Moderator: Tom Houlihan
Kamen Nevenkin wrote:The list of the armored divisions and brigades available to the HGr 'Mitte' on the eve of the Soviet offensive (12.01.45):
- 5.PzD (31.12.44): 33 PzIV (32 operational), 47 Pz V (40), 32 JgPzIV/PzIV-70 (25), 6 StuG (6)
- 7.PzD (31.12.44): 28 PzIV (27), 5 Bef PzV (5), 32 Pz V. Furthermore, on 3.01.45 it received 10 PzIV/70 (A) and on 8.01.45 PzJgAbt 42 was shipped from Mielau (East Prussia) to the division with 21 PzIV-70.
- FsPzD 'HG 1' (31.12.44): 4 PzIII (2), 35 PzIV (29 operational), 42 Pz V (33).
- FsPzGD 'HG 2' (5.01.45): 32 StuG III. Furthermore, Korps PzJgAbt 'HG' with 17 StuG (30.12.44) was attached to it.
- 18.PzGD (12.01.45): 44 StuG III
- PzGD 'Grossdeutschland' (30.12.44): 4 PzIV (2), 61 PzV (56), 1 BefPzIII (1), 22 AufklPz 38(t) (16), 19 PzVI (15), StuG 2, StuH 1. Subordinated units: PzAbt (Fkl) 302 - 28 StuG III (26) and StuPzKp 218 z.b.V. - 10 StuPzIV.
- PzGD 'Brandenburg' (8.01.45): 21 StuG IV (PzJgAbt 'BR') and 32 StuG III + 8 StuH (StuGBr 'GD'). The latter units until 16.01.45 were stationed at Mielau and joined the division during the same day.
- StuGBrig 185 (5.01.45): 28 StuG
- StuGBrig 190 (5.01.45): 33 StuG
- StuGBrig 201 (5.01.45): 31 StuG
- StuGBrig 209 (5.01.45): 29 StuG
- StuGBrig 232 (5.01.45): 29 StuG
- StuGBrig 249 (5.01.45): 23 StuG
- StuGBrig 259 (5.01.45): 43 StuG
- StuGBrig 276 (5.01.45): 25 StuG
- StuGBrig 277 (5.01.45): 24 StuG
- StuGBrig 278 (5.01.45): 42 StuG
- StuGBrig 279 (5.01.45): 18 StuG
- StuGBrig 901 (5.01.45): 31 StuG
- StuGBrig 909 (5.01.45): 30 StuG
- Furthermore, on 5.01.45 Guderian reports that there were 28 PzJgKp (in the Inf.Divisions ?) with a total of 301 StuG available in HGr 'Mitte'.
The panzerlage mentioned by you was assembled by 1.02.45, that's why some of AFVs are shown according to the subordination of the units as it was on 1.02.45.
Kamen
donwhite wrote:Most secondary sources give an armoured strength for Army Group Centre (3rd Pz, 4th & 2nd Armies) immediately prior to the Soviet January offensive as somewhere around 700-800 Tanks and assault guns. Having been fortunate enough to see a copy of the Pz Lage & StuG Lage recently for 30/12/44 to 15/01/45 and compiled some rough numbers on a spreadsheet, I'm getting a figue in excess of 1200! This is also ignoring for the time being those independent JPz units that were present + other vehicles listed as being in transit. The only way I can reconcile this large difference to any degree is to assume the popularly quoted figure refers to operationable vehicles only or that some of the units mentioned in the various Lages transferred south at the onset of the Soviet offensive as in fact did 'HG'1 PD & 'BrB' PGD with 'GD' PzK HQ. Brandenberg's armoured components however were not present with the Division in east Prussia and apparently did not join up with it until de-training in Poland having subsequently arrived from a refitting well to the rear. Can anyone enlighten me as to other possible transfers from the East Prussian theatre that may explain this anomaly in numbers?
Cheers