Hi guys. Just a thread to put in a few write ups about certain 'forgotten' units and events on the Eastern Front. I have always been interested in little known aspects of the Second World War and what I plan to post are a succession of write ups that I have written that have come about after many long (long) hours researching and scouring the internet, libraries and books in the pocession of certain members of my family. Some you will probably find incomplete or/and hazy, but fingers crossed they are reasonably accurate. I hope you guys find them enlightening and informative, or at the very least you find them entertaining. Cheers
Have at it. The battles around Smolensk in the fall of 1941 are kind of hard to find information on. I guess the Russians dug in there and held out for a few months. It was quite a bloody battle or series of battles in which the German got their butts handed to them in on more than one occasion. I've found stuff in Russian, very specific stuff but nothing like it in the west.
The Romanian Airborne Paratroopers 4th Parachute Battalion, Aeronautica Regala Romana 1941-1944 Birth The first company of Romanian airborne soldiers in the second world war was incorporated into the Aeronautica Regala Romana (ARR/Romanian Airforce) in mid-june, 1941, shortly after Romania's entry into the war. Another company, 9 Company, was also created a year later, and again a year later these two companies were supported by a Heavy Weapons Company, forming the 4th Parachute Battalion in 1943. The soldiers that made up the Battalion differed from other units of the Romanian army (the Mountain, Guards, Infantry and Cavalry units were all equally diverse in both organisation, equipment and uniform), none more so than in the uniform, wearing the dark blue uniform of the rank and file of the ARR, it being officially a unit within the Royal Romanian Air Force. Weapons would also inevitably differ from those of the standard infantry regiments, being equipped with German Mp40 sub machineguns. The soldiers who entered the Parachute Battalion were also diverse and different to those of the Romanian Army. The marked contrast was the fact that all those who participated in the rigorous training of the Romanian Parachute Battalion were all volunteers. Also volunteers had to have a high degree of physical fitness and intelligence. All had to read and write. The aim was to make the Battalion ready to fight the Red Army and to aid the Romanian forces fighting on the Eastern Front (Romania would make the second largest contribution to the Eastern Front, second behind Germany itself). Organisation The make-up of the 4th Parachute Battalion was based closely on the infantry model of the Romanian Army during the early stages of the war, though it differed slightly. Each company had 3 platoons each with 3 rifle teams/sections (each 10-12 men each), a machinegun platoon, a light mortar platoon and a pioneer platoon, the latter armed with flamethrowers. Supporting these troops was a recon platoon which was unique among the Paratroopers. In addition to this, in time of operational duty and when the time came for an operational combat drop, each company would have a squadron of transport planes. Equipment The standard rifle of the Romanian forces was the ZB 1924 model bolt action, used in the Paratroopers. A Mauser 1932(?) model of submachine-gun, a 1930 light machinegun and ZB1937 heavy machineguns were also widely used. 81mm and 60mm mortars were also distributed among the mortar platoons and the Heavy Weapons Company, who also used anti-tank guns. Pignone Flamethrowers were used by the pioneers. In contrast to regular units, the Parachute Battalion had a vast compliment of small arms, in contrast to the army who, while equipped with modern fighting weapons, had a shortage and struggled to equip all its soldiers. Also, sometime in 1942-1943 the ARR took to equipping the Romanian Paratroopers with German made weapons and uniform. These included Fallschirmjaeger battledress, helmets (unlike the 'Dutch' helmets used in the infantry and Guard divisions) and the MP40 submachine-gun, which became the weapon of choice for the airborne soldiers. The Parachute Regiment, Aeronautica Regala Romana After two years of training the 4th Battalion had only some 250-300 soldiers fully equipped and trained, thanks to a high turnover rate and the rigorous demands met out through training. An order, by the Romanian leader Ion Antonescu, ordered the creation of a parachute regiment, with the aim of expanding it to over 2,000 - 3,000 men. The formations formed were the 1st, 2nd and third Parachute Battalions, excluding the officers and men of the 4th Battalion who, by mid 1944 had an enough soldiers to complement what was considered Battalion strength. