Gebirgsjäger in Russia 1941-42.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

The Umán Cauldron.

The 4 GD's Commanding Officer reported that: From Podwyssokoje the Russians attacked with infantry. Several of those assaults were broken in front of the III. /GJR 91 and IR 477 and the enemy underwent serious losses. From Kopjenkowata they advanced in trucks taken advantage of the darkness with armored advance guards as their cover. In the direction of Peregonowka they did not break through the GJR 13. Nevertheless another attempt managed to prosper through a breach between the II. /GJR 91 and the III. /GJR 13.

Now the planned attack went on: The 97 Le. ID fired upon the town of Kopjenkowata with its artillery and with one kampfgruppe had occupied Rogowo and the heights to the east of the locality, assuring therefore the deep flank of the 4 GD; at 10:00 hours the division of hunters attacked with five frontline battalions ahead, in front of them, stretched the wooded zone of Podwyssokoje with about three kilometers in length and two of width. To the north fought the 125 ID in the large wooded zone (5 kilometers by 3 kilometers) located south of Njerubajka - Torgowizy.

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

The Umán Cauldron.

Meanwhile it was approximated from the rear the 295 ID and its reconnaissance detachment (AA 295) should close the gap between the IR 477 and the GJR 13 in order to avoid the escape of hostile forces at night 0(6 to 07 Aug 1941). The order of the Army Corps for this very night, 06 to 07 of August said to avoid the breakthrough of the cauldron by enemy units. For Aug 07 1941 the order to them were: the 1 GD was to stay in the reached positions and to connect with the 297 ID at Point 185; the 4 GD had to retain their present positions; the 97 Le. ID had to attack at 12:00 hours towards Podwyssokoje on Army Corps’orders and the 125 ID was to avoid the rupture of Russian forces from the western edge of the forest located to the west of Nebelewka.

Finally the division could maintain to the perimeter of the encirclement avoiding all the attempts of rupture conducted by the Soviet forces and when the locality of Podwyssokoje fell in German hands, the resistance within the cauldron yielded until being extinguished on Aug 08 1941. On Aug At 16:00 hours the Kampfgruppe Pickert had couterattacked (1 GD) hence at that time four mountain infantry battalions moved forward from the east and Southeast, crossing the Bondarjowka River and managed to conquer the Eastern sector of the town in one hard fight house to house. Around 18:30 hours the Kampfgruppe Lang had fpressed towards the northern fringe conquered height 185 and the bridge located to 2 kilometers to the northeast of the church of Podwyssokoje. During the night the gebirgsjägern occupied a defensive line there and rejected a new breakthrough attempt.

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

Across the Dnjepr and the endless steppe.

On Aug 15 1941 the 4 GD resumed its march, this time in the direction of Nowo-Ukrainka. In long bounds it came near to the Ingulez river which was crossed over on Sep 05 1941. Soon was reached the Dnjepr river, the second greatest one of European Russia, with its waters gray like stones and one kilometer of width; beyond the eastern bank stretched the endless steppe.


By the Dnjepr – Sept 1941.

The XXX AK had received the task of forcing the crossing of the river and the planning fell on the Geb Pi. Reg Stab 620. The Pi. Führer of XXXIX Geb AK was Oberst Zimmer and with the Geb Pi Btl(s) of the 1 GD and the 4 GD plus a Rumanian combat engineer company, were in charge of laying the pontoon bridge of 480 meters in length and composed of 116 pontoons and 58 small boats in the zone of Berislaw. On Sep 14 1941, the Division got across the Dnjepr through a pontoon bridge in Berislawl. On September 23 of 1941 the 4 GD was directed towards Crimea but it had to return when a Russian counter-offensive penetrated through the Rumanians lines in the sector of the Sea of Azow.

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

Across the endless steppe.


The Oberleutnant Späth's Company on the move.


At the beginning seen as liberators…………………..


First melons......................

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; you're welcome Fallschirmjager ! and thanks for joining, now the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

The conquest of the Donez basin.

After ending the battle by Mogila Tokmak at the beginning of October 1941, the 4 GD reached the Donez basin’s western edge.

On the first days of October 1941, the 1 Pz Group (form October 10 1941 the 1 Panzer Armee) with its III Pz Korps and XIV Pz Korps, later reinforced with the XXXXIX Geb AK and the LAH got the mission of seizing the Donez basin (the Soviet Union’s Ruhr) proceeding later towards Rostow in order to win a jump position to march against the Caucasus.

On October 08 1941, the russians stiffened the resistance against the 4 GD at Ssemjonowka, at 09:10 hours and with a massive fire support furnished by the artillery the GJR 91 went to the attack with two battalions and soon the II./ GJR 91 was in troubles. However the gebirgsjägers regained the initiative and in the afternoon reached the town’s eastern edge mopping up the village. Meanwhile the GJR 13 had marched by Nowo Michailowka – Balka – Kaikulka.

