Luftwaffe Crete - yea sure / but whats the relation

[Stijn David]

Hello,

Here is a picture that shows the sad reality of war, the picture is taken at Crete. For me the clue is already obviously but it is not bad iff the interested lookers also have a bit brain training, so therefore 2 questions

A) try to find out why i have it in my collection (easy part)

B) what area of the island this would be (harder part - altough)

Altough it is a bit blurry, it does have enough detail to find out

Thanks in advance for looking + looking forward towards the reply's

[J Temple-West]

Hi Stijn,

It has to be glider related.

Going on the date (20th May) this would be the first day of the invasion. So would this be the landings at M?leme?

[Stijn David]

Hello John,

Congratulations, you are indeed quite close and i will be pleased to give additional info.

" The picture does shows the graves of fallen J?ger of the 2nd Kompanie of the Luftlande Sturm Regiment.

The sign on the right records the death of Obj. Georg Schultz.

The names recorded are:

Fw. Walter R?hrich (previously the leader of Trupp 5, Sturmgruppe Beton)

Obj. Schupp (a glider pilot)

Obgefr. Schuml

Jg. Maskowski

Jg. Mumm. The photograph was apparently taken in June 1941 atop Hill 214.

Source: Ian Tannahill"

This picture comes within the legacy from a glider pilot who crashlanded in the sea at 20.05.1941. He was rescued among several other FJ he carryed.

Then again 2 of his crew (FJ that is) drowned already before they where rescued. They tryed to swim towards the shore but where pulled under the water due to their heavy smocks, ammo, etc ...

The rest of the DFS crew did stay inside the plane as it did float apparently and so these men where rescued.

The adventure was not at a end for the glide rpilot, he was flewn in the very next day. This time not as a pilot (of a DFS230) but as a member of a Ju 52 plane. They landed at malemes it seems and from that point on he did participate in the battle.

Strange facts about this are, he never ever received any award (no EK 2 nor the Crete cuff.) for his particpation. Altough due to his participation in the battle from 21 may 1941 he was entitled to receive the Crete cuff.

I also was of the opinion that all particpants of the Crete glider action did win at least a EK 2 for their actions. It seems that this was not a automatism at all.

This person was awarded a EK 2 for sure, but then again it was not before 1944 and it was not in direct relation towards the Crete operation.

So always be prepared to learn a bit and keep searching !!!

Then one question does remain => it is funny that the glider pilot was recognized a pure FJ rank (Oberj?ger), as glider forces did cooperate close with FJ at certain points, they did hold normally the normal LW ranks. Propably just a simple mistake of the person who was ordered to create the commemorative sign.

Cordial greetings