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions had the equivalent of a company of troopers each. In mid-August, 1944, the 4th Battalion was loaded onto trucks and taken to Bucharest. Romania at War By the time the 4th Battalion entered the war in 1944, its course had changed dramatically since June 1941. Romania, under the government of Ion Antonescu, had joined the Axis and declared war on the allies in 1941. In the same year Romania took part in Operation Barbarossa. What began as the recovery of the lands that Romania had ceded to the Soviets in 1940 thanks to an ultimatum (these lands were Bessarabia and Bukovina I think) would eventually see Romanian soldiers fight in the Ukraine, the Caucusus and predominantly in the Crimea, side by side with Germany. When the tide of war changed the exhausted and depleted soldiers of the Romanian army would find themselves at their border fighting against the Red Army with German soldiers. This was in May, 1944. After the 'Royal Coup' led by the figurehead King Michael, Romania sided with the Allies in September. Reportedly, even after the signing of this pact, Russian soldiers still raped, robbed and looted Romanian towns and villages. Despite this what was left of the Romanian army fought with the Red Army against Germany on their soil. Even after this Romanian soldiers would continue to fight up to wars end, ending the war in Prague. Combat The 4th Battalion was the first Battalion to be made operational in August, 1944, and its combat history is far from accurate and definitive. What is definate is that it never made a combat drop, and never fought against the Red Army. By late 1944 Romania was now siding against the Axis. The Battalion was deployed in and around Bucharest, mainly in the Baneasa forest. During this period it was (apparently) involved in a firefight with a unit of the elite Brandenburg Division, who did parachute into the area at the time to relieve the Otopeni airfield during the 'Relief of Bucharest', resulting in most of these soldiers being killed or taken prisoner, reportedly after an engagement with Romanian Parachutists. Though official accounts (from a Romanian perspective) of this action I have not been able to find, The 4th Battalion did fight in and around Bucharest, and have found that they were at least engaged in 'mopping up' operations in and around the capital. The airborne forces of the Brandenburg Division that dropped into Otopeni were wiped out by forces only described as 'a large force' of Russian and Romanian infantry. The airborne soldiers of the 4th Battalion ARR were in the vicinity at the time though. There was also an incident where members of the 4th Battalion were killed by Allied bombers in a friendly fire incident. Disbanded The 4th Battalion was stood down at the end of 1944 and was disbanded at the request of the Soviets, who were eager to be rid of the elite formations of the Romanian army. The disbanding of the Romanian Paratroopers coincided with the breakup of the Mountain, Guards and Cavalry Divisions (all seen as elitist troops in the Romanian army) soon after. Though it was seen as an elite formation, the 4th Battalion never made a large impact on the Romanian army, despite its potential and endeavour. Most of its members were drafted back into the Romanian infantry and fought the remaining months of the war with the Red Army, many of these surely died in the ensuing fighting, after being disbanded, and the relatively short operational career of the 4th Parachute Battalion unit came to an end.
Anyone who has spotted inaccuracies, mistakes etc please say Anyone who wants to make a comment feel free to be critical Cheers
Thanks for what you already gave us and im looking forward to reading much more. I was wondering if you might know off-hand what parent unit the 62nd Panzer Pioneer Battalion was with? These were the guys who got to with in about 4 1/2 miles (6 KM) of Moscow in 1941.
Earlier on the thread it was mentioned the Battle of Smolensk. I haven't found too much information either, but from what I understand The Germans nearly succeeded in closing a ring around over 500 000 Red Army troops, however they weren't strong enough to keep the ring closed. Some 200 000+ were able to escape, and then later fight for Moscow. If Hitler hadn't banned further airborne operations, do you think they could have used paratoops here to help keep the ring closed, and inflict an even more severe defeat on the Red Army?
The Spanish Blue Light Division probably meets your criteria. The Germans had helped Franco in the Spanish civil war in the 1930's and especailly after the invasion of Russia, Hitler applied alot of pressure to Franco to enter the war on the Axis side. Franco, being no fool, was secretly determined not to get involved as he already had plenty of problems at home. Franco's dilemna was he wanted to keep Spain neutral, while still staying in Hitler's good graces. The Blue Light division was Franco's answer. The Spanish recruited an all-volunteer force from among the nationalists and others who wanted to go off and fight the communists in Russia instead of Spain for a change. Franco also saw it as an opportunity to ship off some of his malcontents and others he saw as politically dangerous to his rule. Hitler eagerly accepted this division and they fought very bravely and earned the respect of the Germans.
