Sonderverband 287

Piet Duits · Post by **Piet Duits** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 1:35 am

Hi,

Who can tell me more about the Sonderverband 287. I don't need names of commanders, or something simular: I only need to know which subunits formed the Sonderverband and where it saw action.

Thanks in advance,

Piet

Wolf · Post by **Wolf** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 9:27 am

I think it saw all of or most of its fighting in Russia but saw action in Italy's Gustav line aswell.

Andy Phillpotts · Post by **Andy Phillpotts** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 2:04 am

Hi Piet:

If you go to

http://www.forces70.freeserve.co.uk/Bra ... Africa.htm

you can get a short synopsis of this unit's activities in North Africa. The Brandenburgers' main missions in North Africa and the Middle East were intelligence gathering, long range reconaissance, and more importantly, to take advantage of the widespread pro-Nazi sentiment among the Arab population and support various Arab organizations (like the Islamic Brotherhood, and also the Ba'ath Party, whose founders were heavily influenced by National Socialist ideology) that were willing to engage in covert warfare or open rebellion against the British.

On 4.8.1942 it had:

Stabs-Kompanie
Panzer-Späh-Kompanie 287
leichte Pioniere Kompanie 287
1-4./Panzer-Grenadier-Bataillon 287
Panzer-Jäger-Kompanie 287
Nachrichten-Abteilung (mot) 287 (2 Kompanien)
Werfer-Batterie287
Nachschubführer 287
Versorgungs-Einheiten 287
Sturmgeschütze Batterie287

22.10.1942 it was reinforced with the II (7., 8. Kompanien) and III. (9.-12. Kompanien) Btl. The III. Bataillon was lost in Tunis, and the I and II went on to operate in southern Russia.

On 2.5. 1943 the Stab with the I.und II Btl. became Gren.Rgt.(mot) 92.

My source for the OB is Tessin, volume 9, page 20.

Two books on the Brandenburgers that you may wish to read are:

Die Brandenburger : eine deutsche Kommandotruppe : zbV 800 / Helmuth Spaeter.
Published : München : Angerer, 1978.
Paging : 544 p. : ill., maps ; 22 cm.
ISBN : 3922128009

The Brandenburgers: Global Mission. Franz Kurowski
J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing. 305 pages, 100 photographs, maps
1997, Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada
ISBN: 0-921991-38-X

Cheers,

Andy

Piet Duits · Post by **Piet Duits** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 1:49 pm

Thanks Andy, this is very helpfull.
You know, there are quite a few specialised KStN's around for this Sonderverband 287.
What I don't understand is the Panz.Sp.Kp.: I do have a Panz.Sp.Zug for it, but no specified KStN for the Kp.: perhaps the Kp. was made up by 3 (?) Zuge plus the normal Gruppe Führer (KStN 1121a) (gp.)
Just guessing...

Thanks again!

Andy Phillpotts · Post by **Andy Phillpotts** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 5:08 pm

Hi Piet:

The only KStN that I found in Tessin (so far-- I'm still looking) that is specific to Sonderverband 288 is KStN 1165 (28.06.1941): Panzer-Späh-Trupp 288. Unfortunately, he does not give the specific numbers of vehicles, personnel and equipment of this unit. I believe however, that this does not refer to all the armoured cars in the unit-- a Trupp would normally be smaller than a Zug, and usually in 1941 a Zug was usually 6-8 armoured cars, depending on the type of Zug (light, heavy armoured cars etc.) involved. Perhaps the Panzer-Späh-Trupp 288 was one of Sonderverband 288's Abteilung-Stab units?

Cheers,

Andy

Andy Phillpotts · Post by **Andy Phillpotts** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 5:44 pm

According to Niehorster KStN 1162 (1.02.1941) was organized like this:

Panzer-Späh-Kompanie:

Company HQ:

6 motorcycles, 6 motorcycles with side cars, 1 Kfz 11, 1 Sdkfz 247

1 medium armoured radio section; possibly m. Funk-Trupp (gepanzert) b? (he does not give the designation in German): 1 Kfz 15, 1 Sdkfz 263

4 light armoured radio sections; each 1 Sdkfz 223

***

1 heavy armoured car platoon: 3 Sdkfz 231; 3 Sdkfz 232

1 light armoured car platoon: 4 Sdkfz 221; 4 Sdkfz 222

1 light armoured car platoon: 6 Sdkfz 221

***

He unfortunately does not give the strength of the Gefechtstroß and Gepäcktroß for 1941, but he does list it for 1942, which may be the same. (What I need are the company trains of 1939-1940, which appear to be quite different.)

Kraftfahrzeug-Instandsetzungs-Trupp: 1 motorcycle with sidecar; 1 Kfz 2/40, 2 Lkw (2 ton)

Gefechtstroß & Gepäcktroß: 1 Kfz 15; 1 motorcycle with sidecar; 3 Lkw (2 ton); 1 m. Lkw (Feldkuche); 1 Lkw (3 ton)

Cheers,

Andy

David W · Post by **David W** » Thu May 05, 2011 9:07 am

On 4.8.1942 it had:

Stabs-Kompanie
Panzer-Späh-Kompanie 287
leichte Pioniere Kompanie 287
1-4./Panzer-Grenadier-Bataillon 287
Panzer-Jäger-Kompanie 287
Nachrichten-Abteilung (mot) 287 (2 Kompanien)
Werfer-Batterie287
Nachschubführer 287
Versorgungs-Einheiten 287
Sturmgeschütze Batterie287

That must be theoretical rather than actual, as I can't believe the presense of a Werfer batterie in North Africa in August of 1942. (But I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again!)

Does anyone know which of the Kompanies/Batteries listed above, became part of Sonderverband 288?
Presumably at least the Sturmgeschutze Batterie.
What happened to the units L.W.S. I think they were present in May/June of that year.

David W · Post by **David W** » Thu May 05, 2011 9:56 am

My mistake.

No 287 in North Africa in 1942.

Getting thoroughly confused with 288 it would seem!

Time for some wine!

Brad Hunter · Post by **Brad Hunter** » Thu May 05, 2011 11:35 am

The top frame was the planned organization for Snderverband 287, and the bottom frame was the actual organization:

Feldgrau.net