Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

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Bernd R
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Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#1

Post by Bernd R » 20 Oct 2008, 12:07

Hi all,

I'm looking for the assignment of Ost-Bataillon 600 or Bataillon (Russ.) 600 in early September 1944.

The reason for my question is that [the Kdr. probably] Major Brandau received the "Anerkennungsurkunde" for fightings south of Antwerpen :
Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army
Brandau, Fritz-Peter, 25.12.1944 (4971), Major, Kampfgruppenfhr. Russ.Btl. 600
Date/place of action: 04.-07.09.1944 zwischen Boom und Oeleghem [source : Dörr]
What's known so far :
Ost-Bataillon 600 was formed in command area of HGr. Mitte and served as a Heerestruppe unit. In Nov 1943 it was transfered to France and was subordinated to AOK 7 . It came under command of AOK 15 later.
Per the below source the unit was garrisoned on ZEELAND / NL in June 1944.
[sources : Tessin , book review : Houterman, J. N. Eastern Troops in Zeeland, The Netherlands, 1943-1945: Hitler's Osttruppen in the West. Bayside, NY: Axis Europa, 1997. ISBN 1-891227-00-9 101 pages ]
http://mitchtemppiece.blogspot.com/2008 ... eview.html

Now, based on the locations and dates of the above certificate the Btl. has to have been part of what's called "Abwehrkämpfe Albertkanal" in the official german Gefechtskalender. The area between Boom and Oeleghem is south of Antwerpen ; and I draw the conclusion that Btl. 600 was with AOK 15, when this Armee had retreated eastwards the Schelde already.
Antwerpen was taken by the British 11th Armoured Division on Sep 4th 1944.

Was Btl. 600 in the way of the 11th or the Guards Armoured Division, too, which attacked in two columns south-north ? Or engaged with troops following the armoured divisions ?

Was Btl. 600 subordinated directly to AOK 15 ?
There was a Divisionsstab z.b.V. 136 (formed out of Stab Kdr. der Osttruppen 721), which took over the post of the formerly "Küstenverteidigungsabschnitt Antwerpen". Is this the headquarter of Btl. 600 ?
Or a Korps - LXXXIX. (89.) AK , LXVII. (67.) AK ?


Best regards
Bernd

Charles Steiner
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Re: Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#2

Post by Charles Steiner » 20 Oct 2008, 12:50

Hi Bernd,

I live not far from the region of Boom and I've quickly looked through my info and here is what I've found on your unit...

The city of Antwerp fell on 05.09.1944 : its garison had capitulated on 04.09.1944.

The defence of the sector Antwerp (Antwerpen in dutch) had befallen onto Divisionsstab zur besonderen Verwendung 136 under the command of Generalmajor Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg. His HQ was located in some bunkers next to the city park of Antwerp. Next to an administrative staff, zu Stolberg-Stolberg had at his disposal the Russion volunteers of the Ostbataillon 600, who were guarding the bridges over the river Nete and two "Magen"bataillons, MI and MII/136. During the fighting he also could count on the help of 2 bataillons of the Sicherungs-Regiment 16, a bataillon Vlaamse Wacht and the troops of Feldkommandantur 520 and some smaller units. An estimated total of 16.000 men, who had to defend the sector of Antwerp against the 11th Armored Division, but also had to destroy the harbor facilities.

I've got some more info on the battles of Boom, but the russian bataillon isn't mentioned in it. I hope this anwers a part of your questions.

Cheers,

Charles.


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Bernd R
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Re: Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#3

Post by Bernd R » 20 Oct 2008, 13:03

Charles,

that's a big step to trace this Btl. , thanks so far ! :D
So, Div.Stab z.b.V. 136 still active in Sep is good to know, as the coverage in Tessin ends with June/July 44 -> z.Vfg. AOK 15.
Btl. 600 in the city raises the question how they eventually got to Boom/Oeleghem :roll: That's half the way to Mechelen !

