Aufklärungsgruppe 123 War Diary

Date: 1 Sep 1939 - The Luftwaffe Order of Battle^[1]recorded the following:-
1.(F)/123 was at Ansbach under the control of Luftflottenkommando 3 with 12 Do 17P on strength of which 11 were servicable.
2.(F)/123 was at Würzburg under the control of Luftflottenkommando 3 with 12 Do 17P on strength of which 12 were servicable. At this time it was commanded by Hptm. v. Normann
3.(F)/123 was at Schweidnitz under the control of Luftflottenkommando 4 with 12 Do 17P on strength of which 12 were servicable. At this time it was commanded by Hptm. Liebe-Piderit
Date: 11 Sep 1939 1(F)./ 123 Do 17 Recorded as missing^[2]
Date: 17 Sep 1939 3(F)./123 Do 17 Heavily damaged^[3]
Date: 25 Sep 1939 - Three Do 17Ps of 2(F)./123 made the first Luftwaffe recce sortie over France. They covered the airfields at Reims, Mourmelon, Chalons-sur-Marne, Vitry, Brienn, Troyes and Sezanne.^[4]
Date: 12 Oct 1939 - A recce Do 17P of 1(F)/123 crashed during a sortie near Kerzenheim. Lt de Res Albert Kohler and his crew were killed.^[5]
Date: 30 Oct 1939 - Do 17P of 2(F)./123 shot down by Hurricanes of 1 Sqdn. Crashed 10 miles west of Toul. Hptm. Baldüin von Normann and crew killed.^[6]
Date: 8 Nov 1939 - A Do 17P of 1(F)/123 was chased and shot down by Hurricanes of 73 Sqdn RAF. The Dornier crashed near Lubey, Nw of Metz, Oblt Hans Kutter and the rest of the crew were killed. This was the first victory for Flg Off. Cain.^[7]
Date: 17 Nov 1939 - Do 17P of 2(F)./123 forced landed near Bolzano in Italy . Lt Werner Vranken crew were returned to Germany.^[8]
Date: 23 Nov 1939 - Do 17P of 1(F)./123 on a recce sortie to airfields in the Dijon area was intercepted at 0935 by Lt Bissoudre and Sgt Tourne of GC II/3. Bissoudre caught the Do 17P sw of Baume-les-Doubs. Fw Leo Koch belly landed the Dornier at La Chaus de Fronds, close to the Swiss frontier, the crew escaped across the Swiss border and were interned.^[9]
Date: 22 Dec 1939 - Two Do 17s of 1(F)./123 were escorted by 11 Bf 109Es of III/JG53 while on a recce sortie to the west of Saarbrücken.^[10]
Date: 2 Jan 1940 - Two Do 17s of 1(F)./123 on airfield recce in the Laon-St Quintin and Lyons area. One was intercepted near Lyon by Ms 406s of GC III/2. Hits were obtained by the Moranes on the Dorniers engines but the aircraft returned to base.^[11]
Date: 22 Feb 1940 - Three Hurricanes of 1 Sqdn operating from Rouvres intercepted an He 111 of 1(F)./123. The Heinkel escaped into cloud.^[12]
Date: Mar 1940 -Stab ./123 to be found at Gelnhausen, remained here until May 1940.^[13]
Date: 1 Apr 1940 A new Ju 88D, of 1(F)./123, operating near Charleville escaped attack by Hurricanes of 73 Sqdn.^[14]
Date: 2 Apr 1940 Do 17P of 3(F)./123 attacked by Moranes of GC II/3 over Metz, when returning from a sortie to Reims. The aircraft forced landed at Mannheim with 30 % damage and a wounded radio operator.^[15]
Date: 7 Apr 1940 - A Do 17 of 1(F)./123 returned to base with 5-10% damage, landing with one engine stopped.This followed a combat with a pair of Moranes from GC III/6 caught the lone Do 17 flying to the NE of Laon at about 23,000 ft. Three further Moranes joined the chase, these were from GC III/2. The altitude reduced to 13,000 ft but the first pair of French fighters had to break off because of their low fuel and ammunition state. The planes from III/2 reported hits on the Do 17 which vanished in a dive. ^[16]
