Defence of Magnushez Bridgehead Jan 1945

[Der Alte Fritz]

Hello
I am looking for the order of battle of the 9th Army with some idea of the numbers of troops, guns, tanks facing the Magushez bridgehead in Jan 1945 before the attack by the 1st Belorussian Front.

From Wikipedia:
9th Army (General Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz to 20 January; then General Theodor Busse)
LVI Panzer Corps (General Johannes Block)
XXXXVI Panzer Corps (General Walter Fries)
VIII Corps (General Walter Hartmann)

If anyone can help please.

[Christoph Awender]

Hello,

Situation AOK 9 on 31.12.44
LVI.Pz.Korps
214.ID StuG/Jagdpz. 10/9 s.Pak 24
17.ID StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1 s.Pak 15
Stu.G.Brig.210 StuG/Jagdpz. 32/3
Flak Rgt.10 (2 Abtlgen.) Flak 24
VIII.A.K.
45.VGD StuG/Jagdpz. 9 Pak Sf. 6/2 s.Pak 10
6.VGD StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1 s.Pak 12
251 .ID StuG/Jagdpz. 7 s.Pak 21
H.Flak Abt.306 Flak 30
H.Stu.G.Lehr-Brig.920 StuG/Jagdpz. 37/5 Pak Sf. 9/1
Festungs-Pak.Kp. 2., 3., 6., 7., 8., 10., 12./II m.Pak 82/2 s.Pak 22
Flak Rgt.10 (2 Abtlgen.) Flak 24
XXXXVI.Pz.K.
73.ID s.Pak 10
Pz.Jg.Kp.1510 StuG/Jagdpz. 12/1
1./H.Pz.Jg.Abt.661 s.Pak 10/2
337.VGD StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1 s.Pak 9
Festungs-Kdt.Warschau
Festungs-Pak Kp.1., 2./V u. 2./VI m.Pak 26, s.Pak 11
Art.Pak.Abt.1061 s.Pak 19/1
s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.661 ohne 1 Kp. s.Pak 17/7
- 3.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.743 StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1
Armeereserve
XXXX.Pz.K.
25.Pz.Div. Pz.IV 16/2 Pz.V 24/4 StuG/Jagdpz. 35/3 Pak Sf 2/1 s.Pak 14/1 Flak 4
19.Pz.Div. Pz.IV 37/10 Pz.V 31/2 StuG/Jagdpz. 21 s.Pak 17 Flak 12
H.Pz.Jg.Abt.743 ohne 1 Kp. StuG/Jagdpz. 24/4
Korück
Festungs-Pak Kpien.1., 4., 5./II, 3.-6./V, 1./VI m.Pak 86, s.Pak 26
9./II m.Pak 10/2, sPak 4

I will have a look if I find Manpower as well.

/Christoph

[Der Alte Fritz]

This is the Soviet arrangement of forces and direction of attack:

and this is the Daily situation report for the 12.1.45

Magnuszew bridgehead German defences.jpg (77.22 KiB) Viewed 1757 times

[Der Alte Fritz]

Looking at the maps it appears as if the full weight of the attack fell on the left half of VIII.A.K.:
6.VGD.
251.ID.
25.PD

What does the L.Br.290 notation mean?

[Art]

What does the L.Br.290 notation mean?

920 Stug Brigade.

I am looking for the order of battle of the 9th Army with some idea of the numbers of troops, guns, tanks facing the Magushez bridgehead in Jan 1945 before the attack by the 1st Belorussian Front.

According to Polish comrades:
251 ID - 10 239 "eigene" and "fremde" personnel available on 23.12.44, 9 light batteries (34 light howitzers) and 3 heavy batteries (9 heavy howitzers), 21 75-mm AT guns, 7 operational Stug IV. In attached 7 AT companies 84 76.2-mm AT guns and 22 88-mm Pak-43 AT guns. 30 88-mm AA guns in 806 H.Flak.Abt. and 24 AA guns in 2 battalions of 10 Flak.Rgt
6 VGD - 8564 men available on 23.12.44. On 31.12.44 2 heavy (6 150-mm howtizers), 6 light howitzer ( 27 105-mm howitzers) and 3 light gun (18 guns) batteries, 12 heavy AT guns, 10 SP AT guns (9 operational). 920 Stug Brigade in the sector of the division had 42 Stugs (37 operational) and 10 Marder SP guns (9 operational)
45 VGD - 7999 "eigene" and 1686 "fremde" personnel on 23.12.44. Artillery: 2 heavy (8 150-mm howitzers), 9 light (32 105-mm howitzers) batteries, 10 heavy AT guns, 9 SP guns (all operational), 8 Marders (6 operational).

[Der Alte Fritz]

What does the L.Br.290 notation mean?

920 Stug Brigade.

A dyslexic German staff officer - surely not!

[Christoph Awender]

What does the L.Br.290 notation mean?

920 Stug Brigade.

A dyslexic German staff officer - surely not!

