sJagd.Pz. Abt. 563

[Commissar D, the Evil]

Does anyone have any information on sJagd.Pz. Abt. 563 , particularly after January 1945?

Thanks and Best Regards,
~D, the EviL

[David Constable]

December 1944 to January 1945
Re-equipped with twenty-four Panzer-IV/70(V) in two Kp and one Kp of fourteen Jagdpanther].
January 1945
Issued 10 Jagdpanther.
Issued 31 Panzer-IV/70(V).
3./Panzerjäger-Abteilung (Sfl.) 616 subordinated with 5 Jagdpanther.
???
Sent seven Panzer-IV/70(V).
February 1945 [18th]
3./Panzerjäger-Abteilung (Sfl.) 616 to 131.Inf.Div.
Disbanded.

That is all the information I have. Some of the numbers look a little odd, you would expect to see Kp of 10's and an Abt of 31.

David

PS - I have from formation in August 39 if needed.

[Commissar D, the Evil]

Hi David, thanks! Am I reading your post correctly to say that s.Jagd Pz. Abt. 563 was disbanded in February 1945 and 3/616 attached to the 131 I.D.?
Do you know where 563 was fighting in Jan.-Feb. of 1945?

Thanks again and Best Regards, David

[David Constable]

Sorry no idea were it was, however if I had to make a guess I would say eastern front near 131.ID. That was destroyed in February at Heiligenbeil Balga (were this is I do not know , sorry).

David

[Commissar D, the Evil]

Thank you David, the information is very helpful. I suspect this unit was destroyed in the Hieligenbeil Cauldron near Konigsberg.

Best Regards, David

[John Nelson]

Hey David,
The Heeres Panzerjaeger Abteilung 563 was formally deactivated on Feb.18.1945. I have the order calling for its deactivation, but no info on where the surviving crews were to go, likely lumped with the H.Pz.Jg.Abt.616, which was later sent to Milowitz to re-equip with Hetzer.

John Nelson

[Commissar D, the Evil]

Thank You John, I see that you're still on top of the story of the German Jagd. Pz. Abts.
I admit that I am a bit surprised by this information. For a well-equipped armored formation, sJagd. Pz. Abt. 563 doesn't seem to have lasted long after being re-equipped in January. Must have been one helluva fight.

Best Regards, David

[David Constable]

Glad thats sorted, I also have some extra information for my files.

David

[John Nelson]

Hey David,
The fighting there was very fierce. Panzerjaeger Abteilung "Grossdeutchland" was refitted at Tr.Ub.Pl.Mielau in mid-Jan '45, and it was sent to the Front toward the end of Jan '45. Despite having its full complement of 21 Pz.IV L/70 (V) that were shipped to the unit on Jan.10.45. It was completely wiped out in only some 36 hours. Later the unit escaped E.Prussia, and was reformed in N.Germany and was used to help form Pz.Div.Clausewitz.

John Nelson

[David Constable]

John

You say 21 Pz.IV L/70 (V), that is enough for HQu and two Kp's, what as a matter of interest was the third, towed or SP?

David

[John Nelson]

Hello,
Theoretically, the 3.Kp./Pz.Jg.Abt."GD" should have been towed AT, but I think that the 21 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 were spread throughout the Abteilung in some manner. I do not know how many each Kp. got. Helmut Spaeter's History of the GD Vol.3 on pg. 133 summarizes their actions. In short the Abt. was deployed at the area of Ziechenau on Jan 16 '45. The Abteilung was improperly deployed, and more than 16 Jagpanzer were lost, only about 3-4 made it back to the Allenstein when it re-grouped.
Each Panzer Division was authorized 2 Kompanien w/ Jagdpanzer, and 1 Kp. of Pak (mot.Z). However, each Pz.Gren.Div. was authorized to have 3 Jagdpanzer Kompanien.

John Nelson

[David Constable]

Thanks John that's useful.

At this date things are sometimes, if not quite often not what they should be.

David

[Kamen Nevenkin]

PzJgAbt “GD” was ordered to disband on 27 February 1944. Shortly afterwards it was incorporated into various companies of the division and ceased to exist.
On 13 December 1944 the Abteilung was created again. It consisted of Stab, StbKp, two (1.,2.) JgPzKp (PzIV/70), (3.) PzJgKp (mot Z) and VersKp (mot). 1., 2. and 3.Kp were created respectively from renamed 3./PzJgAbt "Br" of PzGD "Brandenburg", 4.(PzJg)/PzAbt 2104 of PzBr 104 and 15.(PzJg)/PzGR ''GD".
On 10 January 1945 it was reported that PzJgAbt "GD" (except 3.Kp which remained with the division) had arrived at the Mielau training ground. On 12 January 70% of its personnel were available (the rest were on the way). On the same day its 21 PzIV/70 arrived too.
On 16 January PzJgAbt "GD" (with 21 PzIV/70) was shipped from Mlawa (Mielau) to the front to join its parent division. However, during the same day it was attacked by the enemy in the vicinity of Ciechanow (Zichenau) (southeast of Mlawa) and wiped out. Its remnants retreated to the north towards Allenstein.
On 9 February an order was issued to recreate the decimated PzJgAbt "GD". The rebuilding was to be carried out at the Grafenwöhr training ground. On the same day it was reported that the personnel intended for the recreation of the Abteilung is ready for transfer to Grafenwöhr. Moreover, 40 men were provided by 7.PzD. 3.Kp and the elements of Stab remained in East Prussia. They were consolidated into a provisional PzJgAbt that consisted of Stab, StbKp, one (3.) PzJgKp (mot Z) and two FlaKp (mot Z) equipped with 2-cm Flak (mot Z).
On 25 March it was reported that PzJgAbt "GD", which was stationed at the Grafenwöhr training ground, was 100% replenished with personnel, but still has no heavy weapons (The majority of the men were drafted from WK XII). The Abteilung never joined back its parent division. On 4 April it was ordered to assign to the newly formed PzD "Clausewitz" and shortly afterwards was equipped with StuG III and sent to the Western Front. During the same month it was wiped out in the vicinity of Uelzen (southeast of Hamburg).

Hope this helps.

[David Constable]

Kamen thanks for all that information.

If GD is elite and is like this, what chance does the rest have.

David

[donwhite]

Kamen,

I was interested to here that the 'GD' Pz.Jag.Abt when reconstituted, contained a cadre from the 'Brandenberg' Pz.Jag.Abt. Did the 'Brandenberg' Pz.Jag.Abt have a like composition to that which you have described for 'GD' Pz.Jag.Abt. & was it near its authorized levels of equipment etc around late'12/44 early 01/45?


Cheers

Donald