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What can you guys tell me about the following Kuesten Artillerie Abtielung.

523: 528: 529: 532: 533:

I know they served in North Africa, arrived in the Autumn of 1941 (except 533, Spring) & were armed with 150mm French pieces. But that's all I know.
Any thing else would be much appreciated, as ever.

Many thanks David.

Achtung all Artillerie Abtielungen experts!!

Your help is required with the above..............................



Thanks ever so; Dave.

David,

Here is what I could find:

523 was established on 20 March 1941 at Küstrin in Wehrkreis III and on 19 September 1942 it was renamed as the III. Batallion of Africa-Artillerie-Regiment 2.

528 was established on 13 March 1941 at Hagenau in Wehrkreis VIII with 3 batteries and on 10 October 1942 it was renamed as the II. Batallion of Africa-Artillerie-Regiment 2.

529 was established on 10 March 1941 at Eisenach in Wehrkreis IX with 3 batteries and on 19 September 1942 it was renamed as the IV. Batallion of Africa-Artillerie-Regiment 2.

532 was established on 10 March 1941 at Ansbach in Wehrkreis XIII with 3 batteries. The 2. Batterie was captured by the British at Solllllum and was sent to a POW camp. After replacing the 2. batterie the Abteilung was renamed on 5 October 1942 as the II. Batallion of Africa-Artillerie-Regiment 1.

533 I believe did not exist. Tessin makes no mention of there being such a unit.


Afrika-Artillerie--Regiment 1 was established in the winter of 1942/1943 in Africa from the following units:
Stab from Stab/AR 221
I. Batallion from II./AR 115
II. Batallion from Heeres-Küstin-Art.Abt. 532
III. Batallion from schw.Art.Abt. 408

Afrika-Artillerie--Regiment 2 was established in the winter of 1942/1943 in Africa from the following units:
Stab from Stab/AR 623
I. Batallion from Heeres-Küstin-Art.Battery 362 and 4./Heeres-Küstin-Art.Abt. 149 and Battery 902
II. Batallion from Heeres-Küstin-Art.Abt. 528
III. Batallion from Heeres-Küstin-Art.Abt. 523
IV. Batallion from Heeres-Küstin-Art.Abt. 529


This leads me to believe that 533 may be the 4. Batterie of Heeres-Küstin-Artillerie-Abteilung 149 which was tropicalized on 21 August 1941 and sent to Africa. The Abteilung had been formed on 3 June 1941 in Hanover in Wehrkreis XI with 4 batteries. The other batteries were sent to fight in southern Ukraine and the Crimea.

That is all I could find. Not much but I hope it helps.


Best regards,

Ron Klages

Thanks Ron.

It's a start.

Re I Abtielung Afrika Artillerie Regiment 2 & it's 3 component Batteries, 149,362 & 902. Have you any idea what guns they were using/issued with.



All the best, Dave.

David,

Sorry, I could find no data regarding the type of gun.


Ron

That's O.K Ron, thanks for looking

All the best; Dave.

Previous designations in (brackets).

Harko Afrika (Arko 104)
Lei.Beob.Abt. Afrika (Beob.Abt. 11)

Afr.Art.Rgt. 1 (A.R. 221)
- I. Afr.Art.Rgt. 1(II./A.R. 115)
-- 1. (3./533) - 4x 8,76cm(e)
-- 2. (3./408) - 4x 10cm K 18
-- 3. (6./115) - 3x 21cm M 18
- II. Afr.Art.Rgt. 1 (533. H-K.A.A.) [1]
-- 4. (1./533) - 4x 8,76cm(e)
-- 5. (2./408) - 4x 10cm K 18
-- 6. (5./115) - 3x 21cm M 18
- III. Afr.Art.Rgt. 1 (408. s.A.A.)
-- 7. (2./533) - 4x 8,76cm(e)
-- 8. (1./408) - 4x 10cm K 18
-- 9. (4./115) - 3x 21cm M 18
-- 10. (364. Geb.Bttr.) - 6x K 7,62(r)

