Interesting units!

[Ian Jewison]

I recently bought a Soldbuch and Truppenausweis to a Technische Oberinspektor because I liked the photo! However, after getting it home and looking at his units it is more interesting than meets the eye!




The Soldbuch was issued 6.Sept.1939 by 10/Ln.Rgt. 2...nothing unusual there but late 1939 (and not recorded on page 4 units but mentioned throughout and on leave page!) he was transferred to Wetterfunkempangsstelle 23 (literraly meaning Meteorological Radio Receving Station) but one source I have records this unit as "the cover name for Luftwaffen listening stations". Shortened to Wetterstelle on most pages.
Other units attached to were Horch Leitstelle (Listening Station).
From what I can gather these units were then renamed Kompanien with various Ln.Rgten.
The Feldpost numbers show this unit change also!

FP No. L 27029 – Horch Leitstelle, Luftnachrichten Regiment 2, 1942/43 14 Kompanie, Luftnachrichten Regiment 2
FP No. L 42056 – Horch Betriebsstelle 2 Luftnachrichten Regiment Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe, 1942/43 14 Kompanie, Luftnachrichten Regiment Ob.d.L., 4.12.1944 12 Kompanie, Luftnachrichten Regiment 353
FP No. L 49766 – Regiments Stab, Luftnachrichten Regiment 353
FP No. 36891 – Horch Betriebsstelle Luftnachrichten Regiment Ob.d.L., 1941 Horch Betriebsstelle 1 Luftnachrichten Regiment Ob.d.L., 1942/43 13 Kompanie, Luftnachrichten Regiment Ob.d.L.
FP No. L 09872 – Luftnachrichten Abteilung (mot.) III/2 (Luftnachrichten Funk Horch Abteilung), 1940/41 III. Abteilung, Luftnachrichten Regiment 2


Awards wise he had the KVK II & I m/S and Ostmedaille. Clearly also entitled to Long Service Awards 4 & 12 years as he is wearing them in the photo but they are not recorded on page 22.

Now the difficult part....Where do I find information on these units? What they did and where they were based? I have tried a quick trawl on the internet but not found anything so far!!

It is clear that he served in Russia (Ostmedaille) and Italy (payments in Lira Autumn 1942)

Thanks, Ian

[Rick White]

Hi Ian,

Here is my usual reference for Luftnachrichten Units - you have probably been there, too.

http://www.ww2.dk/

Some of the Luftnachrichten units not covered are covered as transfers in some of the active links on the Luftnachrichten Regiments page. Click on all of the active links to see if your units are mentioned.

I might also suggest you contact Michael Holm (amail address on the home page) to see if he is using a particular reference that may cover your units and he has just not gotten around to listing them all.

I would imagine that many of these units were stationed in Norway. I have had luck with Norwegian researchers being able to pinpoint radar stations (and the like) which I though I would never get details about. I can give you a contact if that is the route you want to take.

Regards,
Rick

[Ian Jewison]

Hi Rick,
Thanks for the reply. I did take a quick look at the link you suggested already but many of these units are not listed. The references I have (much the same as Mr. Holm) do not cover these types of unit in detail.
All of Hölzer's units were Horch or Wetterstelle (listening stations) and perhaps there is no book available yet on these units! As mentioned he was in Russia (Norway not eligable for Russian Front medal) and Italy (pay entry in Lira) but much more than that I do not know...one interesting entry states that the Wetterstelle was subordinate to III/Ln.Rgt. 2. The main units should be easy to find but the Kompanien perhaps not.
Cheers, Ian

P.S. How's the collection going?