1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

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lancer
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1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by lancer »

I'm trying to trace the activities of the 1560 Arty Regt during the early stages of the Ardennes offensive. I've managed to track elements of the regt at Heinerscheid on Dec 17, Asselborn on Dec 18, Montleban (S.W. of Gouvy) Dec 19/20, Les Tailles (S.E. of Baraque Fraiture) Dec 21 and Odeigne (W of Baraque Fraiture) Dec 24/25. Any help with the blanks would be invaluable.

I also have photos of a Lt. in the regt. taken about Dec 18 or 19 posing with a RSO towing a 10.5 cm artillery gun on a road with a Hummel parked on the side and a number of abondened? M5 tanks in the background. Can anyone confirm the Hummel was part of the 1560 Art Regt or would it have been assigned to other units of the 560VG.

Appreciate your help.
Thanks
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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by MadDog »

There are 2 Foreign Military Series documents that cover the 560th during that time period; FMS-B-024 and B-027.

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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by AHK »

I very much doubt that a VGD. would have Hummels!
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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by RandJS »

The VGD were not "authorized" to have any SP artillery, and my records do not show that 560 VGD had any Hummel.

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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by Rich »

lancer wrote:I also have photos of a Lt. in the regt. taken about Dec 18 or 19 posing with a RSO towing a 10.5 cm artillery gun on a road with a Hummel parked on the side and a number of abondened? M5 tanks in the background. Can anyone confirm the Hummel was part of the 1560 Art Regt or would it have been assigned to other units of the 560VG.
It's probably from 116. Panzer Division.
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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by lancer »

Thanks All
Mad dog, I have those records but there is very little regarding the 1560.
I'll check the 116th history! I've determined the tanks were M5's from the 707th Tank Battalion!

"The attack by the light tank company of the 707th was disastrous. As it emerged from the village of Heinerscheid, three miles north of Marnach in a column of tanks eight of the tanks were knocked out by hidden high velocity guns while three were lost to bazooka fire. The action lasted only ten minutes. Two of the American tanks returned to Heinerscheid, only to be lost later in the day when the Germans took the town. The company commander withdrew the remaining three tanks down a side road to Urspelt where he joined the CP of the 2nd Battalion."

The 1560 took care of the 2 tanks in Heinerscheid later in the day.
http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History ... Reusch.htm.
Thanks for your help, still trying to determine their routes and engagements to January 1
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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by MadDog »

There is a possibility that BAMA has records of the 560th VGD for the time period, but I dont know for sure. I dont have the index files. US corps records for the time period might also contain some information.

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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by V. Andries »

There's very little on 560. VGD in the German Archives; no KTB survived. I have scans of the LVIII. Pz.Korps files, but sadly not all accompanying maps were scanned because they have been moved to separate folders for better conservation. Archival reference notes (scanned along with the files) do however point to the existence of 'Lage- und Artillerie-Einsatz-Karten von 21-23./12/44 in these newer folders.
The corps level memos and reports themselves rarely show details on the artillery dispositions, except in the planning phase of the offensive.
Striking here is the fact that according to a corps report I./1560.AR had not yet detrained by the morning of Dec.15th and hence in the plans was not foreseen to be comitted. However, the personal account in the link provided by Lancer indicates the battalion did arrive in time for action on the 16th. The IV. Abteilung was still in transport from Denmark as late as early January though.
The Hummel of 116. Pz.Div. (4 in 2.Bttr and 5 in 3.Bttr./Pz.Art.146) also hadn't arrived by the morning of the 15th, as was mentioned in the same corps report. A report on the 20th however shows three Hummel available and ready for action with the I. Abt./146, along with three Wespen and one towed le.FH. The date on which Lancer's photo was taken would suggest these Hummel did arrive already a few days before the 20th.
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Re: 1560 Art. Regt, 560 VG in the Ardennes

Post by lancer »

Thanks Andries
I've pretty much confirmed the date as Dec 17. My man would have been a Lt. with the Company mentioned in the personal account. He was wounded on Dec 20 and invalided back to Germany. Unfortunately I have yet to find the unit involved in any action on that date. The search continues!
Thanks everyone for your help.
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