From the estate of the Fallschirmjäger Lieutenant Ernst Mössinger.
Article about: This photo shows a Ju 52 full of Fallschirmjäger over Bergen near Olso, on a flight to Olso , Fornebu, Norway, on April 9, 1940 Ernst was with the first members of Fallschirmjäger- Regimen
From the estate of the Fallschirmjäger Lieutenant Ernst Mössinger.
This photo shows a Ju 52 full of Fallschirmjäger over Bergen near Olso, on a flight to Olso , Fornebu, Norway, on April 9, 1940
Ernst was with the first members of Fallschirmjäger- Regiment 1, from its foundation in the spring of 1938. In 1939 he was company squad leader of 5/FJR1 in the Polish campaign. In December 1939 he was promoted to Lieutenant and transferred as platoon commander of the 2nd platoon. In April 1940 he was with this unit in Norway, he was twice wounded and taken prisoner in the battle for Dombas. After liberation from Norwegian captivity, he was immediately on a new jump over Narvik where he was wounded a third time. In April of 1941 he would join with 1./FJR1 and participated in the invasion of Greece. In May 1941 he would participate in another jump and was involved in trench warfare on the eastern edge of Heraklion airfield, Crete, he was also wounded here. Eventually he was transferred on the eastern front as well. In 1943-1944 he was fighting in Italy and here he was wounded again and received the DK award for his wound. He also participated in the Battle for Berlin. Despite being wounded 8 times, he survived the war and was an architect in Frankfurt am Main after the war.
By daybreak on 19 April, the Germans were completely surrounded by better-armed Norwegian troops. During the night, a final reinforcement had reached the Norwegians in the form of rail-mounted howitzer manned by a gun crew of Royal Marines that had arrived from Åndalsnes. The howitzer had 300 rounds available and opened fire at 06.00, firing 10 rounds with good accuracy. Soon after this another Ju 52/3m transport arrived with supplies for the beleaguered Germans, but turned back without making its drop after receiving a radio message from Schmidt informing that the paratroopers were about to surrender.
Schmidt later sent his second in command, Leutnant Ernst Mössinger, to negotiate a surrender, hoping to gain favourable terms. Major Arne Sunde, the Norwegian commander, refused to accept anything but an unconditional surrender. Sunde told Mössinger that unless the Germans announced their surrender within 10 minutes by launching three flares the British and Norwegian artillery would resume their shelling of the Lindse farm. Some 30 seconds before the expiry of this ultimatum, at 11.30 the Germans fired the specified signal of three signal flares.
From the estate of the Fallschirmjäger Lieutenant Ernst Mössinger.
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