Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 6:48 am

Hi,

Does anyone have any information on the crossing of the river MAAS by the German Army in 1940?

My grandfather won the Iron Cross 2. during the assault boat crossings, whilst he was with the 454 Inf. Regt., of the 254 Inf. Div., but I have been unable to find out any other details of this action.

Thanks.

Regards,

Kev.

Wolfkin · Post by **Wolfkin** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 4:50 pm

I am not too sure where the 254th Division was in this action. I have mainly focused on the study of the Panzer units involved. Do you know where along the Maas your Grandfather was involved?

I have much info about the crossings in the Sedan area. I know there is probably more in some books of mine. If it is called River Maas, it must be the part of the River that is in Holland, as the part that is in Belgium and France is called River Meuse. The same River, though. Funny, eh?

If you know what Corps or Army the 254th was in, if not I could probably find out, I think I have an OOB somewhere, I can give more info. I will get back to you this weekend.

Cheers,

Wolfkin

Wolfkin · Post by **Wolfkin** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 2:05 pm

Hey Kev!

I have not been able to find too much as most books I have deal with the Panzers at Sedan. However, I believe that 254th Infantry Division being a part of XXVI Korps, 18th Army, would have been part of the relief forces that were sent into Holland to support the Fallschirmjaeger units that were dropped.

Fallschirmjaeger units, 7th Fallschirmjaeger Division and 22nd Airlanding Division, were dropped at places like Rotterdam, Moerdijk and Dordrecht. The 18th Army were the follow up forces that were to meet up with the paratroopers. I am not too sure, but the 254th might have been involved in the crossing of the Maas at Gennep.

I do not have a lot of information, as most of my books deal with the Panzer units, but hopefully someone else here may have something. This does interest me so I hope some info can be found, this is a part of this campaign that is often overlooked as much attention is given to the Panzers.

I will keep looking and if I find more I will let you know.

Cheers,

Wolfkin

Enigma · Post by **Enigma** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 1:08 pm

Hello,

I'm from Holland and can get you some information about the battle of the Maas in 1940.
The German 6th army and the pantzerkorps of the 6th army had to attack together with parts of the 4th, 12th en 16th army the maas river. They used armoured trains and German soldiers dressed as Dutch soldiers to take the bridges by suprise. This was only succesfull at Gennep. The rest of the bridges were blown before the Germans could capture them.

The reason for the attack was to cross the river and strike towards Belgium strongpoints along the Albert-Canal and Fort Eben-Emael.
With these strongpoints taken, the Germans could enter France from the North and could bypass the Maginot Line.

If you are interested in more or more detailed info then please contact me.

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 12:21 pm

Hi,

Thanks for your answer to my question, sorry that it has taken so long to reply to you, (my computer crashed!)

I would be grateful for any more information that you could send me on the above topic.

Regards,

Kev.

Enigma · Post by **Enigma** » Fri Jan 10, 2003 11:08 am

Kev,

I'll try to translate some more info. Is the only information you've got about the location that is was at the Maas river? Don't you have a place name?

Regards,

EnigmA

monmax · Post by **monmax** » Sun Jan 19, 2003 1:36 pm

Here are some sites about the 254th ID in May 1940.

First is a general map from which it indicates that the 254th was deployed at Nijmegen.

Secondis an overall map ouf Southern Netherlands of which it is clear that it indeed was the bridge at Gennep.

http://www.clubs.nl/community/default.asp?clubid=27530 is an interesting site. It is about the Dutch II/26 RI defending the 'Maas' river at Katwijk and Gennep. Also with a picture of a rivercrossing by a unit of 254 ID.

Subscript to the picture: 3 times the enemy was backed down with heavy losses. By implementing heavy artillery the enemy finally succeeded in crossing the river.

Tot 3 maal toe is de vijand met zware verliezen teruggeslagen. Door de inzet van zwaardere artillerie, lukt het de vijand tenslotte de oversteek te maken

If you need any help in translating some bits of the site please let me know.

tigre · Post by **tigre** » Sat May 05, 2012 8:40 am

Hello to all

; a little complement on this topic................

A bridge too close. Actions and Mill at Gennep

Peel-Raam Position.

In May 1940, the Peel-Raam position, stretched from Grave along the river Raam, in the Peel Region to the Belgian border to the west of Weert. Mill was a critical feature in that area, it was important because several good roads converged there, and the railway line running east - west from Goch (Germany), crossed the Meuse by the bridge at Gennep, following towards Tilburg. Every 200 to 400 meters were built small bunkers for 2/3 men armed with a machine gun. In the area of Mill on the channel about 9 kilometers in lenght were deployed two battalions of 700 men each (I./ 3 RI and I./ 6 RI), supported by 12 old cannons dating from 1880 of the III./ 20 RA and a small fraction of engineers. Against this small defensive force would collide two German divisions with 30,000 men in all (254 and 256 ID ID).

Sources: De Slag bij Mill in Mei 1940.
http://www.gennepnu.nl/gennepwo2.htm
http://www.coehoorn.nl/om-te-lezen/arti ... 1940#index http://www.mill1940.nl/

Saludos. Raúl M

.

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Sat May 05, 2012 12:45 pm

Hi Tigre,

Thanks for taking the time and effort to add your information and very informative website addresses, it has answered many of my questions about the location and operations of my grandfathers 254th Div in May 1940.