Afr.Art.Art. 2 (new)
-- 1./612 Fla (11x 2cm Fla)
- I. Afr.Art.Rgt. 2 (new)
-- 1. (902. s.Bttr.) - 3x 17cm K/Mörs.Laf. [2]
-- 2. (4./149) - 3x 17cm K/Mörs.Laf.
-- 3. (362.H-K.A.Bttr.) - 3x 17cm K/Mörs.Laf.
- II. Afr.Art.Rgt. 2 (528. H-K.A.A.)
-- 4. (1./528) - 4x 15,5cm K(f)
-- 5. (2./528) - 4x 15,5cm K(f)
-- 6. (3./528) - 4x 15,5cm K(f)
- III. Afr.Art.Rgt. 2 (523. H-K.A.A.)
-- 7. (1./523) - 4x 11,4cm K(e)
-- 8. (2./523) - 4x 15,5cm K(f)
-- 9. (3./523) - 4x 15,5cm K(f)
- IV. Afr.Art.Rgt. 2 (529. H-K.A.A.)
-- 10. (1./529) - 4x 10cm K18
-- 11. (2./529) - 4x 10cm K18
-- 12. (3./529) - 4x 10cm K18

[1] There has been some discussion about the Heeres-Küsten-Artillerie-Abteilung numbered "533" vs. "532". Although Tessin does not show this battalion, all the DAK stuff indicates it was "533". Tessin is very seldom wrong, but he on rare occasions omits units. Initially I leaned to the "532", but as I have seen more and more DAK original material, I must believe the "533". <insert well-worn Sherlock Holmes citation>
[2] One sources indicates "502. Bttr.", but it later uses "902", and as "902" is used in all other sources, I feel this one "502" is a typo.

Sources:
Ob.Kdo.d.Pz.Armee Afr. / Ia Nr.2202/42 g.Kdos.v.23.9.42,
"Umgliederung der Heeresartillerie des Pz.A.O.K."
dated 22.10.42.

Kriegsgliederung des Feldheeres
Stand 27.10.42

Hope this helps
Cheers
Leo

YES LEO

THAT HELPS A LOT


A very big thank you indeed.

Your friend, David.

Gentlemen, just re-reading your posts, and they have raised a couple of queries.

Did 529 Abteilung start out with 15.5cm (f)? If so, when did it get the 10cm K18? Or did it start out with the K18's in October 1941?

Did 533 Abteilung start out with 15.5cm(f) before using captured 25Pdrs?

Also, do any of you have a date of arrival/formation in N. Africa for I/2Afrika Artillerie Regiment?

Thanks.

Any luck with those supplementary questions?

Leo,
Wasn't Stab Afr.Art.Rgt. 2 formed from Stab Art.Art.Rgt. z.b.V. 623?

Jason

Afrika-Artillerie-Regiment 2
Jason ist right.
On the "Kriegsgliederung" of 27.10.42 is printed that it is a new headquarters (neu aufgestellt). Another document, a "Zwischengliederung", however, has several handwritten remarks, with the corresponding order numbers.

On 15.09.42, original general order (3476 g.K.) to use Stab, Artillerie-Regiment z.b.V. (mot) 623 and its Nachrichtenzug in WK XIII to raise AAR 2, to be ready by 15.10.42. This is followed by various orders that apply to the change AR 623 to AAR 2.

Sorry about the confusion - but I do claim the refuge that I have several times stated that the looseleaf folder I use to answer this Afrika stuff is dated, dusty, and at least 20 years old.

That's the advantage of this forum - gets things straightened out. Usually...

Cheers
Leo

Leo,
It's all about getting the facts straight! Mistakes happen, like I backdated the formation of s.Werfer-Bde 1 a couple of years before it was formed in my listing of 1st Panzer Army's troops and you caught my mistake. Which I appreciated. So don't worry about it.

Jason

David, some information on IV./AAR 2(ex 529) have been posted on AHF.

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic ... 8&start=30