Thank you for this and also looking for any info I can get on the German 62nd Recon Battalion. These guys are the ones who got to within 4 or so miles of Moscow. My earlier post I had listed the wrong unit.
On the Eastern front, the battle at Demyansk, oftene referred to as the Demyansk Pocket, in 1942 has been largely ignored by historians. It is notable for 2 reasons 1) first combat issue of the new German sturmgewehr assault rifles (at Demyansk it was an earlier model the Sturmgewehr 42, because the MP-44 was ready until over a year later). Also it was cut off by the Soviet forces and successfully resuplied by air. This may have given Hitler, Goerring and several other high-ranking Luftwaffe officers unhealthy ideas about the Luftwaffe's true airlift capabilities (which were in fact, minimal compared to the USA's or even the RAF). The Demyansk Pocket was the name given for the encirclement of German troops by the Red Army around Demyansk (Demjansk), south of Leningrad, during the Second World War on the Eastern Front. The pocket existed mainly from 8 February until 21 April 1942. The... results of German retreat following their defeat during the Battle of Moscow. The encirclement began as the Demyansk Offensive Operation, the first phase being carried out between 7 January 1942 and 20 May 1942 ... The intention was to sever the link between the German Demyansk positions, and the Staraya Russa railway that formed the lines of communication of the German 16th Army. However owing to the very difficult wooded and swampy terrain, and heavy snow cover, the initial advance by the Front was very modest against stubborn opposition. On 8 January 1942, a new offensive called the Rzhev-Vyazma Strategic Offensive Operation started. ...the second phase of the northern pincer Demyansk Offensive Operation between 7 January 1942 and 20 May 1942, which encircled the German 16th Army's (Generaloberst Ernst Busch) IInd, and parts of the Xth Army Corps (General der Artillerie Christian Hansen) during winter 1941/1942. Trapped in the pocket were the 12th, 30th, 32nd, 123rd and 290th infantry divisions, and the SS-Division Totenkopf, as well as RAD, Police, Todt organization and other auxiliary units, for a total of about 90,000 German troops and around 10,000 auxiliaries. Their commander was General der Infanterie Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt, commander of the IInd Army Corps. After being assured that the pocket could be supplied with its daily requirement of 270 tons of supplies by the Luftflotte 1, Hitler ordered that the surrounded divisions hold their positions until relieved. The pocket contained two fairly capable airfields at Demyansk and Peski. From the middle of February, the weather improved significantly, and while there was still considerable snow on the ground at this time, resupply operations were generally very successful due to weakness of the Red Air Forces in the area. However the operation did use up all of the Luftwaffe's transport capability, as well as elements of their bomber force. Between the forming of the pocket in early February to the virtual abandonment of Demyansk in May, the two pockets (including Kholm) received 65,000 tons of supplies (both through ground and aerial delivery), 31,000 replacement troops, and 36,000 wounded were evacuated. However, the cost was significant. The Luftwaffe lost 265 aircraft, including 106 Junkers Ju 52, 17 Heinkel He 111 and two Junkers Ju 86 aircraft. In addition, 387 airmen were lost.[1] The Soviet Air Forces lost 408 aircraft, including 243 fighters, in a bid to crush the pocket. Fighting in the area continued until 28 February 1943. The Soviets would not liberate Demyansk until 1 March 1943, with the retreat of the German troops. Demyansk Pocket - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zhukov's Greatest Defeat: The Red Army's Epic Disaster in Operation Mars, 1942 BY gLANTZ About the massive battles that took place in the Rzhev area at the same time as the Stalingrad battles. Very good book although very detailed. Here´s where Model was able to hold the Red Army storm. Also the battles which Manstein had to counter once he left Sevastopol to attack Leningrad 1942. Instead he faced a huge Red Army attack which he could successfully counter.
One wonders how many lost battlefields are out there, how many wrecks, how many undiscovered bodies, mines... Asia is so vast...
