Panzerjäger-Abteilung during Bagration 1944

[Kelvin]

Hi, everyone, anyone have detailed breakdown of Marder ( Marder II 7.5, Marder II 7.62, Marder III 7.5 and Marder III 7.62) in Panzerjäger-Abteilung 741, 742,743 and 744 prior to Operation Bagration ?

And did Panzerjäger-Abteilung 560 was mix of Marder and Nashorn becasue of shortage of Nashorn ? ( June 1944)

[Dubliner]

I believe Martin Block would be the person best able to answer your questions. He has posted a good deal of data on Pz.Jg.Abt. on this and other forums and he is a co-author of the Nuts & Bolts volumes that cover the Marder family of vehicles (Vols 15, 17, 18, 24, 31). If you can't find the NB books, I would look for his posts in various English and German forums.

Based on the data in Martin Block's NB Volumes and Jentz's Panzer Tract No. 7-2, I can only provide the following:

Armee-Pz.Jg. Abt. 741
An inventory shows 5 Pz.Sfl. I (7.62 cm Pak 36) available on 31.11.1943
Panzerjäger 38 für 7,5 cm Pak 40/3 Ausf. H or Ausf. M issued:
14 - 22.10.1943
12 - 10.04.1944

Armee-Pz.Jg. Abt. 742
Fitted out with Panzerjäger 38 für 7,5 cm Pak 40/3 Ausf. H & Ausf. M.,
Reports show it had for some period in 1944 a single Panzerjäger II für 7,5 cm Pak 40/2, most likely picked up from Pz.Jg.Abt. 88
Issued 5 Panzerjäger 38 für 7,5 cm Pak 40/3 Ausf. H or Ausf. M on 10.04.1944

Armee-Pz.Jg. Abt. 743
In Jan-44 the 743rd was equipped 27 Pak-Sfl. of 4 different types from inventories of the Pz.Jg.Abt. 31., 36 and the 110.Inf.Div. At least two vehicles were Panzerjäger II für 7,5 cm Pak 40/2 picked up from 3./Pz.Jg.Abt. 36.
Issued 22 Panzerjäger 38 für 7,5 cm Pak 40/3 Ausf. H or Ausf. M on 14.04.1944

Armee-Pz.Jg. Abt. 744
In early June 1944, Armee-Pz.Jg. Abt. 744 was transferred to H.Gr. Nordukraine, so it escaped the offensive against Heersgruppe Mitte on June 22. It likely had 42 Marders at the time, a possible combination of Panzerjäger 38 für 7,5 cm Pak 40/3 Ausf. H & Ausf. M.

NB Vol 14 provides a short history of s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 560. By April 1944, the 560th was pulled out of fighting on the Eastern Front and was sent to Mielau to be refitted with Jagdpanthers. Per Jentz in Panzer Tracts No.9-3, the 560th ended up with 13 Jagdpanthers and 31 Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V)s and was finally shipped to the Western Front on 3 December.

Chris

[Kelvin]

Hi, Chris, thank a lot. I would like to ask if Nuts & Bolts book mentions any status about Panzerjäger-Abteilung 88 in June 1944 ?

[Dubliner]

Hi Kevin,
NB Vol.14 only has a paragraph history covering the history of s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88. Better strength data on the 88th is found in Jentz's Panzer Tracts No.7-3. Jentz published the available operational status report data for all of the Hornisse/Nashorn s.Pz.Jg.Abt. in tables. On 1Jun44 s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88 is listed as having 18 available, 17 operational, and with 1 vehicle in repair. There is a 2 month gap in the status reports, but on 1Sept44 the 88th is listed as having 19 operational and 4 in repair. During this period Heereszeugamt sent the 88th the following replacement vehicles:
10 - 17Jun44
10 - 9Aug44
10 - 26Aug44
10 - 1Sept44
s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88 was located in H.Gr. Nordukraine (later H.Gr. A) during the period.