Date: 17 Aug 1940 - 1(F)./123 reported 7(3 available) Ju 88As and 5(5 available) Do 17Ps on strength, while 2(F)./123 had 7 (6 available) Do 17Ps and 2 (2 available) Ju 88s.^[17]
Date: 21 Apr 1940 - A Do 17 of 1(F)./123 was intercepted by two H-75s of GCI/5 near Stenay. The aircraft returned to Ansbach with 10% damage.^[18]
Date: 8 May 1940 - A Do 17 of 3(F)./123 was intercepted by five Moranes of GC III/7 - it returned to base slightly damaged.^[19]
Date: 9 May 1940 - A Ju 88 of 1(F)./123 performed a series of airfield recce overflights of the following airfields: Chartres, Etampes and Tours. It was hit by enemy fire and then forced landed near Azy, NE of Bourges. Lt Franz Oswald and crew became prisoners.^[20]
Date: 10 May 1940 - The Luftwaffe Order of Battle^[21]recorded the following:-
1.(F)/123 was at Langendiebach operating the Do 17P and Ju 88A under the control of Luftflotte 3. It had a strength of 8 Do 17Ps of which 6 were serviceable together with 6 Ju 88As with 3 serviceable.
2.(F)/123 was located at Mönchengladbach under Luftflotte 2 with 12 Do 17Ps of which 10 were serviceable and was commanded by Hptm. Hurlin.
3.(F)/123 was at Gelnhausen operating the Do 17P and Ju 88A under the control of Luftflotte 3. It had a strength of 9 Do 17Ps of which 7 were serviceable together with 3 Ju 88As with 2 serviceable.At this time it was commanded by Hptm. Liebe-Piderit
Date: 26 May 1940 - A Do 17F of 1(F)./123 was shot down following combat with two Gladiators. The plane had been flown up to Trondheim because 1(F)./120 had been short of aircraft and personnel. Fw Anton Schairer and crew were all killed when the Do 17F crashed in pieces at Skaanland.^[22]
Date: 27 May 1940 - Aufkl.Gr.123 sent out sorties covering the area bounded by Reims-Compiegne-La Fere and the area bounded by Amiens-Beauvais-Clermont.^[23]
Date: Jul 1940 - Stab./123 now located at Toussus-le-Buc and stayed here until Aug 1944.^[24]
Date: 13 Jul 1940 - 2(F)./123 sent a sortie to cover the area Plymouth-Lyme Bay-Exeter-Torquay.^[25]
Date: 16 Jul 1940 - 1(F)./123, a single Ju 88 took-off at 10.00 hrs for a reconnaissance sortie covering the St.George 's Channel & airfields in the Bristol, Cardiff & Birmingham areas.^[26]
Date: 21 Jul 1940 - 3(F)./123, a Ju 88, took off at 07.00 hrs for an airfield reconnaissance flight. At 09.02 - 09.05 hrs it was over Filton & Avonmouth.^[27]
Date: 23 Jul 1940 - 3(F)./123 despatched a Ju 88 which took off at 10.30 hrs on a mission to airfields and harbours in the Bristol Channel area.^[28]
Date: 09 Aug 1940 - 3(F)./123, a single Ju 88, sent out for weather reporting over northern part of the Bristol Channel (05.00 - 07.00 hrs), and then reconnaissance over Filton & Yeovil. Damaged by fighter attack 06.55 hrs.^[29]
Date: 12 Aug 1940 - A Ju 88 of 3(F)./123 took off at 07.10 hrs for a sortie to the English South Coast and also the Bristol Channel, at 12.07 - 12.15 hrs it circled Filton.^[30]
Date: 17 Aug 1940 - A Ju 88 of 1(F)./123 was sent out at 09.28 hrs on a mission to airfields between Bristol and London. Unfortunately, there was heavy cloud over all of the objectives.^[31]
Date: 18 Aug 1940 - 3(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, t/o 07.43 hrs to RAF installations in the Filton, Salisbury & Evesham areas.
