Jagdgruppe 200 told «Aufklärungsstaffel K» in Freiburg that Hauptfw. Huppenkothen and Uffz. Ordon were urgently needed in Bierstadt since JG 200 was being disbanded and they had to wind up the Staffel’s affairs.

On the 21st, Luftflotte 3 set out its intention that after restoring serviceability, 2./NAG 13 would transfer to Freiburg. Once it arrived, FAG 123 was withdraw Staffel Kaatsch from operations and disband it.

Next day, Jagdgruppe 200 told Lt. Moschke in Freiburg that the Gruppe’s Fw. Pofer should be dispatched immediately to JG 2 in Nidda (about 50 km. north east of Frankfurt). Hoping to get back a vehicle it had loaned, the Gruppe also inquired as to the whereabouts of Transport Column 153/XII, formerly working under Flughafenbereich Salon in Southern France.

On the 23rd, a Lt. Viemann of JG 200 asked Kaatsch as a matter of urgency when the Staffel would be replaced by 2./NAG 13 and when remaining elements of the Jagdgruppe could be withdrawn and disbanded.

On the 21st Moschke had flown a mission in "7" from 13.30–13.40 hrs. The brief duration of this flight and the fact that he flew an even shorter test flight in the same machine on the 23rd, suggests that he had encountered a technical problem. On the 24th he took off from Freiburg in "2" but was shot down after 30 minutes. He may well have been wounded because on 18 October he died of a "hear weakness" in hospital at Marienbad (Marianske Lazne, Czech Republic), just short of his 21st birthday. His service had won him the EK I, awarded by Genlt. Alexander Holle who had taken over Luftwaffenkommando West on 28 September.

Jagdgruppe 200 notified Kaatsch that it (i.e. JG 200) was being disbanded in accordance OKL General Quartiermeister’s order Nr. 13012. For the Staffel this would mean that “released personnel” were to stay in Freiburg and await transfer orders. Vehicles were to be handed over to other units.

The same day, 1./NAG 13 sent a message to say it was not carrying out reconnaissance westward of Belfort “owing to the great distance” [about 215 km. from its base at Lachen-Speyerdorf to Belfort]. The 2./NAG 13 had not yet been brought up so the unidentified addressee was advised to approach Staffel Kaatsch instead.

A Rotte from Sonderstaffel Kaatsch (so-called in the report) was forced to break off a reconnaissance of roads in the Belfort–Lure area of Eastern France, 10 km east of Vesoul, following mechanical failure. The mission lasted from 15.10–15.56 hours.

That evening ULTRA revealed that an “unidentified unit subordinated to FAG 123” — almost certainly the Kaatsch Staffel — had 9 machines (4 serviceable) and 10 pilots (9 ready). The report added that all the unserviceable machines were Bf 109 G-6 models:

shot up

wiring out of action

change of engine

engine damage

petrol pump

The disbandment saga took another turn when Luftflotte 3 again directed FAG 123 to withdraw Kaatsch from operations and disband it when 2./NAG 13 arrived in Freiburg.

Late in the day, Staffel Kaatsch reported a strength of 9 (4) aircraft and 10 (8) pilots. Among the unserviceable aircraft were:

change of engine

change of wings

fuel injection pump

A Hptm. Mathis at Langendiebach notified a Flak unit in Kassel that among units due to be disbanded were Jafü Südfrankreich (in Metz) and JG 200 (at Boeblingen near Stuttgart). Reading this, British Intelligence commented: “No surprise can be occasioned by the disbanding of Jafue South France …”

At 15.30 hrs. on the 1st, Staffel Kaatsch reported that its strength for the following day would be: 9 (7) pilots and 8 (4) aircraft. Unserviceable were:

engine damage

shot up

landing gear damage

engine change

From 09.35–10.45 hrs. on the 2nd, a reconnaissance was flown on the circuit Freiburg – L’ Isle sur le Doubs – Besançon – Voudrey –Baume les Dames – Pont de Roide – Freiburg. The Swiss frontier could be covered however because of cloud. Another mission was up from Freiburg at 12.05 hrs. Another mission was up from Freiburg at 12.05 hrs. to Roupt – Luxeuil – Lure – Villersexel – Clerval – Pont de Roide, returning to base an hour later.

Leutnant Bell reported that he would have 7 pilots ready for operations next day and 5 Bf 109s serviceable out of 8. Still out of commission were Werk Nummern 163876 (shot up), 412604 (damaged landing gear) and 441019 (engine change).

At 18.15 hrs. on the 4th, the same three machines were still unserviceable, plus one other not identified. The Staffel expected to have 4 machines available next day and 8 pilots ready out of 10.

On 5 October, two Bf 109s of 2./NAG 13 took off at 17.22 hrs. to reconnoitre the Vesoul area. This was the first evidence to reach the Allies that this Staffel was finally back on operations and the disbandment of Aufklärungsstaffel Kaatsch should have followed shortly after. Major Kaatsch himself went on to become Flivo with Armee Oberkommando 1, a report in his name being intercepted by Allied Intelligence on the evening of 17 October.

On or about 18 October, Kurt Bell contacted Maj. Walter Nowotny at Achmer to say that the General der Jagdflieger had ordered his transfer to JG 54 and what should he do? Whatever answer Nowotny gave, on the 31st JG 54 reported that Bell had joined its strength from Erg. JGr. Nord. He was injured in a crash landing on 24 December, whie serving with IV./JG 54 but did eventually get to fly the Me 262, first with III./EJG 2 and then JV 44.

Eduard Isken joined IV./JG 53 and claimed more victories, recognised by the award of the Ritterkreuz on 14 January 1945. He continued flying until shot down and wounded in April.

Sources

This account is based primarily on decrypted German signals (Main Series of Reports to Allied Commands) in file classes DEFE3 and HW5 at the The National Archives, Kew London.

Also of help were the translation of Luftflotte 3’s diary for September 1944, two reports from the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre, MAAF Field Intelligence Unit Technical Intelligence Reports (all in the UK National Archives). Other data come from Tony Wood’s internet transcriptions of Luftwaffe victory claims and Frank J. Olynyk's "Victory List No. 6" (self-published, June 1987).

Eduard Isken's service with Kaatsch is metioned in Ernst Obermaier's «Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–45: Band I, Jagdflieger» (Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, Mainz 1966) ISBN 3-87 341-065-6.

Thanks are also due to Russell Guest, Rémi and "reetje."

If you need more specifics on these sources, please contact me.