Hello,

As I posted in my Order of battle and strength Information:
L.Brig.920 = Heeres Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade 920

/Christoph

PS: Some kind of reaction or "Thanks" to members which post Information like Art did would be a usual way of communication.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Dear Christoph,
My apologies, I had no intention to upset anyone with my 'bon mot'.
However I fear you have mis-understood my remark.
If you look at the second map that I posted - a German situation map for the 12th Jan - at the top of the map in the centre is a notation in blue:

251.
L.Br.290

I have no doubt that the information you and Art provided was correct and so was amused by the fact that the staff officer who drew the map back in Jan 1945 obviously got himself muddled - but in reality this happened quite a lot.

Thank you very much for the information that both yourself and Art provided, it will be put to good use.

[donwhite]

Quoted from the table Ist-Starke der operativen Verbande der Heeresgruppe A (1 Januar 1945)' in "Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltskreig" Volu 10/1. Thefollowing personel strengths are noted.

9th Army Starke
17.ID- 10,828
73.ID- 10,782
214.ID- 10,328
251.ID- 11,488
6.VGD- 9,436
45.VGD- 10,118
337.VGD- 10,386
19.PD- 14,888
25.PD- 13,076
Fest.Kdt.Warschau- 6,900
Sperr-Brig.1- 2700

No personel strengths listed for Heerestruppen aatached.

cheers

[Kelvin]

Hello,

Situation AOK 9 on 31.12.44
LVI.Pz.Korps
214.ID StuG/Jagdpz. 10/9 s.Pak 24
17.ID StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1 s.Pak 15
Stu.G.Brig.210 StuG/Jagdpz. 32/3
Flak Rgt.10 (2 Abtlgen.) Flak 24
VIII.A.K.
45.VGD StuG/Jagdpz. 9 Pak Sf. 6/2 s.Pak 10
6.VGD StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1 s.Pak 12
251 .ID StuG/Jagdpz. 7 s.Pak 21
H.Flak Abt.306 Flak 30
H.Stu.G.Lehr-Brig.920 StuG/Jagdpz. 37/5 Pak Sf. 9/1
Festungs-Pak.Kp. 2., 3., 6., 7., 8., 10., 12./II m.Pak 82/2 s.Pak 22
Flak Rgt.10 (2 Abtlgen.) Flak 24
XXXXVI.Pz.K.
73.ID s.Pak 10
Pz.Jg.Kp.1510 StuG/Jagdpz. 12/1
1./H.Pz.Jg.Abt.661 s.Pak 10/2
337.VGD StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1 s.Pak 9
Festungs-Kdt.Warschau
Festungs-Pak Kp.1., 2./V u. 2./VI m.Pak 26, s.Pak 11
Art.Pak.Abt.1061 s.Pak 19/1
s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.661 ohne 1 Kp. s.Pak 17/7
- 3.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.743 StuG/Jagdpz. 9/1
Armeereserve
XXXX.Pz.K.
25.Pz.Div. Pz.IV 16/2 Pz.V 24/4 StuG/Jagdpz. 35/3 Pak Sf 2/1 s.Pak 14/1 Flak 4
19.Pz.Div. Pz.IV 37/10 Pz.V 31/2 StuG/Jagdpz. 21 s.Pak 17 Flak 12
H.Pz.Jg.Abt.743 ohne 1 Kp. StuG/Jagdpz. 24/4
Korück
Festungs-Pak Kpien.1., 4., 5./II, 3.-6./V, 1./VI m.Pak 86, s.Pak 26
9./II m.Pak 10/2, sPak 4

I will have a look if I find Manpower as well.

/Christoph

Hello, Christoph, I find from Panzerlage on Dec 30 1944 that 73. infanterie division with Pz.Jg.Kp.1510 possessed no StuG/Pz.Jg on Dec 30 1944 and only 14 Hetzer were in transit. So you sure if Pz.Jg.Kp. 1510 had 13 StuG or tank destroyers on Dec 31 1945, just one day later ?

[Christoph Awender]

Hello Kelvin,

The Pz.Jg.Kp.1510 arrived in Warschau-West on December 29th with Train number 280 780 and did not send a Report on Dec.30th. That is mentioned in the AOK 9 Report - nicht gemeldet- This does just mean they did not report , not that they had None.
On Dec.31st they reported their strength after being unloaded and organised into 73.Inf.Div.

/Christoph

[Kelvin]

Hello Kelvin,

The Pz.Jg.Kp.1510 arrived in Warschau-West on December 29th with Train number 280 780 and did not send a Report on Dec.30th. That is mentioned in the AOK 9 Report - nicht gemeldet- This does just mean they did not report , not that they had None.
On Dec.31st they reported their strength after being unloaded and organised into 73.Inf.Div.

/Christoph

Hello, Christoph, thank so much for your data.

Because of lack of data on 1.Pz.Armee in late Dec 1944 myself, I would like to ask for your help on same kind of data ( StuG/Jagdpanzer status in divisions or Heerestruppen units) on 1. Pz.Armee on Dec 31 1944 ? I'll appreciate if you could provide help on that, thank.

[Piotr Mikołajski]

Short note from Polish speaker: not Magnushez but Magnuszew (spoken Magnushev). Looking by Magnuszew you'll be able to find it on maps and on Polish websites.

[Kelvin]

Did Pzjg. Kp transfered all its Hetzer to 31.Volks-Grenadier Division during the seige of Festung Thorn ? Because at that moment, 31 VGD had 13 x Hetzer at Thron while 73.infanterie had nothing. Anyone may help on that ?