Date: 20 Aug 1940 - 3(F)/123,2 Ju 88 's, t/o 07.06 & 07.12 hrs. Missions to Bristol, Gloucester, Derby and Liverpool areas. 1 aircraft reported N.of Bristol 12.13 hrs.
Date: 30 Aug 1940 - 3(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, t/o 09.06 hrs. Observations made over Bath, Portishead & Avonmouth. Over Bristol area 14.01 - 14.16 hrs. Probably took photo G85 Z 14 of Bath.
Date: 02 Sep 1940 - 2(F)/123, 1 Do 17? & Bf 110? made observations over Bristol also Whitchurch, Filton & Weston super Mare airfields. Weston & Whitchurch photographed. Both a/c made very wide circles of Filton 13.25 hrs. Probably took photos of Kingswood, Northern Bath and Charmy Down airfield (812b/40 & 085).
Date: 02 Sep 1940 - 1(F)/123, 1 Ju 88?, t/o 14.00 hrs made observations over Bristol also Filton, Whitchurch & Weston super Mare airfields. Passed to N. of Bristol 15.56 hrs. Photographed Weston super Mare.
Date: 03 Sep 1940 - 3(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, t/o 06.08 hrs. Over Bristol area 09.57 - 10.02 hrs. Observations made at Filton, Bristol and Avonmouth. Bristol photo 654 Z 50.
Date: 03 Sep 1940 - ?(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, t/o 08.07 hrs took photos over Filton.
Date: 04 Sep 1940 - 3(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, t/o 08.45 hrs to obtain post raid photos of Bristol, Avonmouth, Hucclecote, Cardiff and Swansea. Aborted because of repeated fighter attacks.
Date: 04 Sep 1940 - 3(F)/123, 1 Ju 88 t/o 11.43 hrs on post raid photography mission to Bristol, Avonmouth and Cardiff. Over Bristol 16.12 hrs observations over Avonmouth and Bristol, also Filton, Whitchurch and Weston super Mare airfields. Filton, Whitchurch and Weston photographed.
Date: 05 Sep 1940 - 2(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, t/o 08.45 hrs on a mission to Bristol, Barry, Cardiff & Liverpool areas. Observations made at Portishead, Avonmouth, Whitchurch airfield & Bristol which was partly covered by clouds.
Date: 06 Sep 1940 - 2(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, t/o 10.25 hrs. Made two passes over Bristol 12.18 hrs. Observations made over Bristol, Avonmouth, Almondsbury, and at Whitchurch airfield. Landed 14.50 hrs.
Date: 07 Sep 1940 - 3(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, Armed Reconn. Bristol Area t/o 06.27 hrs. Over area 10.10 hrs, again at 10.30 hrs when it circled. 5 H.E. 's (including 1 UXB) dropped on Bristol City Centre. Observations over Bristol and Filton. Photo during attack 745 Z 45.
Date: 23 Sep 1940 - 2(F)/123, 1 Ju 88, 17.15 hrs over Bristol. Observations made over Filton and Whitchurch airfields. Filton photographed - 1075 S.
Date: 27 Sep 1940 - 3(F)/123, 1 Ju 88. Over Bristol area 09.30 hrs. Observations made over Filton, Weston super Mare and Avonmouth. Landed Chartres c.14.55 hrs. Photos Avonmouth and Filton 908b 011 & 016.
Date: 26 Oct 1940 - 2(F)./123 sortie to the Isles of Scilly.^[32]
Date: 8 Nov 1940 - 2(F)./123 had a Ju 88A-1 (W.Nr. 350) force-landed at Belle Isle, 40 miles west of St Nazaire, due to damage received from enemy fire. The aircraft sustained 60% damage from the combat and the crash landing.^[33]
Date: 14 Nov 1940 - 3(F)./123 lost a Ju 88A-5 (W.Nr. 454) which crashed at Parkstone, Dorset. Ofw Karl Hopf and crew killed. The aircraft (4U+FL) was destroyed.^[34]
Date: 24 Nov 1940 - 3(F)./123 sent a Ju 88A-5 (W.Nr. 451) on a sortie to Coventry. The aircraft (4U+HL) crashed, and was destroyed, at Coates, Gloucerstershire. Fw Helmut Schwingshaki and the rest of the crew were killed.^[35]
Date: Jan 1941 - 2(F)/123 Ju 88Ds ordered transferred from Norway with Fliegerkorps X to Sicily.^[36]
Date: 23 Feb 1941 - A number of 2(F)./123 aircraft were still transfering to Sicily.
