Weapons Holdings

[WAKEN]

I'm doing a weight of fire study for units in Normandy 1944. To progress my research I'm looking for monthly weapons returns for German divisions that ended up in Normandy. The returns for 1 May, 1 June or 1 July 1944 are those in particular that I'm looking for.

Here's some data from 2nd Panzer Division's monthly return on 1 May '44 that was posted on another site:

- 11520 rifles (0 short of authorized strength)
- 1699 submachine guns (233 short of authorized strength)
- 1035 light machine guns (158 short of authorized strength)
- 72 heavy machine guns (0 short of authorized strength)
- 51 medium mortars (0 short of authorized strength)
- 0 heavy mortars (8 short of authorized strength)
- 10 light infantry guns (0 short of authorized strength)
- 6 towed heavy infantry guns (0 short of authorized strength)
- 14 towed light field howitzers (0 short of authorized strength)
- 8 towed heavy field howitzers (0 short of authorized strength)
- 4 10 cm cannons (0 short of authorized strength)
- 25 towed heavy a/t guns (0 short of authorized strength)
- 48 2 cm Flak (2 short of authorized strength)
- 7 2 cm Flak Vierling (3 short of authorized strength)
- 52 flame throwers (0 short of authorized strength)
Soft skinned vehicles:
- 636 motorbikes of all kinds (0 short of authorized strength)
- 714 cars of all kinds (0 short of authorized strength)
- 1608 trucks of all kinds (171 short of authorized strength)
- 120 half-tracks 1 - 18 to (36 short of authorized strength)

I'm looking for similar data for other German divisions/units that fought in Normandy. I'd be happy to share my research with anybody that can help.

Thanks,

Neil

[MadDog]

Do you have Niklas Zetterling's book on Normandy ? This has a lot of the information you are looking for.

Mad Dog

[WAKEN]

Yes I have Zetterling's book. It provides many excellent details but not enough, e.g. small arms weapons holdings for all divisions/units.

[nebelwerferXXX]

Panzer Group West (von Geyr)
3 panzer divisions (inc. 2 SS divisions) under the OKW reserve (Hitler)
3 panzer divisions under Army Group B (Rommel)
3 Tiger tank battalions...135 tanks
2 Jagdpanther battalions...90 assault guns

Rommel's intended dispositions:
Panzer Lehr Division (260 tanks & 800 armored cars)...St. Lo
XII-SS Panzer Division (20,000 men & 200 tanks)...Caen
a Nebelwerfer Brigade (100 rocket mortars)...Carentan
III Flak Corps (no data) & 5-million mines...at the Normandy Coast

Major Weapons in Normandy:
1) Schmeiser machine pistols
2) Panzerfaust
3) Spandau machine guns
4) Nebelwerfer
5) Panzer Mark IV tanks
6) Panthers
7) Tigers
towed 88-mm guns & 88-mm SP guns
9) towed 75-mm guns & 75-mm SP guns

[nebelwerferXXX]

German forces in Normandy:
1) The Panzers: Front-line or Mobile Reserve?
2) Panzer Group West
I SS Panzer Corps
XLVII Panzer Corps
---10 panzer divisions
---1 panzer grenadier division
---3 heavy tank battalions
---2 assault gun battalions
3) 655 Panthers, 897 Panzer IVs, 123 Tiger Is, 26 Tiger IIs, 440 StuGs and 306 other tanks.
4) Rommel:
---men and materials
---concrete and mines
---guns and ammunition
5) II Parachute Corps: 30,000 men (two parachute divisions and one parachute regiment)
6) III Flak Corps: 100,000 men (estimate only)
7) East Battalions: 60,000 men...captured weapons
The horse and cart and the bicycle.

[BobM]

I assume you've seen this thread?

http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic ... 52&start=0

I suspect it has some of the info you need

[WAKEN]

Thanks Bob. That looks like a good lead.

Regards,

Neil