Pioniers im Kampf 1939 - 1940

[John W. Howard]

Interesting Tigre!!

[tigre]

Thanks for your comment John . Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more......................

The Pionier-Bataillon 188 (Pi. Btl 188) in the West 1940.

The Sapper Battalion 188 was established on 1 December 1939 in the Grafenwöhr military training area, Military District XIII. The battalion was also formed with contributions from Military District VII, 1. Company and Military District XVIII, 2. Company. The battalion was subordinated to the 88th Infantry Division and was organized into battalion command, 3 sapper companies and two sapper columns.

The locations were:
Command: Würzburg
1st Company: Ingolstadt
2nd Company Salzburg (only on 15 December)
3rd Company: Würzburg
both columns: Würzburg

Finally, the battalion assembled at the Grafenwöhr military training area. All equipping and training took place in Regensburg from January 9 to May 9, 1940. On May 10, 1940 the battalion was put on alert and transported to Trier by three transport trains from 16 to 18 May 1940.

On May 19, 1940 the battalion began its advance through Luxembourg and south-east Belgium via Sedan to the Origny - Landifay - La Ferté area, about 15 km east of St. Quentin, which it reached on May 29, 1940. After a few days rest the battalion was first deployed on June 4, 1940. The 1st and 2nd Companies marched via Crécy-Chery les Pouilly-Aulnois to La Neuville near Laon. The 3rd Company marched towards La Neuville and then towards the Mons area on the Oise-Aisne Canal. The command and columns also reached La Neuville.

At 4:00 p.m. on June 5, 1940, the 1st Company began to build a temporary 10-ton bridge over the Oise-Aisne Canal north of Bruyères. The 2nd Company supported the 1st Company from 4:30 p.m. and then built an access road to the 16-ton War Bridge near Urcel, which was to be built by another battalion. The 3rd Company reached the canal near Urcel at around 0:45 a.m. and was hit by heavy artillery and mortar fire. This meant that the company was unable to build a bridge. The company suffered 3 casualties (Gefreiter Jakob Münkenhove, Gefreiter Maximilian Löhrlein and Gefreiter Hugo Roth), 3 non-commissioned officers and 7 soldiers were wounded. On June 5, the battalion staff moved to a command post in Laiterie, 2 km northwest of Urcel.

Sources: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... t188-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more......................

The Pionier-Bataillon 188 (Pi. Btl 188) in the West 1940.

On June 6th, the 1st Company was able to complete the 10-ton temporary bridge at around 12:45 a.m. The company then took over the bridge guard and began strengthening the bridge to a 16-ton load-bearing capacity at around 4:00 p.m. The 2nd Company completed the access road and then also took over the bridge guard. A heavy tree barrier was also cleared.

The 3rd Company was moved by car to the canal 3 km southwest of Fouquerolles by around 1:00 p.m. During a reconnaissance, the company commander, Lieutenant Rehberg, was killed by a sniper shot in the head. Under the leadership of the battalion commander, two footbridges and a 4-ton ferry were built. The company also sent patrols through the surrounding area to eliminate the danger of snipers. The bridge column marched to Montcornet on June 6th, assigned to another unit.

On June 7th, the 1st Company crossed the canal and marched to Margival. The 2nd Company also crossed the canal and also reached Margival. Lieutenant Ernst took over the command of the 3rd Company. The footbridges and the ferry that had been built the day before were dismantled, as was the 4-ton war bridge at Urcel around midday. The company then also marched to Margival. The staff remained in its previous quarters, and the bridge column reached Monclin.

June 8th was a rest day for the engineer companies. The battalion command post was also moved to Margival. June 9th was also a rest day. The bridge column reached the bridge construction site on the Aisne at 2:00 a.m. Due to heavy artillery and machine gun fire, the men and equipment were returned to their starting position. The bridge column lost one casualty (pioneer Johann Brütting).

On June 10, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd companies marched over Chemin des Dames-Bucy le Long and the war bridge on the Aisne to Chacrise. The staff followed this movement. The bridge column remained in Monclin.

Sources: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... t188-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more......................

The Pionier-Bataillon 188 (Pi. Btl 188) in the West 1940.

On June 11, the 1. Company arrived at Verneuil at about 20:30 hours and scouted the crossing points for a force crossing of the Marne. The 2. Company arrived at Verneuil at 14:00 hours. Here it came under heavy artillery fire. A direct hit killed 5 men (Pioneer Karl Schübel, Pioneer Konrad Nösig, Pioneer Karl Beyer, Pioneer Anton Holzknecht, Pioneer Hubert Köstenberger) and 12 men were wounded.

The company then marched towards Vincelles until midnight. The 3. Company marched with the battalion command to Mount Notre Dame, north of Coulonges, where they bivouacked from 11:00 p.m. From the bridge column, the 3rd and 4th pontoon platoons advanced to Ambly Fleury, followed by the baggage.

On 12 June, the 88th Infantry Division crossed the Marne. The 1st Company formed two crossing groups and brought the infantry across the Marne under heavy enemy fire using rafts and a raft ferry. One soldier was killed (Private Max Härtl), Leutnant Fischer, one non-commissioned officer and seven men were wounded.

