Förderverein Ehemaliger Fliegerhorst Venlo e.V.

History

In August 143 the decision was made to enlarge the threatened German airfields in the Netherlands. For this, several hundred concentration camp prisoners from Vught were deployed in Venlo. This ‘Aussenkommando Venlo’ was disbanded in September 1944. In December 1943 two ‘Luftbeobachtungsstaffeln’ (night reconnaissance squadrons) were founded in Venlo. They were the eyes for the Luftwaffe command because it became difficult to distinguish spoof raids from real bomb raids. In February 1944 the IV.JG 3 was stationed in Venlo. The Messerschmitt Bf109 fighters were employed by daylight but they had more losses than luck. February 25^th Marauder medium bombers made the first bomb raid against Venlo airfield.