May 30 1917 Aviation map - translation?

[Zulis]

Greetings!

I recently acquired a very special map. Dated May 30, 1917, it is an old map, presumably used in one of the german aviation unit HQs, showing all the german aviation units in what is now Latvia.

The map covers the area from Angersee (Engures ezers) to Alt Auz (Vecauce), and down the Daugava to Jakobstadt (Jekabpils).

The units shown are Fl.Abt. 37 (at Mitau/Jelgava), Fl.Abt 16, Fl.Abt. 22, R.Fl.A. 500 and A.Fl.A.236. It also shows A.O.K.8 and 60 A.K. and 58 A.K., which I presume are army HQs.

One unit is identified as Fl.St.Forell - what is this?

The reason for my post (aside from sharing new of my treasure) is to ask for translation help with a few terms with appear on the map. These are not really words used in normal conversation, so I dont think I can trust on-line translation sites for this:

Grenzender-Meldeabschnitte
Jagd-Einsitzer-Kommando
Vernessungsebteilung 18
Wechselstellungen
Fernsprechleitungen
Scheinwefer
Luftschutz-Melde-Abschnitte
Fliegerwarten
Meldestellen
Vermiltlungen

Any translations of these terms would be much appreciated.

A last note - there is some faint pencil scribbling on the map, too. There is a thin, jagged line drawn through northern Latvia, north of, but roughly parallel to the front. I presume this was drawn in as their recon patrol limit. And, a very human touch - next to the Army HQs are some scribbled names/initials, presumably to remind the owner of the map who was in command at these locations.

The map is far too large for scanning, but if anyone has something that they would like me to check on the map for their records, I would be very happy to do so.

Thank you,

Dave Zulis

[Soderbaum]

Hi Dave

I am very interested to possible have a copy of the map...!

Flieger(Fokker?) Forell was what we usually call a KEK(a non-official unit with attached fighter pilots from flying units in the area).
The unit do also have the name Parkzug der FA 37 in one source, but this is probably a misinterpretion..but it indicates that most pilots did belong(home unit) to FA 37..
It was establish on 13 May 1917 and was later dissolved on 13 Sep 1917..

Perhaps I can translate some of these terms into English, but I hope some German first will try..

I am also interested in the Flak units and balloon units stationed in the area..

As an answer to a recent thread here on the Forum, it would be interesting if the commander of FA 22 is noted on the map..?

:
Gunnar

[Zulis]

Gunnar:

I can get the names/locations of the Flak units, and also their supply depots (presumably where the ammo was kept and brought up as needed?). * Balloon units - if they are marked on the map, I will write those down for you as well, once I learn how they are labelled.

There are no actual names of people - just pencil scribbles with an initial or two to remind the owner. * The only reason I am pretty sure these scribbles represent people's names is because at least one of them starts with "Gen." - presumably a General in charge at that location. * Also, these scribbles are only on the Army HQs, so it seems that the owner of the map did not need a reminder of the names of flying unit commanders.

I can answer questions about the map for you, and will gladly do so, but the map is about six times the size of my scanner bed, and the first thing I did upon receiving it was put it under glass, so I do not really want to take it back out again and handle it. *But ask me whatever you like - I will check it out for you.

Regards,

Dave
(ps - Gunnar - "Dave" is the name I use in English, but my actual name is "Gunars".)

[Soderbaum]

Hi again Dave

I am interested in the airfields location of FA 16,FA 22, FAA 236, RFA 500 and which AK(Army Corps) they belonged to..

You can mail it to me, if your prefer that..

It is interesting that the Flieger Staffel Forell was dissolved on 13 Sep 1917, but I think I somewhere have a note that "they" moved to Windau around that day for the forthcoming "Operation Albion"..

However, I also have a loose note(without reference) that FA 37 a short while had moved south(10 Army) in the summer of 1917..

I also wonder where the name Forell comes from..?...perhaps it was the name of the temporary leader of the unit..?

Regarding the Flak and balloon units, there is a small possibility that they, at this time, were organized in groups as they had been already on the Western front.
However, it seems that flying units on the Eastern front was not organized into official Grufls at this stage, so all flying were presumely under the same direct command, the Kofl.

Perhaps the name of the Kofl 8 is mentioned on the map, because he had a "chair" in the AOK..?

:-/
Gunnar

[Zulis]

Hello Gunnar

Thank you for explaining the Forell unit... all you said makes sense when viewing the layout of the map. It is not far from FLA 37, and, from that location, could easily have shifted the short distance to Windau (Ventspils) for Albion.

All right - units and locations on May 20, 1917. The german spellings may not be perfect - the print on the map is a bit thick and it smudges some letters. I have placed the present-day place name in brackets.

R.Fl.A 500 - Alt-Auz (Vecauce)

Fl.Abt.37 - Paulsgnode (north edge of Mitau/Jelgava)

Fl.St.Forell - Tuckum (Tukkums)

See Fl. St. - Angernsee (Engures Ezers - north end)

Fl.Abt.22 - Gr.Ekau (Iecava)

Fl.Abt.16 - Neugut (Vecummuiza - about 20 km due east of Fl.A.22)

A.Fl.A.236 - Daudservas (Daudzese - about 15 km SSE of Jaunjelgava)
____________________________

A.O.K.8 - Mitau (Jelgava)

69 A.K. - also Mitau (Jelgave). This location has a pencilled in scribble which looks like "Gen.W."

58 A.K. - Gr.Salwen (Lielzalva) This location has a pencilled in scribble which looks like "Gen.K."

---------------------------------
Now, the flak units and such will be a bit of a problem. None of them are named on the map, just represented by a symbol. They are spread all along the front from Tukkums... passing to the south of Riga... and on along the south side of the Daugava to Jakobstadt (Jekabpils). They are spaced typically 4 - 10 km apart, and most of them are probably in fields and such, not in a town for easy identification. There are more than 40 of them along that line. Perhaps it is enough to say that any point along that line is no more than 5 km from a flak unit. I hope that will suffice.

Regards,

Dave Zulis

[Soderbaum]

Thanks Gunars..!

The location of Flieger Staffel Forell at Tukum is interesting, as there had been an earlier KEK there with the name Staffel Tukum.
Staffel Tukum had been dissolved on 17 Mar 1917, the reason for that is unknown to me, but perhaps the unit was drained on pilots with the formation of Jastas..?

The exact location of Flak units stationed near the front line is more or less useless, as they were "hot targets" for enemy artillery fire, and therefore made frequent moves within an area...
The moves was also dependant so that the enemy flyers did not were able to fly within secure corridors..


Gunnar