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

The conquest of the Donez basin.

The 4 GD close the ring from the west tightened it more and more till it was strangled. The enemy’s remnants were eliminated around Ssemjonowka by the GJR 13 and 91. On October 10 1941, the fight was over being destroyed the last enemy’s troops. The General Kübler told in his Day’s Order:

My soldiers! The Dnjepr river’s campaign has been won. The Soviet 9 and 18 Armies had been destroyed. At Antonowka you have destroyed the enemy’s bridgehead there. At Timoschewka you have rejected all the enemy’s attacks. At Belosjorka you have endured the attack counterattacking with success. At Mogila Tokmak the enemy’s fled was over and it was destroyed. I thank you to all with my whole heart.


Russian soldiers surrender to the troops of the 4 GD.

During the period that lasted from 06 September to 10 October 1941 the casualties, mainly within the GJR 91, reached the figure of 644 men, among them 12 Officers and 148 NCOs and Enlisted Men were killed.

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

The conquest of the Donez Basin.

After finishing off the encirclement, the XXXXIX Geb. Korps got another interesting mission, within the framework of the 1. Pz Armee it should went ahead to Rostow. The Mountain Corps had the following task: to seize the industrial area of Stalino – Makejewka in order to secure the north flank of the thrust.

So the combat groups belonging to the GJR 13 and GJR 91 (both reinforced) under Oberst v. Thayssen and Oberst Ritter v. Stettner, followed its march towards Stalino rejecting several soviet counterattacks along its way. On Oct 15 1941, the situation was as follow: the CSIR had reached Bol. Janissalj and the 4 GD’s vanguards had seized Jelissawetowka and Annowka taken 100 POWs. On Oct 16 1941, the GJR 91 (reinforced) had conquered Jekaterinowka, Konstantinowka and Michailowka. Taking in account the general framework the gebirgsjägern marched 30/40 kilometers daily through the steppe.


Through the steppe ...........

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

Stalino.

In the foggy morning, On Oct 20 1941, the germans could see the city of Stalino and 12 kilometers eastwards, close to Makejewka, the factory of Kirowo. The gebirgsjägern (mountain hunters) had expected a heavy fight within the city, but nothing of this happened, in spite of its name, and that very day the german troops entered the town.


Environs of Stalino...........


industrial suburb...........


Outskirts...........


Suburbs of Stalino........

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story's last part....

The 4. Gebirgsdivision.

“Unternehmen Barbarossa” Jun - Oct 1941. From the San to the Mius.

On the Mius River.

On Oct 23 1941, the Enzian Division proceeded towards Dmitrijewka, which was located 80 kilometers far to the east of Stalino on the Mius river and almost 100 kilometers norwest from Rostow. The new task was now to establish a bridgehead on the river’s eastern bank at Nowo Pawlowka.

However a new danger had materialized on the Italian sector where the Russian pressed towards Djakowo and only after heavy fights the enemy could be driven back over the Mius.


Enjoying of a break – Mius stelleung. Oct 1941

Sources: "Enzian und Edelweiß / Die 4. Gebirgsdivision 1940 - 1945" Julius Braun.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... GebD-R.htm
FotoAlbum Gebirgsjager. Subasta eBay Nº: 230215413603 (finalizada).
http://www.enziandivision.de/Gebirgsdivision.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; now the 1. Gebirgs Division..................

The 1 GD on the Eastern Front.

The 1. GD and the 4. GD, together with the 125. ID, the 97. le ID and a Slowakian Fast Brigade formed the XXXXIX. (Gebirgs) Armee-Korps for oncoming advanced into Russia. Commanding General of this Army Corps was General Ludwig Kübler while the 1. GD had changed from General Kübler to Generalmajor Lanz. The GJR 98 was now commanded by Oberst Picker. The Commanding Officer of the III. Bataillon, was Major Salminger.

After the campaign into France the 3rd Regiment (Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 100) of the 1. Gebirgs-Division was used as the „nucleus" to form the 5. Gebirgs-Division. Thus, the 1. Gebirgs-Divison had to go into battle in the East with only two Jäger-Regiments, the 98th and the 99th.

For the advance into Russia those two regiments, which represented the backbone of the division, were reinforced by detachments from the divisional artillery (Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 79) and by some further divisional troops. Both reinforced regiments formed so called Gefechtsgruppen (Battle Groups) that where named after the respective regimental commanders „Gefechtsgruppe Picker" and „Gefechtsgruppe Kreß". A third „Gefechtsgruppe Lang", was named after the Commander of the Gebirgs-Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 44 (Divisional Anti-Tank Battalion). This Gefechtsgruppe acted as an advance group. The remaining units of the division formed the divisional staff, an Artillery Group „Artillerie Gruppe Winkler".

