KagOHL 1 in June 1916

[Soderbaum]

Hi all

I have a German report from 2nd German Army in June 1916 which states that KG 1 at that time only consisted of 4 Staffeln....
Kasta 4 had become Kasta 37 the same month...but what had happened to the other "missing" Kasta..?

For information thanks in advance
Gunnar

[Immo_Frese]

Hi Gunnar,

As far as I know KagOHL 1 consisted of 6 Staffeln in 1916 but was splited in two Halbgeschwader.
Halbgeschwader 1 consists of Kastas 1,4 and 6 and Halbgeschwader 2 of Kastas 2,3 and 5. Don't know about their action area.
In spring 1917 when OHL increases bombers, it was planed to recreate KagOHL 1 from Halbgeschwader 2 by adding 3 new Kastas.
The Kastas 1,4[37] and 5 were renamed to Kastas 13,14 and 15. With the newly formed Kastas 16, 17 and 18 they formed the new KagOHL 3.

But this new KagOHL 3 had nothing to do with the old KagOHL 3 from 1916 which Kastas became Schustas in 1917.

Very complicated isn't it?

Jörg Mückler wrote an excellent article about it a year ago in the german journal "Flugzeug".

Hope that helps,

Immo

[Soderbaum]

Hi Immo

Thanks for you answer. I do have the Mueckler article and it is really excellent but it still raises some questions...
Regarding serving area, KG 1 were serving within 5 German Army(Verdun) from Februar until at least April 1916...
KG 7 were formed within 5 German Army in June 1916 and received one Kasta from KG 1.

So the obvious conclusion is that KG 1 moved from 5 German Army to 2 German Army in June 1916 and left 2 kastas at the old Army...?
Kasta 4 was shortly re-establish as a new unit within KG 1.

But there also exist a source which says that KG 1 were within the 4 German Army(Flanders) in May 1916..??

When the 1 German Army(Somme) was re-establish around 1 August 1916...Do You have the exact date..? KG 1 become a part of this "new" Army and now they again had 6 Staffeln...

But in mid August 1916 Staffeln 2,3 and 5 together with Staffel 20 from KG 4 were send to Roumania(later Macedonia)...

The remaining Kastas 1,4 and 6 served within 1 German Army through the autumn of 1916
Around 10 December 1916 the remaining Kasta 1,4 and 6 now called Halbgeschwader 1 was ordered "away" from the Front for special duty..which for example included training together with the German Naval units..

VBR
Gunnar

[Immo_Frese]

Hi Gunnar!

Unfortunately I don't have further info regarding KagOHL 1.
Deutsche 1.Armee was re-established on 19.july 1916 including the following troops:
GenKdo IV.Armeekorps
GenKdo VI.Reservekorps
GenKdo XIV. Armeekorps

with:
3.Garde-Inf.-Div.
5.Inf.-Div.
7.Inf.-Div.
8.Inf.-Div.
8.bayr.Res.-Div.
10.bayr.Inf.-Div.
11.Res.-Div.
12.Inf.-Div.
17.Res.-Div.
18.Res.-Div.
24.Res.-Div.
26.Res.-Div.
52.Inf.-Div.
117.Inf.-Div.
123.Inf.-Div.

VBR, Immo