reinforcement of an Osttruppe Btl - Normandy

[Lodieu Didier]

. End July 1944, in the area of engagement of the LXXXIV. Armee Korps, a Ost Btl was called in reinforcement, but the first night in front line, they surrendered to the US Amy after to detroyed their weapons. It was probably during the night of the 27/28 July. I think that it was in the area of the 243. Inf. Div.
Is someone get an idea of the number of the Ostruppen Btl? I check in the WD of the 7. Armee, but nothing of this events. I have also docs from the 84 A.K. but found nothing.
I thankgiven you in advance for your help.

Didier

[Kingfish]

. End July 1944, in the area of engagement of the LXXXIV. Armee Korps, a Ost Btl was called in reinforcement, but the first night in front line, they surrendered to the US Amy after to detroyed their weapons. It was probably during the night of the 27/28 July. I think that it was in the area of the 243. Inf. Div.
Is someone get an idea of the number of the Ostruppen Btl? I check in the WD of the 7. Armee, but nothing of this events. I have also docs from the 84 A.K. but found nothing.
I thankgiven you in advance for your help.

Didier

The dates and unit do not jive.

Several German units were trapped in the Contentin when US forces cut across the peninsula to the west coast.
One of those units was the 243rd ID.
That unit was destroyed when Cherbourg fell on 6/29,

[Lodieu Didier]

hello Kingfish,
Yes of course, but a new Ost Btl came to reinforce the 84 A.K. end juli 44. For me, it couldn't be an ost Btl which were ever engaged sive 6 june 44 and belonged to rgts from 243, 77 and 91 LL Div., 353 Inf Div. This is a case very interesting.
Thanks for reply

[jpz4]

Hello Didier,
just curious: are you working on a new book or is this for an article or something?

[Lodieu Didier]

Hello,
It's for a small book very difficult to do about unknown unities severely engaged in Normandy.
It's incredible to find traces of this Osttruppe btl which came at the end of july, because all attached to inf div were engaged since 6th june. Choltitz haven't any reserve end july.

[jpz4]

Yes, researching small 'German' formations' in Normandy can be very difficult but it is rewarding. For some units it is indeed very difficult to find useful information. Some information can always be found fortunately.

I have actually done quite a lot of research on those small units for my own book which will cover nearly all German combat units north(west) of the Taute river from D-Day to mid July. There will be unit histories with information such as a short history, organization and officers rosters. The amount of information will vary between units, depending on their importance and available information.
The research and writing of the histories took me a lot more time than I had expected, but it was important to finish them before continuing with writing the actual story of the fighting. I'm glad I did it because it makes it much easier to understand the fighting but also the interpret documents and accounts.

Good luck with your project.

[Lodieu Didier]

My congratulations for your courage and determination. This is a headache to refind all this unities unknown, even Inf Div, like the 77th by exemple, discover what it did exactly is near impossible. Except if you cross some informations by the US WD which were fighting it. All of this represents a cray time. The worts I did was La massue. Near 5000 hours!!!
Which book did you wrote?
Thanks for your sympathic mail.

[jpz4]

Thank you Didier,
as you know, research is fun to do but it takes a lot of time. This project started over 9 years ago and has become quite massive. Because of this it will probably be divided over several books. The book on the German units will probably be released next year (around 350 pages).

The 77.Inf.Div. is under-appreciated by historians and quite confusing. It is important to realize it was divided over many sectors as it arrived in Normandy. Because of this not even its commander knew where all his men were. I've been able to determine the composition of most of the Kampfgruppen that had elements of the division, but it is still very difficult to know where exactly they fought within that KG. It is a mess (but fortunately not as bad as La massue).
I've now written about 13.000 words about the division and it is 95% finished now, but there are still questions I really like to answer.

Niels

PS I've sent you a message

[Manuferey]

Didier,

I found mentions of two Ost-Btl that surrendered to US troops in July 1944 in General Koenig’s account of the 91 LLD between July 10 and August 1944 to the Americans: FMS # B-010. Unfortunately, the numbers of the Ost-Btl are not given.

A “Battalion of Russian Volunteers” brought as a reinforcement near “Les Prairies Marécageuses” and that collapsed the first day on the front line is mentioned on pages 6, 7 and 8 as well as on a map in an appendix.

However, the report is subsequently corrected by another German general, General Malhman of ID 353 (in FMS B-339, attached to B-010) and indicates that the Ost-Btl was annihilated by the Americans on “2/3 July”.

265. ID. brought as reinforcement in the area had two Ost-Btl in its organization, Ost.-Btl 634 and 800, but these Btl. were not sent to Normandy AFAIK and remained in Brittany (Lorient and Brest respectively).

Another Ost-Btl,is mentioned on page 10 of B-010: “the desertion of a battalion of Volga-Tartars” around July 30.

