911. Stug Brigade

Marco Ferliga · Post by **Marco Ferliga** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:35 pm

I need some infos on the 911 Stug Brigade during Wacht am Rhein,

Winter 1944-45, the brigade is reconstituted at Lunemberg (Lohburg) on 3 StuG-Batterie and one Infanterie-Begleit Batterie (therefore becomes Heeres Sturmartillerie Brigade 911)
16 Dec 1944, assigned to the FGB to Cottbusa with a new effective of 34 StuG.
26 gen 1945, assigned to the FGD with 3 Batteries, each with 10 StuG

Here's the questions!
When the brigade, in December 1944, was assigned to the FGB, did it maintained in organic the Begleit-Batterie?

(The doubt rises to me noticing that in date the 26/1/1945 batteries are alone 3. )
Moreover, in Jan 1945, did it received 3 JgPz IV/70(A)?

Any suggestion is welcome!

Thanks,
Marco Ferliga

John Nelson · Post by **John Nelson** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:11 pm

Hello,

After being deployed on the E.Front on Oct.13.1944, the Heeres Stu.Gesch.Brig.911 was ordered to refit in Altengrabow with 31 Stu.Gesch. by 15.Nov.1944
During its refitting an order dated 25.Oct.1944, ordered the formation of a 4.Gren.Begl.Batterie by 15.Nov., through WK XI. Nearly a month later, the Heeres Stu.Gesch.Brigade 911 was renamed Sturmartillerie Brigade 911
On Nov.30.'44 the H.Stu.Art.Brig.911 was tactically subordinated to the FGB. On Dec.9.44 the H.Stu.Art.Brig.911 was transported directly to the FGB, but the 4.Begl.Bttr./H.Stu.Art.Brig.911 was not present. Finally, on 24.Dec.1944, the 4.Begl.Bttr. was sent to the Brig. Lastly, the H.Stu.Art.Brig.911 was offically absorbed into the FG Div. as the Fuhrer Sturm Artillerie Brigade 2 on 2.Mar.1945

Panzerjaeger Horridoh!

John Nelson

Marco Ferliga · Post by **Marco Ferliga** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:21 am

Thank you John,

you have dispelled my doubts about the Begleit-Batterie.

Thanks again
Marco Ferliga

Martin Block · Post by **Martin Block** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 8:36 am

In addition to what my friend John has written above it may be of interest that the OoB of Fhr.Gren.Div. dated 1.3.1945 shows 4.(Begl.Gren.) Bttr. as still present.

--- Pz IV/70(A) for H.Stu.Art.Brig. 911
This is somewhat difficult to tell.
a.) Records of the Gen.Insp.d.Pz.Tr. show that 3 of these vehicles were shipped to the brigade on 28.1.1945 and reported as arrived on 13.2.1945.
b.) A status report prepared by Fhr.Gren.Div. on the evening of 13.2.1945 lists them as on the way but not yet arrived.
c.) A detailed overview covering tank replacements for units under H.Gr. Weichsel during Feb 1945 prepared by the quartermaster of the Heeresgruppe does not list them. All other armor supplied to Fhr.Gren.Div. during the month does appear complete with train numbers that match entries in the allocation files of the Gen.Insp.d.Pz.Tr., but the transport with the 3 Pz. IV/70(A) is missing.
I should note here that there seems to have been a last minute change to a number of the Pz. IV/70(A) allocations to Stu.G.Brig. in late Jan/early Feb 1945 that didn't make it back into the allocation records. A few weeks later a number of Stu.G.Brig. that should have had some reported none, while others reported having more than they had been allocated.
d.) The above mentioned Fhr.Gren.Div. OoB dated 1.3.1945 shows only the symbols for StuG III with Stu.Art.Brig. 911 but no tank destroyers.

I'm not able to give a definite answer, but at the time being my available documents seem to indicate that the 3 Pz. IV/70(A) did not reach the brigade. Has anyone else perhaps more on this?

Martin Block

Marco Ferliga · Post by **Marco Ferliga** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:04 am

Martin,

thank you for the exaustive answer to my second question;
.... but I would have an other one, I hope the last!

What was the exact StuG effectives on 22/12/44, for the first commitment of the FGB in Wacht am Rhein? I think 34.
It seems that the brigade, in spite of the denomination Heeres Sturmartillerie Brigade 911 ..., does have no StuH 42. Am I right?

Best regards
Marco Ferliga

Martin Block · Post by **Martin Block** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 1:57 pm

Marco,

I do not have the strength for that particular day, but the brigade was authorised to have a total of 31 assault guns only and actually 22 StuG III and 9 StuH 42 were shipped from an ordnance depot on 8.12.1944. That total of 34 StuG you mention must IMHO include the StuG that were in 12./III.(Pz.)/Fhr.Gren.Brig. and does not refelect the strength of H.Stu.Art.Brig. 911 alone.
Becoming a H.Stu.Art.Brig. had nothing to do with the allocation of StuH. It was just the adding of the 4.(Begl.Gren.) Bttr. that made the difference.

Martin Block

Marco Ferliga · Post by **Marco Ferliga** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:30 pm

Becoming a H.Stu.Art.Brig. had nothing to do with the allocation of StuH. It was just the adding of the 4.(Begl.Gren.) Bttr. that made the difference.

Oops!
You are absolutely right! I took a lapsus!

Thanks again for the splendid infos you gave me!

Marco Ferliga