Luftwaffenhelfer Jochen Sievers - War Merit Cross 2nd class with swords

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A couple of interesting documents from history shop

Jochen Sievers

Luftwaffenhelfer, 1./schw. Flakabt. 225 (o)

Luftwaffen-Oberhelfer, , 1./schw. Flakabt. 225

Participated in the airraid defence during the Allied bombing of Hamburg during the last week of July 1943, Operation Gomorrah.

Decorations
Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern - War Merit Cross, 2nd Class with swords [2. August 1943]

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Kampfabzeichen der Flakartillerie Flak Artillery Combat Badge[26. Januar 1944]

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1./schwere Flakabteilung 225 - 1. Battery/Heavy Flak Unit 225
Established 26. August 1939 as Reserve-Flak-Abteilung 225, from parts of the II/Flak-Regiment 22 with five batteries. (1st - 4th and 5th heavy searchlight battery).

1./schwere Flakabteilung 225 was used in Luftgau III, starting in July 1940 in Erfurt. From September 1940 it was in Hamburg and remained until February 1944 in Hamburg at 3rd Flak Division.

Operation Gomorrah
The Allied bombing of Hamburg during World War II included numerous strategic bombing missions and diversion/nuisance raids. As a large port and industrial centre, Hamburg's shipyards, U-boat pens, and the Hamburg-Harburg area oil refineries were attacked throughout the war.
The attack during the last week of July 1943, Operation Gomorrah, created one of the largest firestorms raised by the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces in World War II, killing 42,600 civilians and wounding 37,000 in Hamburg and practically destroying the entire city Before the development of the firestorm in Hamburg there had been no rain for some time and everything was very dry. The unusually warm weather and good conditions meant that the bombing was highly concentrated around the intended targets and also created a vortex and whirling updraft of super-heated air which created a 1,500-foot-high tornado of fire, a totally unexpected effect.

Various other previously used techniques and devices were instrumental as well, such as area bombing, Pathfinders, and H2S radar, which came together to work with particular effectiveness. An early form of chaff, code named 'Window', was successfully used for the first time by the RAF - clouds of shredded tinfoil dropped by Pathfinders as well as the initial bomber stream - in order to completely cloud German radar. The raids inflicted severe damage to German armaments production in Hamburg.

Read more (English) Bombing of Hamburg in World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Read more: (German) Operation Gomorrha

Confirmed shot down airplanes
Date, hour, place, airplane type, confirmed, functiongun, points
25. July 1943, 01.00 o'clock, Hamburg-Lübeckerstrasse, Lancaster, LGK XI, 10.5 cm gun, 2
25. July 1943, 00.45 o'clock, Hamburg-Rothenburgsort, unknown, LGK XI, 10.5 cm gun, 2
25. July 1943, 16.44 o'clock, Hamburg-Schmal[?], [?],LGK XI, 10.5 cm gun, 2
28. July 1943, 00.30 o'clock, Hamburg-Niendorf, unknown, LGK XI, 10,5 cm gun, 2
28. July 1943, 01.52 o'clock, Süderelbe, unknown, LGK XI, 10.5 cm gun, 2
26. November 1943, 22.14 o,clock, Lancaster, LGK XI, 10.5 cm gun, 2

Flakinsel - Flak island on the river Alster in Hamburg
The free viewing and field of fire of the river Alster was ideal for an anti-aircraft, and so began in 1942, the construction of artificial islands in order to install on the outer Alster a complete anti-aircraft battery. In mid-March 1942, the waters were still completely frozen, but only about a month later, pile driving for the central platform started and these were extended towards the other platforms. At the open air pool Schwanenwik, telecommunications, accommodation and barracks for flak soldiers and Flakhelfers were set up.

The armament consisted originally of six 8.8 cm guns. At Easter 1943 they were replaced by four electrically operated 10.5cm guns.

The soldiers used here were the 1. Battery of the heavy flak replacement unit 225. From February 1943 schoolboys were also used as Flakhelpers. Most were just sixteen and were recruited from two sixth classes from the Oberschule [highschool] Arngartstraße (born in 1926/1927) and two seventh grades from the Oberschule St. George and the Walddörferschule [Forest villages school] (born 1926).

The 1. Battery of the Heavy Flak Unit 225 moved in early december 1944 and was probably replaced by another unit.

Read more: Die Flakinsel auf der Alster

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