Date: 23 Feb 1941 2(F)./ 123 Do 17 P 4039 Crashed near Bologna during transfer flight. 4 killed: Uffz Heinz Prause (F), Ofw Gerhard Dorp (B), FW Herbert Meinecke (Bf) and Ogfr Hans Reymann (Bm).^[37]
Date: 23 Feb 1941 2(F)./ 123 Ju 88A-5 4U+GK 880356 Crashed (Italy?) during transfer flight. 4 killed: Ofw Heinrich Bats (F), Oblt Hans Zuleeg (B), Ofw Hans Behrens and Uffz Heinrich Kolberg (Bm).^[38]
Date: 25 Feb 1941 - 2(F)/123 flew sorties to Malta and 40 4039 39 lost an Me 110 in the area around St Pauls Bay, Malta -Fw.Karl Bernhard(F) and and his gunner reported as missing. Probably shot down by Hurricanes.^[39]
Date: 2 Apr 1941 - 2(F)./123 had a Ju 88 damaged by AA fire near Süda Bay (Crete), the crew were unhurt.
Date: 6 Apr 1941 - Commencement of Unternehmen Marita, the German invasion of Greece. At 1500 a Ju88D (4U+EK) of 2(F)/123, on a sortie to Athens, was intercepted by an RAF Hurricane of 80 Sqdn. The Ju 88 attempted to escape over the Gulf of Corinth but was shot down into the sea off Patras.^[40]Uffz Fritz Dreyer (F) was killed, while Fw Heinz Windrath (Bf) and Gefr Hans Hell (Bm) both survived the crash but died in a Greek hospital on April 11, Lt Edgar Liesenborghs (B) was captured wounded and was eventually liberated.^[41]
Date: 7 Apr 1941 - 2(F)./123 Ju 88D (4U+FK)attacked over Tobruk harbour by Hurricane of 73 Sqdn flown by Sgt K. Souter (V7553/TP-E). The Hurricane expended all its ammunition during this attack although it could report no tangible results. However, the Ju 88 was badly damaged an eventually crashed in the sea off Bardia with the loss of Obfw. Werner Reinicke and the rest of the crew.^[42]
Date: 7 Apr 1941 2(F)./123 Ju 88D-1 4U + FK 880491 Lost following combat with Hurricanes of 73 Sqdn. Ofw Werner Reinicke (F), Obit Otto Bergmann (B), Uffz Jacob Kuhnen (Bf) and Oberarzt Friedrich-Wilhelm Föge (Bm) all killed.^[43]
Date: 11 Apr 1941 - 2(F)./123 sent out a sortie to Malta covering Valetta Harbour and the Malta airfields^[44]loosing an Me 110C (4U+ZK) 40 km from Gozo Lt Johann Scharringhausen (F) and his gunner were recorded as missing.^[45]
Date: 11 Apr 1941 2(F)./ 123 Bf 110C-5 4U+ZK 2307 100% destroyed. Crew, Lt. Alfred Scharringhausen (F) I disappeared: Fw Hans Heinz Ge-feke (Bf) both recorded as missing.^[46]
Date: 24 Apr 1941 - 3(F)./123 (operating under the control of Luftflotte 3) has a Bf 110C-5 (Wk Nr. crash land at Brest-Süd and suffer 80% damage although no crew injuries were reported.^[47]
Date: 30 Apr 1941 - "Marita" ends.
Date: 6 May 1941 - A Ju 88 of 2(F)/123 was attacked, off Cap Pesaro, by Fulmars from two sections of 806 Sqdn flying off HMS Formidable. The damaged aircraft regained Catania with two of it 's crew wounded.^[48]
Date: 7 May 1941 - 1./123 sent out a Ju 88A-5(f) on a sortie to Glasgow, presumably to obtain post raid pictures of the damage at Greenock, Dumbarton and Glasgow following the raids by 232 aircraft of Luftflottes 2 and 3.^[49]
Date: 7 May 1941 1(F)./123 Ju 88A-5(f) 4U+KH 444 100% destroyed, the crew killed. Fw. Johannes Hauburg (F), Ofw. leo Knoch (B), Fw Georg Knappe (Bf) and Uffz. Karl Hofmann (Bm).^[50]
Date: 9 May 1941 - 2(F)./123 sorties to the west of Malta.^[51]2(F)./123 lost a Ju 88 (4U+LK) between Lampedusa and Malta to a 252 Sqdn Beaufighter. Ju 88 was probably part of the recce force deployed to find convoy Tiger^[52]
Date: 10 May 1941 - 2(F)./123 sorties to the west of Malta.^[53]A Ju 88 of 2(F)./123 was damaged in combat with two Beaufighters. The Ju88 returned with one crew member wounded (Fw. Helmut Zieslack^[54]). One Beaufighter failed to return to Malta, this was probably lost to the return fire from the Ju 88.^[55]
Date: 20 May 1941 - commencement of "Merkur", the invasion of Crete.
Date: 28 May 1941 - A Ju 88 of 2(F)/123 was shot down over Crete by aircraft of 14 Sqdn RAF, the Ju 88 was destroyed. Lt Fritz Gortan (B) and Gefr Heinrich Matthias (BM) were both killed while Uffz Herbert Nispel (F) and Uffz Jozef Lindorfer (Bf) were both taken prisoner.^[56]
Date: 29 May 1941 - A Ju 88 of 2(F)./123, flying at 13,000ft was attacked by a Maryland and Hurricanes operating to protect Force Bu warships returning to Alexandria. The Maryland attacked and damaged the Ju 88 as it dived away. Flg Off Tracy in Hurricane V7830 shot the Ju 88, coded 4U+EK (Wkr Nr 880802), into the sea and the crew, of Fw Ernst Chlebowitz (F), Ofw Hugo Rolfes (B), Ofw Hans Haydn (Bf) and Uffz karl-heinz Holste (BM)^[57]were all killed.^[58][59]
Date: 10 Jun 1941 - 2(F)/123 sortie to Alexandria Harbour.^[60]
Date: 8 Aug 1941 - 1(F)./123 sent a Bf 110 on a sortie to Hull.
Date: 08 Aug 1941 1(F)./123 Bf 110C-5 4U+XH 2306 Aircraft and crew missing. Oblt. Friedrich Mende (F) and Fw. Martin Pietras (Bf) later recorded as being killed.^[61]
Date: 31 Aug 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent out a lone sortie to the approaches of the Bristol and St Georges Channels. The aircraft took off about 1330 and landed at Morlaix at 1730.^[62]
Date: 4 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent out a single aircraft to the sea area north of Sheringham. This aircraft may have flown as far north as Tynemouth.^[63]
Date: 6 Sep 1941 - 1(F)./123 single aircraft despatched, the sortie was broken off about 35kms south of Carnsore Point on sighting three enemy fighters, and additionally due to adverse weather conditions. Two Hurricanes patrolling off the south coast of Eire reported that at 1040 an Fw 200 approached convoy (probably SL84) at 500ft then climbed into clouds and was lost. This aircraft was probably not an Fw but the aircraft of 1./123 engaged on this operation. Visibility was bad at the time and the aircraft probably did not sight the convoy at all. The aircraft returned over Brest to Orly and landed at 1424.^[64]
Date: 18 Sep 1941 - 4U+FL of 3(F)./123 operated off the east coast of England between Lowestoft and 55N. Sighted convoys FS 97 and FN 20. The aircraft was engaged by HMS Westminster, which claimed erroneously that the aircraft was shot down. Landed at 1430. Convoy FN was subsequently attacked around 2000hrs by aircraft from KGr 606 (and possible 3.(F)/122).^[65]4U+SL from the same unit was also operational in an undisclosed area.^[66]
Date: 19 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123s 4U+LL may have been the aircraft that shadowed HMS Eglinton off Lowestoft around 1140hrs.^[67]
Date: 20 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent a single aircraft to the East Anglian Coast and East Coast as far north as Middlesbrough. This aircraft reported sightings of convoys FS 99, EC 75 and FN 21 (FS 99 was later attacked by KG 606) The aircraft was over the target area between 1147 " 1310hrs.^[68]