Separately, there is a US Signal Corps picture dated July 11, 1944 (date it was developed or released) in the « Archives de la Manche en ligne” under ref. 13 NUM 450. It shows a soldier of an Ost-Btl talking to US soldiers in la Haye du Puits. This soldier could have belonged to the Ost-Btl that surrendered south of Les Prairies Marécageuses, north of La Haye du Puits.

http://recherche.archives.manche.fr/?id ... &img_num=1

Emmanuel

[jpz4]

König's memory regarding the Eastern troops in his sector was quite poor (and he is rather vague about other matters as well). He mixes them up and overlooks certain details. Ironically this could mean König and Mahlmann are actually speaking of different battalions and dates. In total elements of up to five eastern batallions were involved on the left wing of LXXXIV.A.K. in late June/early July. Take your pick

When König mentions the Wolga-Tat.Btl. around the end of July, he almost certainly means Georg.Btl.797. This battalion had been responsible for the coast for a long time and remained there throughout June and most of July. By then there were very few Eastern battalions left. After the failure against the offensive of the US VIII Corps (that began on 3 July), they were considered too weak and were withdrawn. They were gathered (and partially rebuilt) in Bretagne.

It was Wolga-Tat.Btl. 627 which had troops run off around 27/28 JUNE and its battalion commander was attacked by his own men as well. Measures were taken against the battalion and it was intended to pull it out immediately. This does not appear to have happened (lack of reserves) as more men were able to run off on 3 July.

The events in Btl.627 should not be confused with those in Georg.Btl.797, although they are rather similar. The commander of that battalion was murdered in early JUNE (quite probably for personnel reasons actually). Men from the battalion also deserted their positions. This happened in mid June, when the front caught up with them. This was supposedly used by allied propaganda to influence the men from Btl.627 later.

And of course Emmanuel is right that the Eastern battalions of the 265.I.D. were never transferred to Normandy.

Niels

[Manuferey]

Thanks, Mr. Jpz4.

Emmanuel

[Lodieu Didier]

Great thanks both of you, to take time of yours to spend so much time to clear this history of engagement of an Ost Truppen Btl.
Reading the basis of Jpz4's informations, it coul be :
Another Ost-Btl,is mentioned on page 10 of B-010: “the desertion of a battalion of Volga-Tartars” around July 30.
I read in a raport (which one, i couldn't remeber) that this Btl. will be engaged 27, maybe one or two days later.
Maybe with that funny information, you'll find what I found, but it will give you nothing more : the soldiers from Ost Btl. ware known to be serious fighters the night. (It's why they surrendered during a night, after destroyed their weapons).
I think that the best we could find is IWR. But Jpz 4 put the finger on the Btl researched.
It was a pleasure to share this exchanges of emails.
Thanks to you
Didier

[jpz4]

The story about the night fighters comes from Triepel (FMS B-469)

At the end of June a Russian infantry battalion was deployed on the coast. These Russians, as far as I remember, were muslims from the Caucasus, were considered very good night fighters. In the first night they smashed their machine guns and deserted to the enemy.

An der Kueste wurde Ende Juni ein russisches Infanterie-Bataillon eingesetzt. Diese Russen, soweit ich mich erinnere, waren sie Mohammedaner und aus der Kaukasusgegen, galten als besondes gute Nachtkampfer. In der ersten Nacht zerschlugn sie ihr Machinengewehre und gingen zum Feind ueber.

Again this is confusing because it does not match either of the two battalions perfectly. The text it however clearly refers to a newly battalion: this was 627 and the men were indeed muslims. Original sources also mention the battalion as causing problems in that vey period. I'm fairly certain I have read other (unrelated sources) that also refer to muslim troops as night fighters, but this is not enough to for me to identify them as such. It is however yet another indication.

For those of you who have lost track:
At the end of June Wolga-Tat.Btl.627 was deployed on the left (west) side of the St.Sauveur-le-Vicomte - La Haye du Puits highway. It had just arrived from Bretagne. The battalion was first attached to the Kampfgruppe of the 243.I.D. (KG Klosterkemper)
To the east of the highway was Ost-Btl. Huber (sometimes called Lehr-Btl. Coetquidan).
At about 30 June/1 July these battalions were placed under a make shift eastern regiment: Regimentsgruppe Bunjatchenko. This also included Ost-Btl.635, which remained to the rear as the regiment's reserve.
It is possible surviving elements of Ost-Btl.439 also supported this force. Georg.Btl.797 remained on the coast under Gren.Rgt. z.b.V.752.
When VIII Corps launched its attack, the unreliable Wolga-Tart.Btl.627 was largely defeated or surrendered. Ost-Btl. Huber was first criticized, but after a closer investigation praised for its performance. The counter-attack of Ost-Btl.635 failed completely. Oberst Bunjatchenko who had led the attack nonetheless received a medal for it.
The investigation into the regiment showed it had seized to exist as a combat formation and it was recommended to withdrew it completely. Based on available records this indeed appears to have happened, although the fate of some elements remains unclear. Wolga-Tat.Btl.627 is also unclear. Based on certain claims it continued to exist after Normandy, a good indication it was not destroyed by Operation Cobra. This would only have been possible if the battalion had not been in Manche in late July.

Hope this clear things up.