Sources: http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/kopold9.htm
Bilderserie. Mit der II./ GAR 79 im Feldzug gegen Russland. Maj. Baron v. Le Fort, Ow Kelle, Ogefr Wengert +, Ogefr Schweizer, Ogefr Heil. Hagridmerlino.
German Mountain Troops in WW II. Roland Kaltenegger.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Div1-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more on the 1. Gebirgs Division..................

The 1 GD on the Eastern Front.

On the morning of 22nd June 1941 Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 98 was positioned around the little village of Dzikow in the southern part of what was Poland until September 1939. At 03:15 hours in the morning Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 advanced across the German-Soviet demarcation line which had been established in October 1939. Its first objective was the Polish town of Lemberg (L’vov)

The hostile defensive positions along the border were broken and the mountain hunters’ spearhead reached the high ground located one kilometer south of Futory.

Sources: http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/kopold9.htm
Bilderserie. Mit der II./ GAR 79 im Feldzug gegen Russland. Maj. Baron v. Le Fort, Ow Kelle, Ogefr Wengert +, Ogefr Schweizer, Ogefr Heil. Hagridmerlino.
German Mountain Troops in WW II. Roland Kaltenegger.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Div1-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more on the 1. Gebirgs Division..................

The 1 GD on the Eastern Front.


The Commander of the II. /GAR 79 Major Baron v. Le Fort briefing the Commander of the Gefechtsgruppe (Oberst Pickert?).


From the first moment the assault guns had furnished support for the advance.

On 25 June, before the division reached Lemberg, III./ GJR 98 encountered heavy Russian tanks (KW-1 and KW-2)for the first time and also by the well armoured and agile T-34’s near Jazow Stary. Again the German anti-tank guns (3,7 cm) weren't able to stop them. This weapon soon was nicknamed by the Landsers „Heeresanklopfgerät", which could be translated as „The army’s door-knocking device". Luckily there were also some 88 mm anti-aircraft guns on the spot who engaged some of the T-34’s.


A soviet destroyed tank..............


More victims................

One of the Jägers, the prewar Ski World Champion Feldwebel Gustl Berauer (See Photo), from the 13./III. Bataillon stopped 3 of the T-34’s with his squad. One was stopped by Berauer by placing hand grenades into the muzzle of the gun. Another one was finished off by Berauer by lobbing a hand grenade into the open commander’s hatch. This day a total number of 28 tanks were killed in close combat by the Jägers of Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 98.


A light tank BT-7............


A T-34 being checked by gebirgsjägern............

Sources: http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/kopold9.htm
Bilderserie. Mit der II./ GAR 79 im Feldzug gegen Russland. Maj. Baron v. Le Fort, Ow Kelle, Ogefr Wengert +, Ogefr Schweizer, Ogefr Heil. Hagridmerlino.
German Mountain Troops in WW II. Roland Kaltenegger.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Div1-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more on the 1. Gebirgs Division..................

The 1 GD on the Eastern Front.

On June 27 of 1941, the II. /GAR 79 (attached to the Gefechtsgruppe Picker - GJR 98) reached the south-east of Borowusy.


An OP of the II./ GAR 79................

Sources: http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/kopold9.htm
Bilderserie. Mit der II./ GAR 79 im Feldzug gegen Russland. Maj. Baron v. Le Fort, Ow Kelle, Ogefr Wengert +, Ogefr Schweizer, Ogefr Heil. Hagridmerlino.
German Mountain Troops in WW II. Roland Kaltenegger.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Div1-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more on the 1. Gebirgs Division..................

The 1 GD on the Eastern Front.

On Jun 28 1941, the advance continued through the wooded land around Janow towards Lemberg.

Sources: http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/kopold9.htm
Bilderserie. Mit der II./ GAR 79 im Feldzug gegen Russland. Maj. Baron v. Le Fort, Ow Kelle, Ogefr Wengert +, Ogefr Schweizer, Ogefr Heil. Hagridmerlino.
German Mountain Troops in WW II. Roland Kaltenegger.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Div1-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

The 1 GD on the Eastern Front.

On Jun 29 1941, the Combat Group reached Zoruiska and then it was organized for the fighting; the attack pressed on quickly.



Sources: http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/kopold9.htm
Bilderserie. Mit der II./ GAR 79 im Feldzug gegen Russland. Maj. Baron v. Le Fort, Ow Kelle, Ogefr Wengert +, Ogefr Schweizer, Ogefr Heil. Hagridmerlino.
German Mountain Troops in WW II. Roland Kaltenegger.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Div1-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .