BAO - kAGOHL I

Hi,

Brieftauben Abteilung Oostende, infact stationed at the Gistel airfield, and who had some famous names between its personnel such as Kurt Wegener, Otto Parschau, von Osterroht and even M. von Richthofen, was assembled in november 1914. It seems that only the next month the 31 pilots and 13 observers were ordered to the airfield.
Late in january 1915 the unit moved to Metz.

Does anyone know when this exactly happened ?

Somewhere at the end of june 1915 they returned to Gistel, a date I am also looking for.

In september a large part of the unit was in service of the 3th Army and on the 20th december 1915 the BAO became Kagohl I.

It seems that by the end of june 1916 Kagohl I went to the 2nd Army at the Somme. Here also I am looking for the exact date.

I know that on the 22nd of july the I Marine Feld Flieger Abteilung arrived at Gistel. The rest of the history of the airfield is quite well known to me, but someone from Gistel town hall asked me if I could find out something more about the BAO on their airfield. I have a good amount of information on what they did, but no exact dates of when they came and went.

Thanks for your kind help !

VBR

Johan

[Soderbaum]

Hi Johan

One interesting aspect on BAO/KG 1 is that they were train-movable unit with the personal living in train-wagons.

Because of that their airfields probably always had a connection to some railway point a bit away from the actual front line(rear front)
The KGs also seemed usually to be under direct command the AOK,i.e. not under a Army Group.

I dont have the exact days for their movements but BAO moved the the Eastern front in late March 1915 arriving to the 11 German Army in April.

Their service in the Champagne sector( 3 Army) in early autum 1915 probably Hannes can verify better in some ways...he has some good material..!?

The changing to KG was probably on 20 Dec 1915 but I have also seen the last Day of 1915...perhaps order was given 20 December and it was valid from 1 Jan 1916.....?
At this time they were also officially divided into 6 Stafeln and commanders of each Staffel was appointed.

They moved(at least partly) to the German 5 Army in Februar 1916 for the forthcoming Verdun offensive....but either here I dont have the exact date...

For the expected british Somme offensive they moved again to the 2 German Army in June 1916.

They were ready for action on 26 June 1916(?) with 4 Staffeln.......What happened to the other two..?
Staffel 4 had become KG 7/37 but the other?

Im August 1916 they moved again to the Eastern front to the German Donua Army.....but now only 3 Staffeln remained....and the unit was changed to a "complete" Bombing unit with AEG bombers.....A fourth Staffel was taken from KG 4 Staffel 24 equipped with New Gotha bombers.
What happened to the Staffel which did not joined in..?

On 27 Jan 1917 they moved from Bucarest in Roumania to a new airfield at Hudova in Macedonia arriving in Februar 1917.
At this time they also had some 1-s for protection service.

The moved back to the 4 Army again in May 1917 but what happened to Staffel 24 in summer 1917..?
was it renamed in some way..?

I hope you can have some help of this

VBR
Gunnar

BAO made its first night-bombing raid on January 29, 1915, on Dünkirchen. Therefore it could have moved to Metz only in the early February. From March 15, 1915, BAO was stationed in Deuthen (Ostpreußen), most probably with Oberkommando Ost (Ober-Ost), since 11. Armee was created only in May, 1915. On July, 1, 1915, BAO was back in Berlin, in July its recreation started in Gistel. BAO was with 3. Armee from September, 10, 1915, and went back to Gistel on November, 3. As Kagohl 1 again with 3. Armee from February 5, 1916. Left for Gistel in May 1916. It seems that Kagohl 1 was near Verdun in June 1916 for a short time before moving to the Somme in July.

[Soderbaum]

Hi Mosen

The Verdun offensive in the beginning of 1916 is according to some sources(Neumann) the reason that orders were taken in January 1916 that both KG 1 and 2 were transfered to Verdun front.
In early March 1916 4 KGs served within Verdun area according to Neumann. KG 5 was most certain not yet operational.

Ferko states that KG 1 had their first loss already on 26 Febr 1916 on the Verdun front. Known losses in March and April 1916 indicates that they served in this area at this time.

Were they really serving within 3 Army during spring 1916..?

One source I have(but cant find at the moment) says that KG 1 send only 3 Staffeln to Verdun in
the "first" movement.

curios
Gunnar

Thanks for your kind and very interesting reactions !

VBR

Johan