Date: 22 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123 despatched 4U+FL to the English East Coast between the Wash and Newcastle. The aircraft claimed to have sighted convoy FS 1 at 1255 hrs. (The convoy reported an unidentified aircraft at 1303 in 54°56'N 00°40'W, this was possibly this aircraft.) This convoy later attacked by III./KG 30. 4U+FL landed c.1630.^[69]
Date: 24 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent out a single aircraft, this probably approached either the Bristol or St George 's Channel. returned and landed about 1440 hrs. ^[70]
Date: 25 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent one aircraft to the East coast of England to Tyne " Berwick area. Probably sighted nothing.^[71]
Date: 26 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent a single aircraft to the East Anglian coast-East Coast. Sighted convoy activity (may have been FN 23?) in the vicinity of Spurn Head and another convoy escorted by HMS Viniera off Scarborough.^[72]
Date: 27 Sep 1941 - 4U+PL from 3(F)./123 operated off the East Coast of England, possibly as far north as Tyne area. May have shadowed convoy EC 78 in Flamborough Head area.^[73]
Date: 30 Sep 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent out F6+PL on an operational sortie, it had landed by 2230 at Eindhoven.^[74]
Date: 01 Oct 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent 4U+FL to the English East Coast as far north as the Tyne-Berwick area.^[75]
Date: 02 Oct 1941 - 3(F)./123 despatched 4U+FL to the east coast of England between the Wash and Tyne-Berwick. The aircraft landed at 1440.^[76]
Date: 03 Oct 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent 4U+SL on a sortie, possibly in the area of the Scillies. 4U+FL, from the same staffel, was sent to the East Anglian coast and to sortie up the east coast of England as far north as the Tyne-Berwick area. This aircraft sighted a convoy north of Cromer, this was probably EC 81 (which was later attacked by KGr 606).^[77]
Date: 04 Oct 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent 4U+LL on operations to the Western Approaches as far as St George 's Channel.^[78]
Date: 05 Oct 1941 - 3(F)./123 sent a single aircraft on a recce sortie over the Western Approaches from before 1300 " c.1600.^[79]
4U+PL from the same staffel took-off before 1100 for a weather sortie of the English east coast between Yarmouth and Sunderland. This aircraft may have been the one unsuccessfully engaged by two Hurricanes 30m NE of Happisburgh between 1125 and 1230. The aircraft had landed safely by 1500 hrs.^[80]
Date: 12 Jul 1942 - 1(F)./123 sortie to the western part of the English Channel.^[81]
Date: 24 Jul 1942 - 2(F)./123 sortie covering the area Haifa-Port Said-Alexandria.^[82]
Date: 2 Aug 1942 - 1(F)./123 sortie to the south of the Isle of Wight.^[83]
Date: 10 Aug 1942 - 2(F)./123 sent an aircraft on a reconnaissance sortie towards the Nile Delta.^[84]
Date: Ju 86P from 2(F)./123 from Crete possibly overflew fleet when Malta Spitfires were being flown off. ^[85]
Date: 23 Aug 1942 - Fw. August Fastenrodt and Ofw Alfred Nitsch flew on 2./123 's 2000th combat sortie.^[86]
Date: 9 Sep 1942 - 2(F)./123 sent a sortie out to the sea area off Port Said.^[87]
Date: 10 Sep 1942 - 1(F)./123 sortie to the eastern part of the English Channel.^[88]
Date: 7 Oct 1942 - 1(F)./123 sortie to the southern coast of England.^[89]
Date: 19 Oct 1942 -3(F)./123 reconnaissance sortie to the east coast of England.^[90]
Date: 28 Oct 1942 - 2(F)./123 lost a Ju 88D-1 (Wk Nr 430365) at Derna due to engine trouble.^[91]
Date: 1 Nov 1942 - 2(F)./123 sent a sortie out to the sea area off Alexandria.^[92]
Date: 1 Nov 1942 2(F)./123 Ju 88D-1 4U+EK 430270 Lost Near Alexandria. All four crew killed " Uffz Alfred Kleinschmidt (F), Uffz Erwin Wagner (B), Uffz Albert Schwarz (BS) and Ogfr. Werner Bode (Bm).^[93]
Date: 15 May 1943 - 4(F)./123 sortie to Plymouth.^[94]
Date: 11 Jun 1943 - 3(F)./123 had a Ju 88 crash at Käthen, on a non-combat flight, due to pilot error.
