September 1939 to 1 October 1944.
IV. Gruppe on the Western Front
1945The unit was withdrawn from front line duty, and was assigned to training duties using mainly modified fighter aircraft.
The only active unit of the Geschwader was IV. Gruppe, which continued operations in the west from 1941-1945. IV. Gruppe would lose 50 aircraft in the west before the end of the war.
Geschwaderkommodore
- Major General Wilhelm Süssmann, 1 May 1939 - 6 March 1940
- Oberst Alois Stoeckl 7 March 1940 - 14 August 1940 (KIA)
- Oberstlt Hans KorteHans Korte (general)Hans Korte was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
15 August 1940 - 31 January 1941 - Oberstlt Benno Kosch 1 February 1941 - 26 August 1942
- Oberstlt Dr Ernst KühlErnst KühlDr. jur. Ernst Kühl was a highly decorated Oberst der Reserves in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme...
27 August 1942 - 7 August 1943 - Oberstlt Wilhelm AntrupWilhelm AntrupWilhelm "Willy" Antrup was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme...
8 August 1943 - 1 October 1944
Organisation
Stab. GruppeFormed 1 May 1939.Disbanded 9 April 1945.
I. Gruppe
Formed with 1./KG155, 2./KG55 and 3./KG55 1 May 1939.
II. Gruppe
Formed 1 May 1939 along with 4./KG55, 5./KG55 and 6./KG55
III. Gruppe
Formed on 1 December 1939 along with 7./KG55, 8./KG55 and 9./KG55.
IV. Gruppe
Formed on 1 April 1940. Reformed 1 August 1940 as Ergänzungsstaffel/KG55. On 1 March 1941 it was redesignated 10./KG55.
Stab IV./KG55 was formed on 7 March 1941, followed by 11./KG55 on 21 March 1941 and 12./KG55 on 7 April 1941.
14. (Eis)/KG55
Unit formed 1 June 1943, disbanded 27 April 1945
Knight's Cross recipients of KG 55
| Name | Rank | Unit | Knight's Cross | | Oak Leaves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | II./KG 55 | 14 Oct 1940 | ||
| Leutnant | III./KG 55 | 06 Aug 1941 | 17 Sep 1944 | |
| Oberleutnant | 3./KG 55 | 12 Nov 1941 | ||
| Hauptmann | III./KG 55 | 12 Nov 1941 | ||
| Leutnant | 5./KG 55 | 20 Dec 1941 | ||
| Hauptmann | I./KG 55 | 20 Dec 1941 | ||
| Oberst d.Res. | KG 55 | 17 Oct 1942 | 18 Dec 1943 | |
| Hauptmann | 5./KG 55 | 13 Nov 1942 | 18 Nov 1944 | |
| Oberleutnant | 4./KG 55 | 13 Nov 1942 | ||
| Oberfeldwebel | 4./KG 55 | 16 Nov 1942 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 4./KG 55 | 24 Mar 1943 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 2./KG 55 | 24 Mar 1943 | ||
| Feldwebel | 5./KG 55 | 24 Mar 1943 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 2./KG 55 | 24 Mar 1943 | ||
| Hauptmann | 1./KG 55 | 02 Apr 1943 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 4./KG 55 | 03 Apr 1943 | ||
| Hauptmann | 6./KG 55 | 03 Apr 1943 | ||
| Oberfeldwebel | 2./KG 55 | 03 Apr 1943 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 3./KG 55 | 31 Jul 1943 | ||
| Oberleutnant | III./KG 55 | 19 Aug 1943 | ||
| Hauptmann | II./KG 55 | 03 Sep 1943 | 18 Nov 1944 | |
| Oberfeldwebel | 9./KG 55 | 09 Oct 1943 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 6./KG 55 | 09 Oct 1943 | ||
| Oberfeldwebel | III./KG 55 | 29 Feb 1944 | ||
| Hauptmann | 4./KG 55 | 29 Feb 1944 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 7./KG 55 | 26 Mar 1944 | ||
| Oberfeldwebel | Stab II./KG 55 | 26 Mar 1944 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 14./KG 55 | 05 Apr 1944 | ||
| Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel | 4./KG 55 | 09 Jun 1944 | ||
| Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel | Stab/KG 55 | 09 Jun 1944 | ||
| Hauptmann | 9./KG 55 | 19 Aug 1944 | ||
| Feldwebel | 14. (Eis.)/KG 55 | 06 Oct 1944 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 5./KG 55 | 24 Oct 1944 | ||
| Major d.Res. | III./KG 55 | 29 Oct 1944 | ||
| Oberleutnant | 5./KG 55 | 29 Oct 1944 | ||
| Leutnant | 14. (Eis.)/KG 55 | 06 Dec 1944 | ||
| Hauptmann | 1./KG 55 | 14 Jan 1945 | ||
| Hauptmann | 9./KG 55 | 07 Apr 1945 | ||
| Oberleutnant | I./KG 55 | 07 Apr 1945 | ||
| Oberfeldwebel | 14. (Eis)/KG 55 | 16 Apr 1945 |