I am researching the battle of Tukkum (now Tukums) Lativa on August 20, 1944. I am trying to learn more about the role of the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen in supporting the attack of Panzerverband Strachwitz II there. How was the decision to commit the cruiser and its escorting destroyers made? Was there a personal connection between der Panzergraf and someone in the Kriegsmarine or on board the warship?What exactly was the target, how was it directed, and how long did the bombardment last? The account in Frashcka's biography of Strachwitz is full of errors. I want the truth! I can't afford to buy Paul Schmalenbach's excellent books right now, I just want information on this one engagement.
Thanks for your help.
Charlie645
Prinz Eugen supports Panzervervand Strachwitz II at Tukkum
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I appreciate the effort, Richard. It's a fascinating episode--I believe it was the first time in nearly two years that the Germans let a capital ship venture out of port. The situation was desperate given that Army Group North had been cut off and Strachwitz was mounting a critical rescue mission close to the Baltic coast. It apparently worked, in that fire support from the cruiser reportedly played some sort of role enabling Strachwitz to break through to AG North. But the facts are very murky and I hope to learn more.
Charlie
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The fire support went excellent, it was a muster for such employment during the further fights in the Area around the Ostsee, if I remember correctly the fire was conducted by VBs who were with the first line of the Heer troops and controlled by the plane of the PE....must have been a god demn hell when the PE and the Scheer started their barrage of 20,3er and 28er shells
Jan-Hendrik
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There's a good four-five page overview in M J Whitley's German Cruisers of World War Two with some images (including the ramming of the Hipper).
It also might be worth contacting the Naval Historical Branch in the UK as they have Prinz Eugen's log and other papers.
It also might be worth contacting the Naval Historical Branch in the UK as they have Prinz Eugen's log and other papers.
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Re: Prinz Eugen supports Panzervervand Strachwitz II at Tukkum
I transcribed the Prinz Eugen's logbook for that operation while at the Military Archives at Freiburg. Of interest is how they coordinated naval gunfire between ground and naval forces on their maps, incorporating aerial observation with the Eugen's seaplanes and sending liaison cells to each force.
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Re: Prinz Eugen supports Panzervervand Strachwitz II at Tukkum
The plotting map is also fascinating, depicting the exact back-and-forth course of the Prinz Eugen over time as it bombarded Tukkums.
Charlie
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Re:
In August 1944 there were no Soviet Submarines in the Baltic Sea.Charlie645 wrote:Thanks to both of you for your information and suggestions. It would be interesting to find out just how the decision was made to commit the Prinz Eugen group to this dangerous mission in the fairly narrow waters off Latvia, with Russian subs and aircraft possibly in the area.
The Fenno-German, well guarded anti-submarine net, from Porkkala to Estonia was still present and preventing subs to break through from the Bay of Finland's eastern parts. That meant that the Soviet submarines weren't able to operate in the Baltic Sea until late September, after Finland made truce with the SU.
With best
Juha-Pekka (It sure is hot here in Finland, how about you in Central Europe?)
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Re: Prinz Eugen supports Panzervervand Strachwitz II at Tukkum
There is a brief mention of this shore bombardment in Battle Of The Baltic: The Wars 1918-1945 by Robert Jackson.
All it says is that the operation on shore... ' was effectively supported by Prinz Eugen, now with the Baltic Fleet Training Squadron, whose 8" shells destroyed forty-eight T-34's assembling in the town square at Tukkum on the Gulf Of Riga. Fire support was also provided by the destroyers Z25, Z28, Z35, Z36 & the torpedo boats T23 & T28.'
All it says is that the operation on shore... ' was effectively supported by Prinz Eugen, now with the Baltic Fleet Training Squadron, whose 8" shells destroyed forty-eight T-34's assembling in the town square at Tukkum on the Gulf Of Riga. Fire support was also provided by the destroyers Z25, Z28, Z35, Z36 & the torpedo boats T23 & T28.'
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Re: Prinz Eugen supports Panzervervand Strachwitz II at Tukkum
Thanks to Die Blechtrommel and hucks216 for your interesting information. If the Prinz Eugen was already operating with the training squadron in the Baltic behind that anti-submarine net, then it was an obvious decision to have it engage in a shore bombardment to support Strachwitz's effort to break through the encirclement of AG North. The Prinz Eugen's plotting map also shows the destroyers attacking a target right at the coast, perhaps as a diversion. The operation was very well coordinated and executed. It is possible that the Soviet armor destroyed in Tukkums consisted of American M4A2 Sherman tanks--not T-34s--from the 8th Guards Mechanized Brigade under Colonel S.D. Kremer, which had led the Soviet breakthrough to the coast of the Baltic at the end of July. Soviet sources are mostly silent about the defeat at Tukkums, as is typical whenever the Red Army suffered a major defeat.
Charlie
Charlie
Re: Prinz Eugen supports Panzervervand Strachwitz II at Tukkum
IIRC, there is a short description of the support mission in the book "Abwehrkämpfe am Nordflügel der Ostfront". It mentions that Prinz Eugen's shooting was rated as relatively accurate, one of the destroyers was rated excellent, while another one was rated very inaccurate.
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Re: Prinz Eugen supports Panzervervand Strachwitz II at Tukkum
I have very little information of the Panzerverband Strachwitz.Charlie645 wrote:I am researching the battle of Tukkum (now Tukums) Lativa on August 20, 1944. I am trying to learn more about the role of the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen in supporting the attack of Panzerverband Strachwitz II there
Was this the same attack, where 7.Pz. broke through from south to north?
Greets
Juha-Pekka
“Die Blechtrommel trommelt noch !!“