Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

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reinaart
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Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#1

Post by reinaart » 05 Sep 2010, 21:57

In his book"Overlord" Max Hastings provides quite a few excerpts from an interview he had with Rudolf Schaaf. From these it becomes clear that Schaaf was the commander of 10th battery of 1716. Artillerie Regiment (716. ID). Hastings actually mentions 3rd battery but that is probably a mistake (according to most sources that is). Apparently this was a self-propelled battery which in all probability consisted of s.FH 13/1 (155mm howitzers) on Lorraine Schleppers. I find Schaaf's experiences quite fascinating and I wonder if any memoirs of/ or interviews with this man have been published. I would also like to know if some of the following events could be traced back in British war diaries. The following quotes are all from "Overlord":

"Some of the fire falling upon Sword beach during the morning came from the four 150mm self-propelled guns of 3rd Battery 1716th Artillery Regiment, firing from a position at Plumetot, 3,000 yards inland from the coast. After standing by since midnight, at dawn its commander, Lieutenant Rudolf Schaaf, walked forward a little way until he could see the great invasion fleet stretched out before him off the coast. He found the spectacle impressive rather than frightening-it all seemed somehow detached from himself-"Well", he wondered thoughtfully, "what do we do now ?"Contact with the battery's forward observer in a resistance nest on the beach was lost soon after first light. Thereafter, the guns fired on predetermined DF's-Defensive Fire Targets- measured many weeks before. Around midmorning, Schaaf was suddenly ordered to take his guns immediately north to the coast, and counter-attack towards Lion-sur-Mer with infantry of the 3rd Batallion of 736th Regiment."


"It was a pathetic episode. The first man of the battery to be killed was a taxi-driver from Leipzig who had been posted back to Germany several days earlier, but lingered in order to buy food and presents to take home. Now he died driving forward a truck loaded with ammunition. The German infantry were middle-aged men. They were strafed intermittendly from the air as they advanced in open order down the gentle decline to the sea, and soon found themselves under fierce gun and small-arms fire. Schaaf's guns, astonishingly, approached Lion intact at around 10.30 a.m., and the Germans watched British infantrymen scuttling for cover, lacking heavy weapons or tanks to deal with them. As they fired into the buildings over open sights, little clusters of invaders emerged with their hands up, and were hustled to the rear. But the weight of British fire rapidly overwhelmed the infantry. When the Germans at last despaired and began to pull back, only 20 men of the 3rd/736th remained with their guns when they reached the old battery position. They examined their prisoners, and were awed by their superb maps, food and equipment. Schaaf ordered them to be herded into a shell hole. In great agitation, a German-speaking British officer produced a copy of the Geneva Convention which he waved at the artilleryman, declaring forcefully that it was illegal to shoot them."Nobody is going to be shot,"said Schaaf brusquely. A few minutes later he was telephoned by the excitable Major Hof, his batallion commander, and ordered to advance immediately to regimental HQ, two miles away on Hill 61, and attempt to extricate them from heavy attack. Schaaf abandoned his prisoners in their shell hole, and departed south-eastwards."

One May morning, Rommel visited the 1716th Artillery Regiment in their positions around Quistreham. He told the assembled circle of artillery officers:"If they come, they'll come here". Schaaf did not really believe him. Twice wounded in the leg in Russia, Schaaf was one of many officers and men posted to France because they were unfit for further service in the east- he walked with a pronounced limp. He and most of his comrades were enjoying their time in France, with plenty to eat and drink, all of it cheap. Above all, they were thankful to be out of the east. "The soldiers did as little work as possible,"he said, and we were too busy putting up wire and planting Rommel's asparagus to have much time for training.

Lieutenant Rudolf Schaaf, commanding a self-propelled battery of the 1716th Artillery, was telephoned at 3.00 a.m. and ordered to take his guns to join the counter-attack against the British airborne bridgehead. Yet he had driven only a few miles across country when he received a radio message recalling them to their original positions.