Best regards
Bernd

Charles Steiner
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Re: Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#4

Post by Charles Steiner » 20 Oct 2008, 14:37

Hellow Bernd (again :D ),

about Div.Stab z.b.V. 136, it was indeed still active in September, but it is very likely that it ceesed to exist during the battles on September 4th. : when the Allied forces entered the City of Antwerp around 14:00 hours (4th King's Shropshire Light Infantry and elements of 2nd Five and Forfar Yeomanry), the city park remained a difficult defensive nut to crack. It took them till 22:00 hours to finish the job. Shortly after midnight Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg was captured and was taken to the British Brigade CO, Brigadier General Churcher.

Some interesting info is mentionned when he was captured, perhaps concerning your Ost-Bataillon 600...

"Stolberg himself remained in contact with the 88. Armee-Korps. Around 15:30 hours he still had a telephone conversation with General der Infanterie Reinhard who instructed him to hold as long as possible. Stolberg described the situation as critical ; the few PAK, which he had at his disposal, had been lost and everywhere streetfighting was going on. The situation was impossible to hold and zu Stolberg decided at the falling of darkness to risk a breakout. It didn't come that far. The cosacks, who guarded his HQ, surrundered when British tanks and infantry entered the city park. A German counterattack failed and zu Stolberg surrendered with his staff."

Apparentley, this info which comes from a book in Dutch, was taken from a lively report zu Stolberg-Stolberg wrote in april 1946 on the battles of Antwerp.

Cheers,

Charles

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Bernd R
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Re: Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#5

Post by Bernd R » 21 Oct 2008, 16:41

Thanks again Charles !

Yes, agree about Div.Stab z.b.V. 136 ; only logical that this was the end.
One should think that the direction of a retreat, if any, was north-east, north or north-west. But not southwards towards Boom.
As the document text obviously says "Kampfgruppenführer" [leader of a battle group] the only possibility I see right now is that there might have occured a breakout of a part of troops at least - always estimated the data provided are correct. And Brandau and his Kampfgruppe joined another unit.

By chance I found this one (and renewed the request)
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 6#p1258796
Fernschreiben OKW/ WFSt Nr. 773222/44 gKdos Chefs:-von 4 September 1944 betr, Massnahmen infolge des britischen panzerdurchbruchs in Richtung Antwerpen (gez. Warlimont)
Teletype message by OKW concerning the counter-measures against the british tank raid to Antwerpen :idea: Surely contains orders about the harbor, etc. Possibly more about the matter in question.

regards, Bernd

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Re: Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#6

Post by jarek_g » 22 Oct 2008, 10:50

According my files Major Fritz-Peter Brandau was command from 1.07.1943 Ost. Btl. 229 (in 197. ID).
Jarek

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Bernd R
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Re: Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#7

Post by Bernd R » 24 Oct 2008, 23:26

...which underlines the assumption that Brandau had a longer career in leading Osttruppen ; apparently with a kind of talent / skills which qualified him for that. Ost-Bataillon 229 was dissolved in January 1944 per Tessin, Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht.

Bernd

MarcV
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Re: Ost-Bataillon 600 - Boom,Oeleghem Sep 1944

#8

Post by MarcV » 28 Jan 2020, 22:20

Although these posts are from more than 15 years ago, I did a bit of research in this bataillon and have a few answers:
Fritz Brandau was transferred to Ostbtl 600 in March 1944 from Ostbtl 629. At that time (from at least Feb 1944) 600 was located in Hulst (Dutch Flanders) with 3 companies and HQ, and 1 company in Antwerp in the harbour. The btl obviously needed experienced German management and Fritz was nearby (the 629 was located about 30k westwards).
The 600 was directly under the MilBef Belgien as part of KVA Antwerp until in May 1944 Divstab 136 under Stolberg was created. On Sep 2 1944 Stolberg moved the 600 from Hulst to Antwerp to defend the bridge over the Rupel near Boom where they were outsmarted by the Belgian resistance and overrun by 11 Armoured Division. It appears from English accounts that about 50 "Germans" (meaning Russians) were defending the bridge so my assumption is that the rest of the companies retreated via the harbour to the northeast to eventually be absorbed into Russ Div 650. DivStab 136 was under (rom) 89 Armeekorps until Sep 4 1944 when the command was moved to 88 (as they were responsible for the Netherlands and it was clear the battle was moving towards Woensdrecht in NL).

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