Divisions-Gruppe 86

[keith A]

Some help please. I am reseraching Karl-Heinz Jaeger of II./GR184 and am confused about where he was serving in 1943-44. He took command of the batallion in November 1943 replacing Major Hans Michaelis however this passage from the Lexikon der Wehrmacht seems to indicate that I batallion joined Divisions-Gruppe 86 (Major Martin Bieber) but not II. batallion. My knowledge of German is imperfect and there are anomalies in many of the available sources...so my question is...was he a member of Grenadier-Regimentgruppe 184?

"Die Divisionsgruppe 86 wurde am 4. November 1943 bei der 2. Armee im Raum Gomel aufgestellt. Die Gruppe entstand aus den Resten der 86. Infanterie-Division für die Korps-Abteilung E. Den Stab der Gruppe bildete der Stab des Grenadier-Regiments 184. Dazu kamen noch die Regimentsgruppe 167 aus dem I. Bataillon vom Grenadier-Regiment 167 und die Regimentsgruppe 184 aus dem I. Bataillon vom Grenadier-Regiment 184. Nach der Aufstellung wurde die Gruppe der Korps-Abteilung E unterstellt. In der Folgezeit nahm die Gruppe an den Kämpfen um die Pripjet-Sümpfe teil. Später folgten noch die Kämpfe im Raum Brest-Litowsk und im Warka-Brückenkopf. Am 16. Oktober 1944 wurde die Gruppe zum Grenadier-Regiment 184 der 251. Infanterie-Division umgewandelt."

regards

Keith

[keith A]

...a bit more infomation. According to another source II./G.R.184 became II./GR 952 of 361. ID in Denmark and returned to action on the Eastern Front until destroyed at Brody in July 1944. Confusingly Jaeger is again leader of II./GR 184 when he ia awarded the DKiG in December 1944.

regards

Keith

[keith A]

Solved my problem. Jaeger is leading a company in I./G.R.167 in November 1943 the batallion becomes Regimentsgruppe 167 and he continues as a company commander until promoted to Hauptmann in 1944 and takes command of Regimentsgruppe 167, now renamed II./GR 184 in late 1944!

I confused his taking command of the battalion with Michaelis' promotion at the same time but this event occurred because the unit formation was changing into its new form.

Conjecture perhaps but it seems to fit.

regards

Keith