Meanwhile the KSLI (King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry) had been pressing on alone down the road to Caen, fighting a brisk battle for the possession of Hill 61, whence Major Hof had telephoned Schaaf and asked him to bring his self-propelled guns to the aid of regimental HQ. Schaaf duly advanced through cornfields. He saw the heads of the Shropshires peering at him over the standing corn, rapidly disappearing when he opened fire. But by now, a squadron of the Staffordshire's Shermans had caught up. When Schaaf spotted these, he determined that for self-propelled guns to engage tanks was beyond the call of duty. He beat a hasty retreat. When he next found a telephone line and tried to contact regimental HQ, an English voice-presumably one of the victorious KSLI- answered the call.

The German batallion commander of the 3rd/18th Infantry told Schaaf that he had been told to pull back to Caen with his 30 or so surviving men. Without orders since the fall of his regimental headquarters, Schaaf decided to do likewise. Driving south-eastwards, he lost one gun, which threw a track and became bogged down in a ditch. The drive continued without incident, until he glimpsed ahead a rude roadblock of farm implements manned by British soldiers. He ordered his men to take off their helmets, and laid a tarpaulin over the side of the hull to conceal the German black cross. As they roared past the roadblock, they could see that the British had identified them but they were too surprised to intervene. They saw no more troops of any nationality until three miles on, at the outskirts of Caen, where they encountered German infantry. A stream of stragglers and survivors, men and vehicles, were making their way back into the perimeter from the coast. When Schaaf reported to the divisional artillery headquarters, he was told that his was the only battery, among 11 in the regiment, to make contact since morning. They pressed him for information about the situation forward, about which there was still a terrible confusion. Then he was ordered to take up position near Epron, just north of the city. They remained in action there until, weeks later, ceaseless use had reduced their guns to wrecks.

Throughout the 7th and the 8th, the Canadians and the fanatical teenagers of the SS Hitler Jugend fought some of the fiercest actions of the campaign, with heavy losses to both sides. Lieutenant Schaaf of the 1716th Artillery was at Corps headquarters in a mineshaft outside Caen when a swaggering colonel from the 12th SS Panzer arrived to announce his intention not to halt anywhere before the sea. This, of course was the legendary Meyer, who assumed command of the division a few days later......
......"The SS showed that they believed that thus far, everybody had been fighting like milkmaids," said Schaaf. He watched the bleak young men of the Hitler Jugend Division riding forward into their attack, and saw some of them return that night, utterly spent, crying tears of frustration for their failure to reach their objective. "It was a very sad chapter for them".

Some men had been fortunate enough to achieve their Heim ins Reich before the collapse in Normandy came.....
.....Lieutenant Schaaf and his gunners of the 1716th Artillery had been sent back to re-equip with new guns when those which they had fired since 6 June were worn out from ceaseless use.

Arjan

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#2

Post by Manuferey » 06 Sep 2010, 22:08

In 1943, 10./716 had indeed three (not four) 15 cm sFH13 (sfl) i.e. old WW1 German 15 cm howitzers (not 155 mm) mounted on French Lorraine tracked chassis. No other battery of the 716th ID had SPGs.

However, these SPGs were replaced before May 1944 by four 15.5 cm sFH414(f) (ex-French 155 mm Court Mle 1917 Schneider). The same happened to battery 8./1709 (Reichenau) in the Cherbourg peninsula.

These SPGs were most probably transferred to another unit, my guess is the 21. PzDiv, e.g. 6. or 9./Pz. Art.Ret. 155.

So it looks like some references in Max Hastings/Rudolf Schaaf data have been mixed up. :?

Emmanuel


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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#3

Post by reinaart » 07 Sep 2010, 11:23

Thanks for your contribution Emmanuel. Your suggestion that the sF13/1 Howitzers on Lorraine Chassis were exchanged by 15.5cm sF414(f) guns is rather puzzling. As far as I know these latter guns were never used on SPG mounts which would imply that Schaaf's account must be utterly false. After all there are quite a few references to SPG in his account of the events. Personally I feel that the story Schaaf relates is quite convincing.

Regards,

Arjan

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#4

Post by Martin Block » 07 Sep 2010, 12:35

From what is recorded Emmanuel is correct! The 10./Art.Rgt. 1716 was formed upon an order of OKH/GenStdH/Org.Abt. dated 19.12.1943 by renaming the former independent "Gerätebatterie Graf Waldersee" with its three 15 cm sFH 13/1 (Sf) Geschützwagen Lorraine-Schlepper (f) (Sd.Kfz. 135/1). But in the same order it was stated that it was already planned to convert the battery to four towed 15.5 cm sFH414(f) guns. Indeed the monthly strength reports of the 716. Inf.Div. then show the 10./1716 with 3 s/p guns until 1.2.1944 but by 1.3.1944 they had been replaced by 4 towed French 15.5 cm guns. Can't tell what had happened to the 3 s/p guns but it doesn't look like they went to the Pz.Art.Rgt. 155 of the 21. Pz.Div. because (unless kept in reserve) their figures show no increase during the spring of 1944.

Could be that the three 15 cm sFH 13/1 (Sf) Geschützwagen Lorraine-Schlepper (f) (Sd.Kfz. 135/1) once again formed an independent battery and remained in the 716. Inf.Div.'s sector. At least - if I remember it correctly - in some other Normandy books Mr. Schaaf's battery was once again referred to under its former name 'Graf Waldersee'.

In limited instances, when there was some surplus weaponry and personnel available, divisions/corps/armies 'unofficially' formed company and even battalion sized extra units upon their own initiative (= auf dem Kommandowege). Usually not much later it was tried to make such units 'official' by asking the top brass at OKH/GenStdH/Org.Abt. for permission in order to become able to officially claim supplies, spare parts etc. for such units. This was called 'Etatisierung', i.e. a unit formed 'auf dem Kommandowege' finally became officially recognized as part of the army). This could have happened with Mr. Schaaf's battery too, but unfortunately so far this is only speculation on my part which I am unable to verify with any documents.

Just my 2 Cents

Martin Block

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#5

Post by reinaart » 07 Sep 2010, 13:47

Thanks Martin for your efforts to clear this mystery. Perhaps the three SPG's in question did in fact constitute an 11th, unofficial battery. What surprised me in one of the fragments from "Overlord" provided above is that an 11th battery is mentioned, whereas I thought there were no more than 10 official batteries in this Artillery Regiment :

"When Schaaf reported to the divisional artillery headquarters, he was told that his was the only battery, among 11 in the regiment, to make contact since morning."

Regards,

Arjan

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#6

Post by Sam Wren » 07 Sep 2010, 21:37

Martin,

this may not be the book you were thinking of, but Hubert Meyer refers to this batterie on Pg 72 of Kriegsgeschichte der 12.SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend" erste Band:

"Die weiter links angreifende "Gruppe Rauch" konnte dagegen gut vorankommen. Sie stieß genau in die Lücke zwischen der 3rd British und der 3rd Canadien (sic) Infantry Division. Im weiteren Forschreiten schloß sich diesem Angriff das III./Grenadierregiment 736 mit der 15 cm Selbstfahrlafettenbatterie "Graf Waldersee" aus dem Raum nördlich Plumetot an. Diese Kampfgruppe hatte am Vormittag schon in einem Gegenangriff den Strand bei Lion-sur-Mer erreicht, mußte aber zurückgehen, als sie in Flanke und Rücken angegriffen wurde. Gegen 19 Uhr errichte die so verstärkte Kampfgruppe Rauch den Strand bei Luc-ser-Mer, wo sich noch einige deutsche Stützpunke gegen alle Angriffe gehalten hatten. Sie bereitete sich darauf vor, entlang der Küste weiter vorzustoßen und die Engländer, die im Vorgehen nach Süden waren, von ihrer Versorgungsbasis abzuschneiden. Da trat ein Ereignis ein, das eine entscheidende Wendung herbeiführte."

The same text is found on Pg. 129 of the Stackpole softback English version, The 12th SS, Volume One:

" "Kampfgruppe Rauch", attacking further to the left was able to make good headway. It pushed exactly into the gap between the 3rd British and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. During the further advance, the III./Grenadierregiment 736 with the 15 cm self-propelled batterie "Graf Waldersee" joined this attack from the area north of Plumetot. This Kampfgruppe had already reached the beach near Lion-sur-Mer during a counterattack before noon, but had to withdraw when it was attacked on the flank and in the rear. Around 19.00 hours the reinforced Kampfgruppe Rauch reached the beach near Luc-sur-Mer where a few German strongpoints had withstood all attacks so far. The Kampfgruppe prepared to advance further along the coast and to cut off the English, who were advancing to the south, from their supply bases. Then an event occurred which brought about a decisive turn-around."

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#7

Post by reinaart » 07 Sep 2010, 22:49

Thanks a lot Sam! This seems to be the final piece in the puzzle .

Arjan

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#8

Post by Sam Wren » 08 Sep 2010, 08:57

Well, maybe not just yet. Meyer lists as his sources Kortenhaus's Divisional history of the 21 PD, which was in extremely limited circulation at the time, and MS B-441 "Geschichte der 21.Panzerdivision für die Zeit von ihrer Aufstellung bis zum Invasionsbeginn" by Generalmajor Feuchtinger. Kortenhaus, in turn, uses Feuchtinger's Foreign Military Studies manuscripts as a source.

So, apart from Schaaf's testimony, the only other source for information on Batterie "Graf Waldersee" is a history that was put together by Feuchtinger from memory almost two years after the fact. It is possible that Kortenhaus obtained his info from other sources but this is unknown since he did not use footnotes, just a list of sources at the end of the book. Perhaps Feuchtinger had an excellent memory and was able to remember all the details just right. But if his was anything like mine, after a few weeks the events start to run into each other and get all mixed up. I would feel much happier if I could find some documentary evidence that is not sourced from Kortenhaus or from any of the FMS manuscripts.

For what it's worth, Kortenhaus says this (Pg 63 of Reprint) and my questionable translations:
"Die einzige bewegliche Batterie, die 3./I Abteilung "Graf Waldersee", verfügte über vier Geschütze s.F.H. 414 (französisch) Kaliber 15 cm auf französischen Selbstfahr-Lafetten. Die Batterie stand in Feldstellungen bei Plumetot...

"The only mobile battery, the 3./I. Abteilung "Graf Waldersee", had four sFH 414 (French) 15 cm caliber guns mounted on French self-propelled gun carriages. The battery stood in field positions at Plumetot..." [obviously, Kortenhaus was wrong about the howitzer]

Pg. 107:
"Die noch einsatzfähig gebliebene 3./Artl.Rgt. 1716 "Graf Waldersee" der 716.Inf.Div. schoss bei aufkommender Helligkeit, von einer B-Stelle geleitet, mit ihren vier 15 cm - Geschützen Sperrfeuer auf den Strand zwischen Luc-sur-Mer und Lion-sur-Mer und auf die Merville-Batterie."
something like this in English:
"The still operational 3./Artl.Rgt. 1716 "Graf Waldersee" of the 716. Inf. Div, directed from an observation post, remained firing in the emerging light, with its four 15 cm artillery barrage, onto the beach between Luc-sur-Mer and Lion-sur-Mer and the Merville Battery."

Still on Pg. 107:
"Noch vor 10.00 Uhr trat das III./Inf.Rgt 738, unterstütz durch die Batterie "Graf Waldersee", aus dem Raum Plumentot zu einem Gegenangriff in Richtung Lion-sur-Mer an. Der Angriff stieß bis zur Kirche von Lion-sur-Mer durch, und zwei Geschütze der Batterie "Graf Waldersee" erreichten die Wasserlinie...Ein starker englischer Gegenangriff von Westen im Rücken zwang die Kampfgruppe zum Rückzug"

"Even before 10.00 o'clock the III./Inf.Rgt 738, supported by the "Graf Waldersee" Battery, moved out from the Plumentot area to counter-attack in the direction of Lion-sur-Mer. The attack broke through up to the church of Lion-sur-Mer and two cannons of the "Graf Waldersee" Battery€ reached the waterline...A strong English counter attack from the West and from behind forced the Kampfgruppe to retreat."

I will post some more later if anyone finds it useful, helpful or entertaining. Or if you send me money.

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#9

Post by reinaart » 08 Sep 2010, 12:03

Thanks a lot Sam, of course I can only speak for myself but I do find your input both interesting and useful. As for financial rewards, I hope that my gratitude is a sufficient incentive to continue your quest for historical truth :milwink: .

Regards,

Arjan

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#10

Post by Manuferey » 09 Sep 2010, 00:12

Sam,

Did the 15 cm sFH13 (sfl) of Pz. Art.-Regt. 155 ever operate in the same area as the 10./716? If yes some witnesses could have mixed up these guns with the previous guns of 10./716 not knowing about the change in armament. :idea:

Emmanuel

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#11

Post by JonS » 09 Sep 2010, 11:50

Pz.-Art.-Regt. 155 (21 Pz.Div.)
Gefechtsstand – St. André-sur-Orne
Kdr: Oberstleutnant Heribert Hühne
. I. Btl.
. Gefechtsstand – Mathieu
. Kdr: Hauptmann Feckler
. . 1.Bttr. – Beuville (four 12.2cm le.FH (r) each)
. . 2.Bttr. – Périers sur le Dan (four 12.2cm le.FH (r) each)
. . 3.Bttr. – Colomby-sur-Thaon (four 10cm K)
. II. Btl.
. Gefechtsstand – May-sur-Orne
. Kdr: Hauptmann Hans Thannenberger
. . 4.-5. Bttr. (six 10.5cm le.FH (Sfl.) auf Lorraine-Schlepper each)
. . 6. Bttr. (six 15cm s.FH (Sfl.) auf Lorraine-Schlepper)
. III. Btl.
. Gefechtsstand III. – Thury-Harcourt
. Kdr: Hauptmann Freiherr von Ziegeser
. . 7.-8. Bttr. (six 10.5cm le.FH (Sfl.) auf Lorraine-Schlepper each)
. . 9. Bttr. (six 15cm s.FH (Sfl.) auf Lorraine-Schlepper)
. . 10. Bttr. (Werf.) – Bourguebus (two 8.14cm Reihenwerfer (Sfl.))
Art.-Regt. 1716 (716 Inf.Div.)
Gefechtsstand – Unknown
Kdr.: Oberstleutnant Helmut Knüppe
. I. Abtl.
. Gefechtsstand – Colomby
. . 1. Bttr. – Merville (four 10cm le.F.H. 14/19 (t))
. . 2. Bttr. – WN 16 (Colleville-sur-Orne) (four 10cm le.F.H. 14/19 (t))
. . 3. Bttr. – Bréville (northeast of Caen) (four 7.5cm FK 16 n.A.)
. . 4. Bttr. – WN 12 (Ouistreham “Water Tower Battery”) (four 15cm s.F.H. 414 (f))
. . 10. Bttr. – 4 kilometers northeast of Bayeux (four 15cm s.F.H. 414 (f))
. II. Abtl.
. Gefechtsstand – Crépon
. . 5. Bttr. – WN 35b (Crépon) (four 10cm le.F.H. 14/19 (t))
. . 6. Bttr. – WN 32 (la Mare-Fontaine) (four 10cm le.F.H. 14/19 (t))
. . 7. Bttr. – WN 28a (Bény-sur-Mer) (four 10cm le.F.H. 14/19 (t))
. III. Abtl. (attached to 352. Inf.-Div.)
It seems obvious to me that any Sfl.'s that 716 may have had were transferred to 21 PzDiv.

