SS-Infantry Division (mot.) "Wiking" in the Caucas

[tigre]

Hello Sid, forget it; I understood clearly what you pointed me out. Any explanation is always welcome. All clear. All the best. Tigre.

[tigre]

Hello to all, almost finishing....

The kampfgruppe SS Nordland had organized the terrain as follows: the I./ SS Nordland (reinforced with some anti tanks and one IG company with 4 guns of 150 cm) occupied the petrol village of Asfaltovaia, it had a good road leading towards Kabardinskaia and was located in a clearing (300 to 600 meters of radius) amidst a dense wood.

The II./ SS Nordland had occupied a hill located around 5 kilometers northwwest of the I. Battalion. The hill was half coverless with its clearing stretched 100 to 200 meters towards the south and east. Ontop of that hill stayed a petrol tower which stood 10 meters tall furnishing an excellent OP especially towards the heights 518 and 568. The Battalion had to clear up the ground and the works lasted several days and at least could obtain a clearing of 50 to 100 meters in front of its positions. The hill had no name and was known as Hill 307 but the II. Battalion renamed it as Mount Stoffer (one II. battalion’s Commander). To the north and inside the hedgehog was emplced the artillery abteilung, less the heavy battery which was emplaced at Kabardinskaia. One Forward Observer with radio, was detached ahead at Asfaltovaia.

A dense wall of vegetation (5 kilometrs wide) lay between the II./ SS Nordland and the Slovak Fast Div which was covering the road Chadyshenskaia - Korjatschijkiutsch.

The regimental PC was located at Kabardinskaia which stood up on a Psits bend and along one improved road that ran paralell to the railway Armavir - Tuapse. The village had around 130 to 150 wood made houses.

The III./ SS Nordland deployed its three companies along the hills located on the stream’s western shore, each reiforced with heavy infantry weapons. Between the SS Wiking and the Slovak Div a few watch points, composed of a Rifle Platoon and two heavy machine guns, were detached to block the paths leading through the dense wooded land. Its mission was to alarm timely the Battalions hedgehogs.

The III./ SS Nordland could be assembled in order to act as reserve and carry out counterattacks in support of the frontline battalions.

The Regimental Commander paid visits daily to its battalions, the JR 229, the 101 JD and occasionally to the Slovak Division.



Source: "From Caucasus to Leningrad". Tomo I. By Lt Col Marini. Circulo Militar. Buenos Aires.

Regards. Tigre.

[tigre]

Hello gents, the last part....

The Cossacks volunteers.

One squadron of Cosacks (volunteers), 60 men in strength, had been attached to the SS Nordland Combat Group. Its missions were basically counter insurgency, cunter spying, counter sabotage, etc., plainly speaking as rear security troops. Those men were all of them enemies of the soviet regime. When one spy or saboteur was detained, he was tried by one court constituted by one German Officer (Company or Battalion commanding officer) and two russians; If he was found guilty was hanged.

Enemy Attack.

On Sep 01 1941, the enemy launched one assault against “Mount Stoffer” coming from the south. The attack was carried out by one reinforced battalion belonging to the 85 Rifle Regiment/ 32 Guards Rifle Div.

The assault was preceded by one punishment company, followed by another company armed with sub machine guns. The enemy could break into the german line but was immediately rejected by locals counter-blows taking several prisoners. Shortly afterwards the soviets resumed the attack with enthusiasm reaching the culminating point, when the german line was to be breached, one german NCO that spoke russian fluently gave the weapons back to the POWs and ordered them to open fire against the attackers, which they did breaking the enemy assault. This very night the battalion celebrated its victory and the Company’s Commander birthday.

The village of Kabardinskaia was shelled often with russian guns of 18 cms, probably emplaced in the Psits’s valley, 12 kilometers towards south.

On Sep 05 1941, around 30 enemy planes bombarded the village in several waves. The bombs caused several casualties among the LVII PzK’s personnel. Hence the SS Wiking command was reinforced with one anti aircraft Platoon armed with cannons of 37 mm and in the next aerial raid several hostile planes were shot down.

On Sep 13 1941, at 23:00 hours was heard that on Army Group A’s orders the 17 AOK was to detach the Slovak Fast Div. towards the 1º Pz Army’s front in order to strengthen the attack against the oil fields of Baku and Grozny. But on Sep 14 1941, at 17:00 hours another order came, the Slovak Fast Div was replaced by the SS Wiking Div. On Sep 15 and 16 1941, the SS Nordland was relieved by the Sich.Reg. 4, composed of men aged between 35 and 45 years old. Others units were relieved by units belonging to the XXXXIX Gebirgs K.

On Sep 17 1941, in the morning the SS Nordland was moving towards the southeast in order to join with the 1º Pz Army in its search for the oil sources.

Source: "From Caucasus to Leningrad". Tomo I. By Lt Col Marini. Circulo Militar. Buenos Aires.

Its all for the time being. Regards. Tigre.

[werfermann]

Hi Guys ,here are 2 photos from my collection 5th SS in the Caucasus 1942
Werfermann ...

[John Hilly]

Hi Guys ,here are 2 photos from my collection 5th SS in the Caucasus 1942
Werfermann ...

Thanks for these pic's and refressing this topic!

Greets
Juha-Pekka

[sebastian]

nice pic from the lmg!

[werfermann]

Wiking used 20mm AA in ground attack and defence