I've been reading about German Naval Infantry. I know that they were called Marine units but they aren't like USMC or Royal Marines. They were naval personnel with no ship and in emergencies got pressed as infantry. Like at Narvik and later in the war. In fact at Narvik is the first ad hoc group that I can find as being formed during the war. According to two sources there were no Naval Infantry units at the start of the war, the old ones had been disbanded after WWI.
But I remember reading, and I can't remember which book now to go back and look, that during the initial invasion of Poland some Marines were put ashore to attack a naval installation. I believe it was tied to the Schleswig-Holstein bombardment at Westerplatte. So what unit was that if it was a unit? Was it an ad hoc unit of sailors or did the Germans have a small detachment of naval infantry used for landings?
Marine Question
1. MSK
Hello!
In fact the only real German Naval infantry unit was unsucessfully involved in the attack on the Westerplatte!
It was the 1. Marine-Stoßtrupp-Kompanie, which was formed after initial training in summer 1938. In september 1938 parts of the company were onboard the DEUTSCHLAND, which was operating in Spanish waters. In march 1939 the company took part in the Memel-occupation,
recommended source:
Jörg Benz
Deutsche Marineinfanterie 1938-1945
ISBN 3-88042-799-2
Greetings from Austria
Peter K.
In fact the only real German Naval infantry unit was unsucessfully involved in the attack on the Westerplatte!
It was the 1. Marine-Stoßtrupp-Kompanie, which was formed after initial training in summer 1938. In september 1938 parts of the company were onboard the DEUTSCHLAND, which was operating in Spanish waters. In march 1939 the company took part in the Memel-occupation,
recommended source:
Jörg Benz
Deutsche Marineinfanterie 1938-1945
ISBN 3-88042-799-2
Greetings from Austria
Peter K.