Einsatzstaffel E./NJG2

[busdriver]

Calling all Luftwaffe Experten... @Bremspropeller @ZachariasX

 

I'm currently reading Theo Boiten's latest series, Nachtjagd Combat Archives which massively overhauls his two-volume Nachtjagd War Diaries published 10 years ago. Here's a sample entry that mentions Einsatzstaffel.

 

 

I'm unable to find a reference that can explain the specifics of an Einsatzstaffel within a Nachtjagdgeschwader (as opposed to the Geschwaderstab). Dr. Boiten does not provide an explanation that I can find. I understand Einsatz typically refers to operational flight/sortie when written in a pilot's Flugbuch. (But then there's Feindflug which throws me off.) Herr Hitler ordered a halt to NJG2's Fernnachtjagd (Intruder) mission in October 1941, so I can't see how that would relate to the function of an Einsatzstaffel.

 

This online synopsis of NJG2 offers no clarification. Likewise, Gebhard Aders' History of the German Night Fighter Force 1917-1945 does not explain what it is or does. On page 46, Aders does specifically list E./NJG2 as being based at Gilze Rijen in 1942, but that's it.

 

I'm unable to ask over at Ruy Horta's 12 O'clock High forum...it has been broken since September. Probably terminal. Anybody have an answer?

 

 

 

 

[Juri_JS]

Never heard of a NJG 2 Einsatzstaffel, but the unit had an Ergänzungsstaffel based at Gilze Rijen and Lechner appears as one of its members in March 1942. As you will probably know, Ergänzungsstaffeln or Ergänzungsgruppen were advanced training units, that would sometimes also fly combat missions. In this context Einsatzstaffel could mean that the Ergänzungstaffel of NJG 2 had formed a sub-unit of instructors and more experienced new pilots that would fly combat missions.

[Ace_Pilto]

52 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

 In this context Einsatzstaffel could mean that the Ergänzungstaffel of NJG 2 had formed a sub-unit of instructors and more experienced new pilots that would fly combat missions.

 

 

Are you sure it is Ergänzungstaffel? Could it be an Erprobungstaffel? I was thinking it might have been an ad hoc unit assigned to testing some new interception method. The clue here is definitely the "E" in E./NJG2.

[Juri_JS]

14 minutes ago, Ace_Pilto said:

Are you sure it is Ergänzungstaffel? Could it be an Erprobungstaffel? I was thinking it might have been an ad hoc unit assigned to testing some new interception method. The clue here is definitely the "E" in E./NJG2.

I am sure it was an Ergänzungsstaffel, both victory claim lists and his career summary show Lechner as member of Ergänzungsstaffel/NJG 2. No idea why Boiten abbreviates it E./NJG2 more common would be Erg./NJG 2.

[Bremspropeller]

I'm really not very deep in the topic, but my initial gut-feeling would be with Juri - it's most probably an Ergänzungsstaffel.

[ZachariasX]

I also think Juri is right and I consider it a typo to allege "Einsatzstaffeln".

[Juri_JS]

21 minutes ago, ZachariasX said:

I also think Juri is right and I consider it a typo to allege "Einsatzstaffeln".

No, I don't think it's a typo. Boiten writes "Einsatzstaffel E./NJG 2". Which would mean there was an Einsatzstaffel formed from parts of Ergänzungsstaffel/NJG 2. Day fighter Ergänzungsstaffeln also formed such Einsatzstaffeln in 1944 to fight against USAAF raids. Staffel-, Schwarm- and Rottenführer were instructors and wingmen were novice pilots nearing the end of their advanced training.

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Juri_JS

[busdriver]

3 hours ago, Juri_JS said:

Never heard of a NJG 2 Einsatzstaffel, but the unit had an Ergänzungsstaffel based at Gilze Rijen and Lechner appears as one of its members in March 1942. As you will probably know, Ergänzungsstaffeln or Ergänzungsgruppen were advanced training units, that would sometimes also fly combat missions. In this context Einsatzstaffel could mean that the Ergänzungstaffel of NJG 2 had formed a sub-unit of instructors and more experienced new pilots that would fly combat missions.