Date: 11 Jun 1943 3(F)./ 123 Ju 88D-1 430439 Crashed due to pilot error. The aircraft sustained 50% damage.^[95]
Date: 13 Jun 1943 -5(F)./123 lost a Bf 109 over the English Channel.
Date: 13 Jun 1943 5(F)./ 123 Bf 109G-4 14910 Fw Heinz Sieker MIA following air combat over the English Channel^[96]
Date: 16 Jun 1943 - 2(F)./123 lost a Ju 88 on a non-combat sortie.
Date: 16 Jun 1943 2(F)./ 123 Ju 88D-1(trop) 430733 Crashed south of Tatoi (Athens) airfield due to engine failure. Uffz. Walter Schäfer(F), Ofw. Erhard Schäfer(B) and Uffz. Paul Lock(Bs) all killed. Uffz. Heinz Thum(Bf) survived injured.^[97]
Date: 21 Jun 1943 - 4(F)./123 sortie to the south of the Isle of Wight.^[98]
Date: 12 Aug 1943 - 1(F)./123 sortie to the Bristol Channel.^[99]
Date: 23 Aug 1943 - 3(F)./123 celebrated the completion of its 2000th combat sortie " the crew of the Ju 88 consisted of Lt. Siegfried Muller (F), Oblt. Günther Klien(B), Fw. Siegfried Kirch and Fw. Roman Gastager.^[100]
Date: late Aug 1943 - 1(F)./123 moved to Parma^[101]
Date: 31 Aug 1943 - 2(F).123 Reconnaissance sortie to look at the airfields on Cyprus.^[102]
Date: 23 Sep 1943 - 2(F)./123 celebrated the completion of its 4000th combat sortie. This was flown by Oblt. Franz Hessinger, Ofw, Helmut Dorries, Ofw. Herbert Huster and Fw. August Fastenrodt.^[103]
Date: 30 Oct 1943 - 3(F)./123 sortie to the west coast of Corsica.^[104]
Date: 23 Jan 1944 - 2(F)./123 sortie to Valetta Harbour, Malta.^[105]
Date: 3 Feb 1944 - 2(F)/123 sortie to Cyprus.^[106]
Date: 4 Mar 1944 - 1(F)./123 sent out a sortie to to perform sea reconnaissance in the vicinity of Algiers.^[107]
Date: 10 May 1944 - 1(F)./123 moved to Bergamo.^[108]
Date: June 1944 - Italy - Stab (F)./122 now controlled 1.(F)/123 operating Ju 88Ts on day reconnaissance.^[109]
Date: 1 Jun 1944 - 1(F)./123 sent up four aircraft on recce sorties.^[110]
Date: 2 Jun 1944 - 1(F)./123 sent out a solitary daylight sortie.^[111]
Date: 3 Jun 1944 - 1(F)./123 sent out two sorties " the last of which flew from Bergamo to cover the Tyrrhenian harbours and the approaches to Corsica, it returned to Bergamo at 1945.^[112]
Date: 3/4 June 1944 - 1(F)./123 sent out a Ju 88.^[113]
Date: 7 Jun 1944 - 1(F)./123 flew a late recce sortie having moved 4U+BH up from Bergamo to Perugia during the early evening.^[114]
Date: 8 Jun 1944 1(F)./123 Ju 88T-1 4U+GH 430913 Shot down by Spitfires of 451 Sqdn near Pistoia.Obfhr. Scherf and three crew killed.
