German Artillery Usage

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Jeff Leach
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German Artillery Usage

#1

Post by Jeff Leach » 21 Sep 2016, 15:19

I was reading through an artillery order (Artilleriebefehl Nr.4, Artillerie-Kommandeur 110, 29. Juli 1941. T315 R931 Fr743-744)

The order was describing targeting areas and then they write

Einschiessen A.R.114 von 6,00 - 6,45 Uhr,
rum.A.R.4 von 7,00 - 7,45
Dauer jeder Sperrfeuerwelle 3 Minuten

Why are times given when each regiment can fire ranging shots (Einschiessen)? Why couldn't they fire at the same time?

Sperrfeuer is tranlated as 'barrage' but 'blocking fire' seems a much term, the Germans were using their artillery to inhibit enemy movement in a certain area or disrupt the enemy from forming up for a counter attack.

Later there is a term Blenden, which appears to be another kind of artillery strike (smoke?). The text for the most just part describes the targeting points and which units but it does saw one interesting thing

2.) Mun. einsatz:
je l.F.H.Battr. 20 Schuss
je s.F.H.Battr. 16 Shot

Are there any good books that explains German artillery techniques in WWII (preferably in German)?

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Sheldrake
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Re: German Artillery Usage

#2

Post by Sheldrake » 21 Sep 2016, 17:22

Jeff Leach wrote:
The order was describing targeting areas and then they write

Einschiessen A.R.114 von 6,00 - 6,45 Uhr,
rum.A.R.4 von 7,00 - 7,45
Dauer jeder Sperrfeuerwelle 3 Minuten

Why are times given when each regiment can fire ranging shots (Einschiessen)? Why couldn't they fire at the same time?

Sperrfeuer is tranlated as 'barrage' but 'blocking fire' seems a much term, the Germans were using their artillery to inhibit enemy movement in a certain area or disrupt the enemy from forming up for a counter attack.

Later there is a term Blenden, which appears to be another kind of artillery strike (smoke?). The text for the most just part describes the targeting points and which units but it does saw one interesting thing
I read this order as assigning each of the two regiments (114 and 4 Roumanian) their own 45 minute period to adjust/ range targets. This is so the observers can be certain that the fall of shot they observe is from their guns they fired and not from a different regiment from a different army.

I read sperrfeurewelle to mean each "wave" or iteration of the barrage. In WW1 each German 77mm battery of foru guns was expected to provide blocking fire = Sperrfeur" 200m wide. It does not specify a rate of fire which might assume an SOP. A Fire order of "3 rounds gunfire" (British) or 3 round Fire for effect" (US) would be interpreted as "fire three rounds per gun as fast as you can. But that would be over in about 15 seconds . For fire over 30 secs duration really ought to specify a rate, usually much lower than the maximum.

Google translates "Blenden" as "Dazzle" which might equate to "blind" which is something you can do with smoke.

I don't know of a good source for German WW2 artillery techniques. Try US Army intelligence reports. They might have translated something.
Last edited by Sheldrake on 21 Sep 2016, 22:19, edited 1 time in total.


Bokkop
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Re: German Artillery Usage

#3

Post by Bokkop » 21 Sep 2016, 22:07

German Wikipedia says: "Beim Militär bedeutet Blenden, dem Feind für eine begrenzte Zeit die Sicht zu nehmen und ihn dadurch an der Beobachtung sowie an beobachtetem Feuer zu hindern oder in seinen Bewegungen zu behindern. Blenden gehört zu den Feueraufträgen der Artillerie, die auf diese Anforderung Nebelgranaten auf die entsprechenden Geländepunkte verschießt. Durch den aufwallenden Rauch (Nebel) wird der Gegner im militärischen Sinn geblendet."

It seems your deduction was correct

Bokkop
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Re: German Artillery Usage

#4

Post by Bokkop » 21 Sep 2016, 22:20

Another point. Of course I can't be sure why someone did something in 1941. But it is quite sensible to give different units their own separate times for ranging and target registration, if circumstances allow. If they all fire at the same time in the same area it can be very difficult for the observer to know what explosion is 'his' bomb and what is someone else's, and so the fire control and registration becomes much harder.

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