Thanks for your insight. Aders’ book throws a bit of confusion (perhaps from the English translation rather than his first edition). On page 46 below the location list, the text (paraphrasing) mentions training units including Erg./NJG1 we’re in southern Germany. The book shows both E./NJG2 and Erg./NJG1 on the same page without mentioning what the single E stood for.

 

I’m sure to have more questions, so thank you very much @Juri_JS. 

[ZachariasX]

1 hour ago, Juri_JS said:

No, I don't think it's a typo. Boiten writes "Einsatzstaffel E./NJG 2". Which would mean there was an Einsatzstaffel formed from parts of Ergänzungsstaffel/NJG 2. Day fighter Ergänzungsstaffeln also formed such Einsatzstaffeln in 1944 to fight against USAAF raids. Staffel-, Schwarm- and Rottenführer were instructors and wingmen were novice pilots nearing the end of their advanced training.

I think it was supposed to mean „Ergänzungsstaffel“. As such were formed ad hoc, things tend to get confusing and it takes a devine eye to spot such while editing your writing.

 

Edit: To put it this way, if it happened the way I speculated, then it would make more sense to me than going with the assumption that there is no error in the text.

Edited December 1, 2021 by ZachariasX

[busdriver]

@ZachariasX my OP was the second use by Boiten of Einstatzstaffel. Here's the narrative for 27/28 December 1941.

 

 

I'll reach out to Dr Boiten, maybe he can provide some insight. ?

[unreasonable]

Manrho & Putz book on Bodenplatte mentions an  Einsatzstaffel of III./KG 76 which was an Arado recce unit under command of KG51.

 

So this seems to be a legit term, presumably for an ad hoc grouping for a special purpose.  

[357th_KW]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it used that way as well - for ad-hoc special purpose units.

 

With regard to einsatz vs fiendflug - my understanding is that the latter meant a sortie that resulted in an encounter with the enemy.

[Juri_JS]

I've also seen the term "Einsatzstaffel Erg.xxx" in connection with Ergänzungsstaffeln/Ergänzungsgruppen of fighter and recon units, so there's nothing unusual about it's use by Boiten, only his use of E./NJG2 instead of Erg./NJG2 is a little uncommon.

[busdriver]

4 minutes ago, VBF-12_KW said:

With regard to einsatz vs fiendflug - my understanding is that the latter meant a sortie that resulted in an encounter with the enemy.

 

That's pretty much the way I was interpreting it, a subtle distinction WRT logging flying experience. I've never looked at a Flugbuch entry, so perhaps the distinction mattered in awards & promotions.

5 minutes ago, Juri_JS said:

I've also seen the term "Einsatzstaffel Erg.xxx" in connection with Ergänzungsstaffeln/Ergänzungsgruppen of fighter and recon units, so there's nothing unusual about it's use by Boiten, only his use of E./NJG2 instead of Erg./NJG2 is a little uncommon.

 

I emailed Dr Boiten, I'll let you know if he responds.

[357th_KW]

15 minutes ago, busdriver said:

 

That's pretty much the way I was interpreting it, a subtle distinction WRT logging flying experience. I've never looked at a Flugbuch entry, so perhaps the distinction mattered in awards & promotions.

I looked up a source for this real quick just to ensure I wasn’t BSing you (god I love the kindle search feature).  From Patrick Eriksson’s “Alarmstart” (the whole series is pretty interesting and he spends a lot of time wading through Luftwaffe logbooks he’s obtained):

 

”An Einsatz in Luftwaffe usage equated to an operational mission in RAF parlance, a term encompassing operations in general, and which included Frontflüge/Feindflüge, which are specifically combat missions (again, the RAF term), either over enemy territory or in contact with enemy aircraft over your own territory or the sea separating enemy and own territory.”