I'm glad I have almost all of the NB and PT books, but if you are just researching unit histories to understand Bagration, having them would be overkill.

As a side note, there is a veteran history of the s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88.
http://www.amazon.com/Better-Comrade-Wi ... 0921991975

Chris.

[Kelvin]

Hi, Chris, thank so much for your information, it is very helpful.

[Kelvin]

Did 7.5 cm Pak 40 on RSO was considered as Marder ? I see some sources that Panzerjaeger Abteilung 743 and 744 used those vehicles.

[Kelvin]

Hi Kevin,
NB Vol.14 only has a paragraph history covering the history of s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88. Better strength data on the 88th is found in Jentz's Panzer Tracts No.7-3. Jentz published the available operational status report data for all of the Hornisse/Nashorn s.Pz.Jg.Abt. in tables. On 1Jun44 s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88 is listed as having 18 available, 17 operational, and with 1 vehicle in repair. There is a 2 month gap in the status reports, but on 1Sept44 the 88th is listed as having 19 operational and 4 in repair. During this period Heereszeugamt sent the 88th the following replacement vehicles:
10 - 17Jun44
10 - 9Aug44
10 - 26Aug44
10 - 1Sept44
s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88 was located in H.Gr. Nordukraine (later H.Gr. A) during the period.

I'm glad I have almost all of the NB and PT books, but if you are just researching unit histories to understand Bagration, having them would be overkill.

As a side note, there is a veteran history of the s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 88.
http://www.amazon.com/Better-Comrade-Wi ... 0921991975

Chris.

Hi, Chris, I would like to ask you for help on that : did your book also mention AFV status in several units : 561, 563, 731 and 753.Panzerjager abteilung on June 1 1944 ? Thank

Kelvin

[Dubliner]

Hi Kevin,

Sorry tied up in grad school and work these days. Only found the following in Jentz's Panzer Tract No. 7-2 regarding June 1944 status of units with Panzerjaeger 38 Ausf. M.

Pz.Jg.Abt. 561: 31 (26 Operational)
Pz.Jg.Abt. 563: 43 (41 Operational)

[Kelvin]

Hello, Chris, thank again for your help. Have a nice day.

And I found that Panzerjager Abteilung 731 & 753 is towed gun units,is not Marder unit, sorry. Other like 751 and 752 all are towed gun units.

But do you have information on Panzerjager Abteilung 721 's AFV status on June 1 1944 ( if she was not a towed gun unit) ? Thank

Best regards

Kelvin

[Dubliner]

Hi Kelvin,

Only have very limited information on Pz.Jg.Abt. 721. In addition to towed guns, I believe it was authorized to have a company of 14 vehicles, but I don't know if they had any Sfl. by the spring of 1944. Martin Block in Nuts & Bolts No.24 lists the unit has having Pz.Sfl.I für 7,62cm Pak 36 Marder II (Sd.Kfz.132) as late as November 1943, but can't find if they received any other type of Sfl. after they lost all the Marder IIs.

Chris.

[Kelvin]

HI, Chris, thank a lot.

[Kelvin]

Hello, Chris, how are you ? I would like to ask if you know the status of Panzerjager Abteilung 93 on 01st June 1944 , like how many were operational and repair ? May you help on that ?

[DirkAH]

Hello!

I'm not Chris but Pz.Jg.Abt. 93 reported 10 operational Hornissen (total available sadly not reported) on 30th May 1944 according to T312 R1469 55419/9 P. 411 anyway.

[Kelvin]

Hello, Ciao, thank for your help.

BTW, did your data base have same data on Marder on schwere ski-bataillon of 1.Skiijager Brigade and Panzerjager abteilung 178 of 78.Sturm Division on 01st June 1944 ? Thank

[DirkAH]

Hello!

I have no informations on Ski-Jg.Brig. 1 but 78. Stu.Div. reported 19 (of 19) operational Marder (Typ unknown but most likely Sd.Kfz. 131) according to T78 R622 H16/265b P. 592.