Operation Naumburg

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Skarpskytten
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Posts: 138
Joined: 10 Jul 2011, 19:15
Location: Växjö

Operation Naumburg

#1

Post by Skarpskytten » 09 Aug 2013, 16:20

Early June -40, OKW started planning OPERATION NAUMBURG to relieve the besieged troops in Narvik. Basically, the fast liners Bremen and Europa would be loaded with "6000 troops and a dozen tanks" furnished by OKH and sneak up to Lyngen Fjord, north of Narvik/Tromsö and blitz south towards Barduforss and Narvik. On June 7th plans had progressed to the point that the operation was planned to be executed two weeks later.

Of course, the Allies withdrew, the Norwegians surrendered, and nothing came out if it.

According to my reference - Earl F Ziemke, The German Northern Theater of Operations 1940-1945 - there are some source material preserved form this planned operation (which is confirmed by a register of NARA rolls that I managed to find on the web) in the AOK 20 archive.

I wonder if anyone has read a more detailed description of this operation (Ziemke and Hubatsch has very little details) anywhere or has copies of the material in AOK 20 archive. I'm particularly interested if any actual troops were ever assigned to the operation.

(This subject was briefly touched upon here, almost nine years ago: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=65801)

Skarpskytten
Member
Posts: 138
Joined: 10 Jul 2011, 19:15
Location: Växjö

Re: Operation Naumburg

#2

Post by Skarpskytten » 01 Oct 2015, 20:09

Over two years, and no answer. Well, it turns out that Walther Hubatsch has most of the information I wanted, hidden in some "Anlage" at the back of his Weserübung-book. So I'll anser myself, if case anyone else cares.

Anhang 18H quotes an OKH-document dated June 5th, which says that OKH will supply two "mixed" units suitable for mountain warfare with 3000 men each plus 4-6 Panzer IV, Panzer 35/38 or Stug each.

Anhang 19H contains a list from Gruppe XXI from June 6th on what the would like the task force to look like.

* Staff
* One motorcycle ("Krad") battalion
* Four motorized rifle ("Schützen") battalions with mountain equipment and plentiful of mortars ("batallion")
* One arty battalion with three mountain batteries, and "motor platoon" ("Motorzug”)
* One motorized 10-cm battery for coastal protection
* One Panzer battalion with two companies and armored recce platoon ("Pz.Spähzug")
* One anti-tank battalion with at least two companies
* One motorized pioneer battalion with assault boats and landing equipment
* Various support units

Anhang 20H contains an order dated June 6th which gives general Engelbrecht command on the operation. It also states that the ground forces needs to be supported by at least
* One heavy flak battery
* Two light flak batteries

The need for anti-moquito gear is stressed in a couple of the documents.

Finaly, a sentence on page 388 implies that the troops would come from 6hth Mountains division.


Given that the operation was cancelled only a few days after June 6th, this may well be as far as the planning got; more specific units may never have been assigned. But if anyone has more information, please share!


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