 

And further:

 

”The precise meaning of the term Frontflug, as opposed to Einsatz, already summarised above, is important for understanding the operational records of any Luftwaffe fighter pilot. To prevent any confusion, a Frontflug or Feindflug is defined as follows by one of the veterans of the Channel campaign of 1941–42, Oberleutnant Otto Stammberger, Staffelkapitän 4/JG 26: ‘A Feindflug was recognised and counted when we flew over enemy territory, namely over England and later over the Invasion Front, or behind the lines in Russia or Africa. On flights over our own territory or over occupied areas, like France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark or wherever it was, a Feindflug was only counted when we experienced aerial combat.”

 

So it appears that this definition is straight from Otto Stammberger.

Edited December 1, 2021 by VBF-12_KW

[LukeFF]

30 minutes ago, unreasonable said:

Manrho & Putz book on Bodenplatte mentions an  Einsatzstaffel of III./KG 76 which was an Arado recce unit under command of KG51.

 

Not a recon unit but a fully operational bomber unit.

[unreasonable]

My mistake - checking the book they did drop a few bombs on an airfield in Bodenplatte and had done other raids: I had recalled that they did a weather recce shortly before. The book notes that the Einsatzstaffel was drawn from crew from all the staffels: presumably they were short of planes so decided to group their better trained crews together outside the formal personnel structure.  

 

[LukeFF]

21 minutes ago, unreasonable said:

The book notes that the Einsatzstaffel was drawn from crew from all the staffels: presumably they were short of planes so decided to group their better trained crews together outside the formal personnel structure.  

 

 

Yes, most of the crews were from one of the three staffeln in the Gruppe, but since none of them were fully combat ready they just created that Einsatzstaffel which could then commence operations. 

[busdriver]

@Juri_JS @ZachariasX I reached out to Dr Boiten...no response, but no worries. In the first few pages of Part 3 of Nachtjagd Combat Archives The Early Years there is this picture and caption.

 

 

I'm really enjoying this series of books.

[Juri_JS]

Busdriver, does the Nachtjagd Combat Archives series also have information on eastern front nightfighting?

[busdriver]

@Juri_JS, not much (except to mention units/pilots that went east) since this series relies on German and UK archives for primary sources. But I’m still reading about 1942. Boiten mentions that he will address the Eastern Front in another series.

 

Edit: I've paged through each of the first 11 volumes that covers through December 1944 (~96 pages each) looking for discussion of the Eastern Front. There are zero pictures, maps or tables of NJ activity against the Soviets. The irony is that every cover has the text, "A comprehensive operational history of the German night fighter force on all fronts and an analysis of all claims including Flak units against RAF Bomber Command."

Edited December 4, 2021 by busdriver

[Bremspropeller]

FWIW some facsimilie mentioning E./ NJG 2 that I could find in Heinz Rökker's book on I./NJG 2

 

The paragraph about the undie-laundry-service might be a bit amusing to german-speakers, indicating how nothing much has changed in all the years...

 

 

Pilots (with their respective crews) being transferred from E./ NJG 2 to their respective units.

 

Hptm. Wolter being promoted to Staffelkapitän E./ NJG 2

[busdriver]

Dr Boiten got back to me today. I had sent a second email saying that I'd found the explanation. 

 

"Please excuse this late reply, I am rather busy with the combination of my daily work and the continuing research for the NCA series. I was just about to give you the gen on your question, but glad to note that you already found it in the photo caption to the Lt. Elsässer Ju88 photo in the series.

 

Thanks for your kind words re the NCA series -appreciated!

 

Cheers, Theo"

[Juri_JS]

18 hours ago, busdriver said:

@Juri_JS, not much (except to mention units/pilots that went east) since this series relies on German and UK archives for primary sources. But I’m still reading about 1942. Boiten mentions that he will address the Eastern Front in another series.

Hopefully Boiten will work on the eastern front. Nightfighting in the east is one of the huge Luftwaffe research gaps. When I did the research for my "Nightfighters over the Kuban" campaign it was extremely difficult to find any detailed information.