From 4:30 a.m, the 2nd Company transported infantry across the Marne with 11 large rafts constructed from rubber boats. One non-commissioned officer and one soldier were killed (Uffz. Johann Thurner, Private Norbert Monitzer) and two soldiers were wounded. In the evening, the company left for Passy. The 3rd Company and the battalion staff marched via Goussancourt towards St. Gemme at 04:30 a.m. The battalion command post was set up at Passy-Grigny.

The 3rd Company then marched via Passy to the Marne, north of Troissy, to build the bridge. From 4:00 p.m., the battalion command reconnoitred the bridge construction. It then began construction of an 8t war bridge. The bridge column remained at Ambly Fleury on 12 June.

On 13 June, the 1st Company marched via Troissy to the Vassy forest, where they bivouacked. The 2nd Company marched towards Comblizy, where they also bivouacked. The 3rd Company completed the 8t war bridge over the Marne, near Troissy at 8:30 a.m. and then took over the bridge. The command remained in St. Gemme.

On June 14, the 1st Company marched to the area north of Bannes, the 2nd Company to La Caure and the 3rd Company to Broussy le Petit. The staff also reached Broussy le Petit. The bridge column participated in the dismantling of the war bridges over the Aisne and the canal and then moved the vehicles loaded with the pontoons and trestles to Ambly Fleury.

On June 15, the 1st Company reached Baudement, the 2nd Company reached La Chapelle north of Allemanche and the 3rd Company and the staff reached Marigny le Grand. The bridge column marched to Dampierre sur Auve.

Sources: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... t188-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more......................

The Pionier-Bataillon 188 (Pi. Btl 188) in the West 1940.

On June 16, the 1st Company marched to Pommereau, the 2nd Company to Quincey, Staff and 3rd Company to St. Hilaire. The bridge column marched to Louppy le Chateau. On June 17, the battalion's march continued: the 1st Company reached Vaumort near Dixmont, the 2nd Company Vanvonne, the Staff and the 3rd Company La Grange en Doyen. The bridge column reached L'Ornain.

On June 18, the 1st Company marched to La Fert Loupiére, the 2nd Company to Les Jubins and the Staff with the 3rd Company to Sepaux near Chevillon. The bridge column reached Germay. On June 19, the 1st Company was loaded onto trucks and transported to Batilly. From here the march continued to the 8-ton war bridge at Chatillon, which was completed by the company. It then took over the bridge guard. The 2nd Company marched to the Loire at Chatillon, the 3rd Company to Bonny, where it took over a 16-ton ferry. The staff reached Batlly en Puisaye and set up the battalion command post in the canal keeper's house north of Chatillon. The bridge column reached Meuse.

On June 20, the entire remaining staff reached the battalion command post north of Chatillon. The 1st Company built a 16-ton land bridge at Ousson and then went to rest. The 2nd Company built an access road to the 8-ton bridge and then also went to rest in Chatillon. The 3rd Company built an access road to the 16-ton bridge at Bonny and then moved into quarters in Chatillon.

In the following days, the pioneer companies and the staff remained in their quarters. Only the bridge column continued to march and reached Charmoy Pierrefaites on June 20, Gray on June 22, Pesmes on June 23 and Nenon on June 24.

Sources: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... t188-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more......................

The Pionier-Bataillon 188 (Pi. Btl 188) in the West 1940.

On July 1, 1940, the bridge column began its return march and reached Marpain in the evening, Pierrefaites on July 2, and Guyanelles on July 3. On July 3, 1940, the rest of the battalion also began its return march. The staff and 3rd company marched to Dammarie, the 1st and 2nd companies by truck to Batilly. On July 4, the staff and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd companies reached Aillant, and on July 5, Arces. The bridge column marched to Bourbonne that day.

On July 6, the staff and companies reached Estissac, north of Bucey en Othe, and the bridge column reached Epinant. While July 7 was a rest day for the rest of the battalion, the bridge column reached Jonchry, north of Euffigneix, that day. On July 8th, the staff and the companies reached Bouy - Luxembourg, the bridge column Lignol north of Fontaine. On July 9th, the battalion reached Epothement, the bridge column Pt. Mesnil.

On July 10th, 1940, the battalion was united with the bridge column in Quindecourt, after which a rest day was taken on July 11th. The horses of the bridge column in particular were severely weakened. On July 12th, the battalion marched to St. Joire, on July 13th to Foug, on July 15th to Pompey and on July 16th to Lemoncourt. July 17th was a rest day, while on July 18th the march continued to Vahl-Ebersing.

On July 19, the battalion crossed the German border and reached Heckendalheim (staff and 2nd company) and Ommersheim (rest of the battalion) in the evening. Here, vehicles and equipment were overhauled and prepared for loading onto the railroad. On July 22, 1940, the battalion was then loaded onto three transport trains in Blickweiler and transported to Wassertrüdingen, which was reached on July 23.

The bridge column followed in a fourth transport train on July 24 and 25. In Wassertrüdingen, the battalion was replenished and the stock of horses and equipment was supplemented. In addition, parts of the battalion were deployed for harvest work. On October 15 and 16, 1940, the battalion was finally relocated to Würzburg.

Sources: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... t188-R.htm

It's all. Cheers. Raúl M .