Date: 9 Jun 1944 - At 0222 1(F)./123 flew a long range mission from Perugia to photograph Bizerta and Ferryville, landing at Istres after being aloft for eight hours! 1(F)./123 also moved a Ju 88 (4U+BH) from Perugia to Bergamo.^[115]
Date: 16 Jul 1944 - F6+GL of 3(F)./122, on secondment to 1(F)./123 at Paris/Buc, was sent out at 2230 hrs to photograph Cherbourg Harbour in bright moonlight with 1/10th cloud.The pilot (Obfw. Hans Muller) flew at tree-top height taking a direct course for Avranches. On nearing the Allied lines he started to climb to 6,000 metres and on passing Avranches flew over Jersey and Guernsey. The intention was to continue over Alderney and approach Cherbourg from the north and take the photographs from 9,000 metres. When flying at 7,000 metres in the vicinity of Alderney engine trouble developed so the mission was abandoned and the aircraft and crew returned to Paris/Orly.^[116]B
Date: 27 Jul 1944 - 1(F).122 transferred to Jüterbog.^[117]
Date: 16 Aug 1944 - Luftflotte 3 ordered that 3(F)./123 was to transfer immediately to Jüterbog by road.^[118]
Date: 1 Sep 1944 - O.K.L. Operations Staff order to Aufklärungsgruppe 123 and II. Jagdkorps:"Owing to the speed of developments in the West involving delay in receiving reports, Luftflotte 3 will carry out extensive reconnaissance operations to help clarify the situation. These reconnaissance operations must be carried out over concentration areas, the gap between Army Group B and Army Group G, and also over the main enemy wedges. In addition the situation of German forces must also be frequently reconnoitred, especially in the case of units that have been cut off. ^[119]It is stressed that all reports must be sent to the Army H.Q. authorities responsible and to O.K.L. Operations Staff as quickly as possible.
Date: 3 Sep 1944 - Orders were issued for the following moves to take place -
1.(F)/123 from Niedermendig to Linburg
4.(F)/123 from Trier-Euren to Niedermendig
5.(F)/123 from Trier-Euren to Hagenau Aufklärungstaffel Kaatsch from Dijon to Luzeuil^[120]
(For more on this unit see http://www.ghostbombers.com/recon/kaatsch1.html)
Date: 5 Sep 1944 - The following instructions were issued "Owing to ground organisation difficulties and consequent difficulties in accommodating flying units, Fliegerkorps IX, II. Jagdkorps, and Aufklärungsgruppe 123 are instructed not to transfer flying units before consulting Luftflotte 3 H.Q. Only diversion of units to alternative airfields is still left to the discretion of unit commanders."^[121]
Date: 6 Sep 1944 - 6.(F)/123 will transfer to Kothen.^[122]
Date: 7 Sep 1944 - Sonderkommando Kaatsch (For more on this unit see http://www.ghostbombers.com/recon/kaatsch1.html) : 6 aircraft carried out armed reconnaissance operations during the course of the day.^[123]
Date: 11 Sep 1944 - 5.(F)/123 ordered to transfer immediately from Hagenau to Buer-Gelsenkirchen.^[124]
Date: 16 Sep 1944 - 4.(F)/123 ordered to transfer from Niedermendig to Limburg.^[125]
Date: 20 Sep 1944 - 1(F)./123 sorties to Eindhoven, Hertogenbosch and Helmond.^[126]
Date: 21 Sep 1944 - Aufklärungsgruppe 123 ordered to withdraw the Kaatsch Staffel form operations and disband it on arrival of 2./N.A.Gr.13 in Freiburg.^[127]
Date: 27 Sep 1944 - 1(F).123 sortie to Nijmegen.^[128]
Date: 7 Nov 1944 - OKL instructed that 4.(F)/123 was to be renamed as 2./NAGr 1 and 5(F)./123 as 3./NAGr 1.^[129]
Date: 11 Feb 1945 - Ar 234 of 1.(F)/123, flown by Hptm Hans Felden, was shot down as it was landing at Rheine.^[130]