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#12

Post by reinaart » 09 Sep 2010, 14:33

If we assume that the info provided by Rudolf Schaaf and Hubert Meyer is correct and if Plumetot was the starting point of the SP battery's action, the answer to Emmanuel's question must be "No".

Did the 15 cm sFH13 (sfl) of Pz. Art.-Regt. 155 ever operate in the same area as the 10./716? If yes some witnesses could have mixed up these guns with the previous guns of 10./716 not knowing about the change in armament. :idea:

The Gefechtsstand of 6. and 9. battery of Pz.Art.Reg. 155 was May-sur-Orne and Thury-Harcourt repectively. Both locations are well to the south of Caen. This map gives an idea of the locations mentioned by both Schaaf and Meyer:

Image

Arjan

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#13

Post by Martin Block » 09 Sep 2010, 14:49

JonS,

Since records of the 21. Pz.Div. show that the number of available 15 cm sFH 13/1 (Sf) Geschützwagen Lorraine-Schlepper (f) (Sd.Kfz. 135/1) remained exactly the same from the beginning of January until the beginnig of June 1944, and since all other sources quoted so far without exception claim the battery of Lt. Schaaf as belonging to the 716. Inf.Div., it doesn't seem obvious to me that the s/p guns might have been transferred to 21. Pz.Div.!

In the book "Assault on the guns of Merville" by Alan Jefferson published in 1987 for instance one finds reference to a "Erinnerungsprotokoll über den Einsatz des Artl.Reg. 1716 in den ersten Tagen der Invasion im Juni 1944" prepared by the former CO of Art.Rgt. 1716, the former adjutant of the I./1716, the former adjutant of II./1716 and last but not least the CO of the self-propelled "Batterie Graf Waldersee"/10./1716, i.e. Rudolf Schaaf. Unfortunately there is little mentioning of Mr. Schaaf in the book because it mainly focusses on the combats of the 1./1716 located in Merville, but perhaps this "Erinnerungsprotokoll" may have been the source of Hubert Meyer, Max Hasting a.o. for their quotes about "Batterie Graf Waldersee" ex 10./1716.

Martin Block

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#14

Post by JonS » 09 Sep 2010, 21:18

reinaart wrote:"Did the 15 cm sFH13 (sfl) of Pz. Art.-Regt. 155 ever operate in the same area as the 10./716? If yes some witnesses could have mixed up these guns with the previous guns of 10./716 not knowing about the change in armament. :idea:"

If we assume that the info provided by Rudolf Schaaf and Hubert Meyer is correct and if Plumetot was the starting point of the SP battery's action, the answer to Emmanuel's question must be "No". The Gefechtsstand of 6. and 9. battery of Pz.Art.Reg. 155 was May-sur-Orne and Thury-Harcourt repectively. Both locations are well to the south of Caen.
True, but presumably they didn't stay there for long once the shooting started.

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Re: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schaaf Normandy 1944

#15

Post by Sam Wren » 17 Sep 2010, 10:14

No money? What about beer?

There were actually four different units of 21. Pz.-Div. that were equipped with the Gesch. Pz. s.F.H. 13 Lorraine (as they are labelled on the Gliederung):
9./Pz.-Gren.-Regt 125 (with 6)
9./Pz.-Gren.-Regt 192 (with 6)
6./Pz.-Art.-Regt 155 (with 6)
9./Pz-Art.-Regt. 155 (with 6)

According to Kortenhaus, the locations of these units - as far as can be ascertained - was thus (Pg. 65-67):
9./Pz.-Gren.-Regt 125 - ?, but east of the Orne
9./Pz.-Gren.-Regt 192 - 9. schw. Inf. Gesch.Kompanie: Croisilles
6./Pz.-Art.-Regt 155 - no specifics, but " II./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155 in the area of St. André-sur-Orne - St. Martin-sur-Fontenay - May-sur-Orne"
9./Pz-Art.-Regt. 155 - no specifics, but "III./Pz.Artl.Rgt.155 in the area of St.Aignan-de-Cramesnil - Bourguebus

