Artillerie-Kommando, was ist das?

[SMoutin]

Hello gents,

I'm trying to know what is the exact role of an Artillerie-Kommando unit, there were two such units in Normandy prior to D-Day, Arko 118 in Cotentin anf Arko 474 just west of Caen. Tactical sign is that of brigade-size motorized artillery and my guess is that they controlled all non-divisional artillery units in a given sector, am I correct? did they control Coastal Artillery battalions and regiments too?

[Lexikon der Wehrmacht]

Arko is not a Artillerie-Kommando, it is an Artillerie-Kommandeur! The Artillerie-Kommandeur was leading several Heeres-Artillerie-units. The Arkos youcan find here: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... derung.htm

Andreas

[SMoutin]

Arko is not a Artillerie-Kommando, it is an Artillerie-Kommandeur! The Artillerie-Kommandeur was leading several Heeres-Artillerie-units. The Arkos youcan find here: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... derung.htm

Andreas

Thanks a lot Andreas

[Ron Klages]

There were two types of ARKOs

Stab, Höheren Artillerie-Kommandeur (mot) [Harko]
and
Stab, Artillerie-Kommandeur (mot) [Harko]

A Harko was a divisional-level echelon artillery headquarters attached to an Army, coordinating all its artillery, both GHQ and divisional. The following KStNs were issed for the Harko:
KStN. 24 dated 9.5.1940 (Behelf)
KStN. 24 dated 31.1.1942 (Behelf)
KStN. 24 dated 1.2.1942
There were 25 Harkos established during the war

An Arko was a brigade-level echelon artillery headquarters responsible for coordinating all artillery withih a corps. The following KStNs were issed for the Arko:
KStN. 25 dated 10.1.1937 (Behelf)
KStN. 25 dated 0.2.1941 (mit Tropen-Beiblatt)
KStN. 25 dated 1.1.1945
There were 124 Arkos established during the war

The responsibilities of these units were:
1. Reorganizing and planning the main points of effort in conjunction with the higher headquarters to which it was attached.
2. Coordinting the fire of all artillery elements in the command
3. Determining the artillery observation missions.
4. Setting diwn the framework for the communications network of all the artillery under it's supervision.

I do not have the manpower figures for these units but in the summer of 1942 they had the following vehicles:

Harko
2x motorcycles
1x motrocycle with sidecar
2x bicycles
2x light civilian type cars
1x Kfz 15 medium cross country car
1x heavy civilian type car
1x light truck civilian type

Arko
5x motorcycles
3x Kfz 1 light cross country cars
3x Kfz 15 medium cross country car
1x light bus with 15 seats
1x 3ton Van

Several Arkos could report to a single Harko.


I hope this data helps,

best regards and a Happy New Year

Ron Klages

[SMoutin]

I hope this data helps,

It does, thanks a lot Ron.