If you have any more information, I would be really grateful to see it.

Regards
Kev

tigre · Post by **tigre** » Sat May 12, 2012 7:53 am

Hello to all

; hi Kev a little more on this...................

The German plan for this first employment stated that the XXVI AK (HQ at Cleve), deployed on the left wing of the 18 AOK, was to cross the Meuse first then to break through the Peel-Raam Line laid down in the marsh of Peel and defended by troops of 3. Dutch Army and then would push to Antwerp, opening the way for the 9 Pz continue to Rotterdam. The main effort would be with the 256 ID on the left and was to be carried out by its IR 481. As you can see the 254 ID was to advance on the right mainly against Mook - cuijk area then would attack the Peel-Ram line due north of Mill.

On May 10 of 1940 the 254 ID attacked having as its task to seize intact the rail brige at Mook. Katwijk (municipality of Cuijk) was defended by the 3-II 26. RI supported by 13 bunkers along the Meuse River Line.

Sources: De Slag bij Mill in Mei 1940.
http://www.gennepnu.nl/gennepwo2.htm
http://www.coehoorn.nl/om-te-lezen/arti ... 1940#index http://www.mill1940.nl/
Das Grüne Regiment - Der Weg der 256. Infanterie-Division aus der Sicht des Regiments 481. von Barbara Selz.

Saludos. Raúl M

.

tigre · Post by **tigre** » Sun May 13, 2012 9:56 am

Hello to all

; hi Kev take a little look on this...................

http://www.sandralicher.de/index.php?id=110

Although in German....a good translator and voilá!. Cheers. Raúl M

.

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Mon May 14, 2012 7:32 am

Hi Tigre,

This link is brilliant!! thanks a lot for remembering me

Regards,
Kev

tigre · Post by **tigre** » Mon May 14, 2012 1:39 pm

You're welcome Kev

. Cheers. Raúl M

.

tigre · Post by **tigre** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:29 am

Hello to all

; Kev, after a while something more...............

The Meuse along the stretch Mook-Gennep..............

The river there was defended by the II./ 26 RI which consisted of the following components:

* Staff II-26 RI with CP by Haps
Commander: Major Minderhout (replaced due to illness)
Acting Commander: Captain v. Opbergen (C-1st coy)

* 3-II-26 RI CP at Katwijk
Commander: Kapitein v. Hoogenhuize

* 2-II-26 RI with CP at Cuijk
Commander: Kapitein Hueting

* 1-II-26 RI with CP in St. Agatha
Acting Commander: Eerste Luitenant v. Klinkenberg

* 4-II-26 RI with CP at Oeffelt
Commander: Eerste Luitenant Moubis

Between point 163.5 and point 166 the Meuse line was occupied by the 3-II-26 RI under Kapitein v. Hoogenhuize. This company, reinforced with a det. of police forces, occupied 15 bunkers. These bunkers can be divided into 3 types:
1) S-casemate: The "S" stands for porcupine. This casemate was able to cast fire on 3 sides
2) G-casemate: The "G" stands for iron dome. This fired only to 1 side.
3) River Casemate: These were very heavy manned casemates that were equipped with a heavy machine gun in a gun-room.

The armament consisted, besides the light small arms such as the M25 pistol and rifle / carbine M95, in the following weapons:
a) 6 x heavy machine gun type Schwarzlose
b) 9 x light machine gun type Lewis
c) 1 x gun 8-steel
d) 2 x gun 5/5, 5cm type is unknown.

The 8-piece steel (an antiquated cannon from 1880) stands in an open, dug into the embankment, about 100 meters south of the ferry. The heavy machine guns are located in the casemates G109, G111, G116 and G117, and the two river casemates. This river casemates were occupied by a det. police forces. This detachment was also charged, in case the order come with the blowing of the bridge, the viaduct Katwijk-Linden and the ferry at Katwijk. The heavy machine guns in the river casemates were operated by infantrymen.

The command post (CP) was located approximately 300 meters of the front position in the farm of the family van den Berg near the viaduct in Katwijk. There was a telephone connection to the battalion commander in Haps and police forces (Sgt Nefs) that manned the two river bunkers on both sides of the bridge. There was not any telephone communication in the rest of the company, which was spread over more than 2km in length.

Armed with these limited resources, the 3-II-26RI was to play an unfair competition in that early morning of May 10, 1940.

In the KTB of the 254 ID abt Ic you should read:

10.5.40

Enemy blown up the bridges at Grave, Hatert and Mook. Bridge at hatert and Mook destroyed with enemy resistance. Bridge at Malden destroyed; bridge at Heumen no destroyed but strong enemy resistance.

Unexpectedly stubborn resistance along the Meuse Line between Mook and Gennep. Good underlying machine gun fire from all bunkers. No enemy artillery.

Enemy belongs to the 26 RI.

Source: II-26 RI, STANDHOUDEN offline by now.

Cheers. Raúl M

.

tigre · Post by **tigre** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:22 am

Hello to all

; Kev something more..................

In the sketch below you can see the assault of the 254 ID against the Peel-Raam Line...........

Source: http://www.gennepnu.nl/gennepwo2.htm

Cheers. Raúl M

.

Feldgrau.net

Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Maas 1940

AAS Crossing by 254 ID in 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940

Re: Crossing of the River MAAS 1940