There is very little mention of the artillery of the 21. Pz Div in Kortenhaus's history relating to the first few days of the invasion. Here is what I found, picking up from where I left off earlier. All translations are mine and may not be very accurate. The quoted parts are all from Kortenhaus's history:
****************************************
Page 109, evening 6.6.44:
The tenacious resistance of the 11th and 12 Companies of Inf.Rgt. 736, which still remained in their original positions, and particularly the counter-attack by the group including the "Graf Waldersee" battery, had frustrated this plan first.
(referring to the failure of the British and Canadians to close the gap between Sword and Juno on D-Day)
***************************************
Pg. 117-118:
21.Pz.Div was ordered to counterattack the British bridgeheads on both sides of the Orne during the evening of 6.6.44 with three Kampgruppen:
The area west of Hérouville, west of route 23:
The armored group von Oppeln, at first with II. and later I. Abtl. Pz.Rgt. 22, (less the 4. Kompanie);
I./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 125 (less the 3. Kompanie)
I./Pz.Pi.Btl. 220
III./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155.
Objective: coast between the Orne estuary - the eastern edge of Lion-sur-Mer.

In the St. Contest - Cussy area:
Gruppe Rauch with the I./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 192 (with Stab, 9. and 10. Kompanie)
II./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155
Objective: The coast at Lion-sur Mer.

For operations in the area east of the Orne:
Gruppe von Luck with 4./Pz.Rgt. 22,
II./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 125 (with 9. and 10. Kompanie),
3./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 125,
Pz.Aufkl.Abtl. 21,
Stu.Gesch. Abtl. 200.
So, to summarize, there were two 21.Pz.Div. subunits armed with Gesch. Pz. s.F.H. 13 Lorraine (15,0 cm SP) with Kampfgruppe Rauch: 9. (sIG)/Pz.Gren.Rgt. 192, which was with the the Stab of this Regt and 6./Pz.Artl.Regt. 155 (part of II./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155).

If my reading is correct, these were the orders and it cannot be assumed that all of these subunits actually took part in the attack as planned (I am only doing spot translations at this time so I could be missing some important info but will update as I continue translating additional pages).

The other subunits of the 21.Pz.Div. equipped with Gesch. Pz. s.F.H. 13 Lorraine were allocated to Kampgruppe von Oppeln (9./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155 of III./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155) which was to attack along the western side of the Orne toward Lion-sur-Mer and the fourth was with Kampfgruppe von Luck on the eastern side of the Orne (9. sIG/Pz.-Gren.-Regt 125).

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Pg. 124-125, evening of 6.6.44:
The remaining guns of the "Graf Waldersee" battery, a few guns of Pz.Jg.Abtl. 200 and of the Pz.Art.Rgt. 155, mainly at La Bijude and Epron, were the only heavy weapons that were available to secure the left flank of the division. In addition, there were three guns of 2./s.Artl.Abtl. 989 just north of Caen.
[Here it might be a good idea to mention the location of the batteries of I./Pz.Art.Abt 155, which are given on page 65=66: I./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155, Oberst Huehne
Gefechtsstand: nördlich Mathieu
1. Batterie: Beuville
2. Batterie: Périeres
3. Batterie: Colomby
These are almost certainly the guns referred to in the text as Kortenhaus refers to them simply as "Geschütze" and does not mention that any of them were self-propelled. And as the batteries of the I./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155 were in the area anyway, there is no reason to think that these are guns from II./ or III./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155]

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So far, it is possible that Gesch. Pz. s.F.H. 13 Lorraine of the 9./Pz.Gren.Rgt 192 and/or the 6./Pz.Artl.Rgt. 155 of the 21.Pz.Div. were involved in the attack of Kampfgruppe Rauch toward the coast. It is this Kampfgruppe to which the "Graf Waldersee" Battery was attached so there were potentially 21.PD Gesch. Pz. s.F.H. 13 Lorraine in the same area of operations as the "Graf Waldersee" Battery.

I will continue to add more as I translate more of Kortenhaus's book.

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