Marines

German Kriegsmarine 1935-1945.
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The StandartenFuhrer
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Marines

Post by The StandartenFuhrer »

What was the biggest engagement the German Marines took part in.
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derGespenst
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Post by derGespenst »

Germany had no "Marines" as such. They had Naval Landing Troops which, if I recall, formed part of Lettow-Vorbeck's force in Africa during WW I. There were scratch units made up of Naval personnel without ships toward the end of WW II whose most notable action was Market-Garden. Is this what you mean?
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SvenW
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Post by SvenW »

The imperial German Navy had three Seebataillone in the late 1880-1890s.
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Tom Houlihan
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Post by Tom Houlihan »

During WWII, I believe the largest action that any Naval ground forces participated in was around Narvik. Now, I know that some similar forces were operating in the Normandy battles, but I don't know the numbers. Thus, I could very well be mistaken.
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derGespenst
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Post by derGespenst »

Tom, I don't think those were Naval ground forces at Narvik. They were the survivors of the sunken and scuttled destroyers, pressed into service as infantry for the emergency.
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Post by Tom Houlihan »

Noted! Of course, from my point of view, if you're a sailor, on the ground with a rifle, and someone's shooting at you, you just qualified as Naval Ground Forces. Even if you're only there because some inconsiderate sod sank your ship! :D
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Post by derGespenst »

Unless you managed to save your rum tot - then you're still a sailor (and a damn fine one at that!).
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Scott Revell
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Post by Scott Revell »

The StandartenFuhrer,

What was the biggest engagement the German Marines took part in?
derGespenst wrote:
"There were scratch units made up of Naval personnel without ships toward the end of WW II whose most notable action was Market-Garden. Is this what you mean?"

Whilst I do not know if Market Garden was the "biggest engagement the German Marines took part in", derGespenst is correct is saying it was most notable as there were over 2000 "Marines" fighting in and around Arnhem. They fought as cohesive units supplimented with Heer or SS NCOs attached for leadership and direction (naval personnel not so well trained in street fighting). They were also thrown into Kampfgruppes already fighting in situ.

Units in Arnhem with "German Marines"

Schiffsturmabetilung 10
6./Schiffsturmabetilung 14
SS-Pz.Gr.AuE.Btl.16 (500 Naval personnel attached 21st Sept 44)
642 Marine Regt
1st Marine Cadre Regt
It is believed that Naval Personnel were attached to the 9th SS-Pz Div as well....but at work, so do not have references...but I remember it so.

I hope you find this helpful.....
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The StandartenFuhrer
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Post by The StandartenFuhrer »

Thankyou all.
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artyguy
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Marines

Post by artyguy »

Revellations wrote:The StandartenFuhrer,

What was the biggest engagement the German Marines took part in?
derGespenst wrote:
"There were scratch units made up of Naval personnel without ships toward the end of WW II whose most notable action was Market-Garden. Is this what you mean?"

Whilst I do not know if Market Garden was the "biggest engagement the German Marines took part in", derGespenst is correct is saying it was most notable as there were over 2000 "Marines" fighting in and around Arnhem. They fought as cohesive units supplimented with Heer or SS NCOs attached for leadership and direction (naval personnel not so well trained in street fighting). They were also thrown into Kampfgruppes already fighting in situ.

Units in Arnhem with "German Marines"

Schiffsturmabetilung 10
6./Schiffsturmabetilung 14
SS-Pz.Gr.AuE.Btl.16 (500 Naval personnel attached 21st Sept 44)
642 Marine Regt
1st Marine Cadre Regt
It is believed that Naval Personnel were attached to the 9th SS-Pz Div as well....but at work, so do not have references...but I remember it so.

I hope you find this helpful.....
Were these sailors or Marine Infantrie? The difference been uniforms, sailors wore naval (kriegsmarine) uniforms, even if they served at a shore installations, Marine Infantrie wore Wehrmacht uniforms with Kriegsmarine insignia. It's a small difference, but important to a project I am working on.
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Post by sid guttridge »

Hi Guys,

My suspicion is that the Germans tended to use men from marine artillery units as landing troops, at least early in the war. At Memel on 23 March 1939 they used elements of III Marineartillerieabteilung as landing parties to occupy the port. The same unit provided the reinforced company that attempted to storm Westerplatte at the entrance to Danzig harbour on the first day of the war.

Cheers,

Sid.
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artyguy
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Post by artyguy »

Thank you for your reponse. I'm interested in late war ('44-'45) kriegsmarine involvement in the land war i.e. Market Garden, the defense of Berlin, etc.
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Post by Lustmolch »

German Naval batallions were in action against the British in 1945, though the location escapes me at the moment. According to contemporary accounts, they acquitted themselves well, to the extent that they earned the soubriquet "the blue SS" from their adversaries.
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Post by Andy H »

John Russell's book 'No Truimphant Procession-The Forgotten Battles of April 1945' focuses on the battles fought by the 2nd Marine Infantry Division along the Aller river south east of Bremen, and then as it was pushed north towards Hamburg.

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Post by Andy H »

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.

And so as I patrol in the valley of the shadow of the tricolour I must fear evil, For I am but mortal and mortals can only die
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