Cherbourg/Normandie June 1944

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lev_cek
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Cherbourg/Normandie June 1944

#1

Post by lev_cek » 04 Jun 2004, 22:18

Good evening.
I'm interested in some informations about the units who took part in the Axis army at the battle of Cherbourg in june 1944.
My grandfather was in one of the units, but he died few years bsfore I was born so he could't tell me of his life in the WW2. From my family I was told that he was there at the time the allies invaded Cherbourg in june 1944, then he was captured and taken to London.
Could someone say something which units took part in the axis army in the Cherbourg battle, or has someone some pictures or any other data...
Regards..

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David Lehmann
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#2

Post by David Lehmann » 05 Jun 2004, 22:10

Hello,

Sorry I have no specific book about Cherbourg and the battles in the various harbors (several books are dedicated to these points) but simply by using google I can try to help you.

When American General Collins arrives in front of Cherbourg fortress on 21 June 1944, General von Schlieben commanding the "Festung" does not answer to the ultimatum. Von Schlieben is ordered by the Führer to hold the position firmly to the last of the 21,000 garrisonned men. The Fort du Roule, built on the cliff overlooking the harbor, is seized by the 314th Infantry regiment; on 25 June the top of the Fort is taken, and the following day the lower storeys and the battery of 105 mm guns are captured. On 26 June General Von Schlieben surrenders; but during a week the Germans have ruined, destroyed and mined the harbor. Cherbourg is the key of the Allied forces supplying, in the end of August the harbor is operational again.

Cherbourg harbour is heavily defended, on the coast there are 19 strongpoints (Stp 202 to 224) and coastal artillery positions (Osteck, Westeck, Hamburg, York ...). To complete the coastal defenses there are also inland 7 old French fortifications (fort du Roule, fort des Couplets, Redoute du Tot, l'ouvrage Saint Gabriel, l'ouvrage Saint Maur et le fort des Caplains (this last one is in fact the Brommy battery) .
These defenses are occupied by soldiers of :
- Marine Artillerie Abteilung 260
- Heeres-Küsten-Artillerie-Abteilung 1261
- Artillerie-Regiment 1709 (709. ID)
The defenses of Cherbourg are completed by remnants from the 91. Luftlande Division, 709. ID and various garrissoned troops.

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/stephane.delogu ... bourg5.JPG

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA ... l-XXIV.jpg

709. ID
commander : Generalleutnant Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben (12 Dec 1943 - 23 June 1944)
729. Grenadier Regiment (coastal defense)
739. Grenadier Regiment (coastal defense)
919. Grenadier Regiment
1709. Artillery Regiment
709. Panzerjäger Battalion ... had among its equipments nine French conversions 7.5cm Pak40 auf Somua MCG S307(f)
709. Signals Battalion
709. Pioneer Battalion
The infantry regiments were reinforced by the Ostbataillon 561, 649 and 795

91. Luftlande Division
Commander : Generalleutnant Eugen König (10 June 1944 - 10 Aug 1944)
1057. Grenadier Regiment
1058. Grenadier Regiment
191. Artillery Regiment
91. Fusilier Battalion
191. Mountain Flak Battalion
191. Panzerjäger Battalion
191. Panzerjäger Battalion
191. Signals Battalion
191. Pioneer Battalion

The 100. Panzer Abteilung was committed to 91. ID on 6th June 1944 (1 Somua S-35, 8 Hotchkiss H-39, 14 Renault R-35, 1 Flammenwerferpanzer Renault B2(f), 1 PzIII and 5 FT17c) and perhaps several of these tanks could be present in Cherbourg.

I think there was also a company of Renault B2(f) tanks in Cherbourg.


Links with a few photos :
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA ... el-10.html
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/stephane.delogu ... bourg.html
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/stephane.delogu/709e-di.html
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/aetius/mur/fermanville01.htm
http://www.dday-overlord.com/bdnbg.htm
http://www.saak.nl/cherbourg/cherbourg.html

Hopes this helps a bit

Regards,

David
Attachments
Renault UE(f); civilians and US 9thID in liberated Cherbourg.jpg
Renault UE(f); civilians and US 9thID in liberated Cherbourg.jpg (159.98 KiB) Viewed 8296 times


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lev_cek
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#3

Post by lev_cek » 06 Jun 2004, 00:39

tnank you very much for your attribution

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David Lehmann
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#4

Post by David Lehmann » 06 Jun 2004, 01:37

BRITISH PATHE PHOTOS :

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0310&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0035&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0130&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0325&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0390&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0395&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0415&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0015&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0030&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0075&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0080&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0190&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0210&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0245&sif=0



CORBIS PHOTOS :

De Gaulle speaking in Cherbourg in August 1944 :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/NA001102.j ... d8cb5e0dbb}

US soldiers and French wine in Cherbourg :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/HU048266.j ... 6fa7074b50}

German gun emplacement which guarded the harbor of Cherbourg :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/NA008735.j ... da744d46f8}

Dead German Soldier by Roadside in Cherbourg, 1944 :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/HU030766.j ... 85fab6b34f}

American Soldiers Patrol Streets of Cherbourg on Horseback, 1944 :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/HU030785.j ... 18196b1c83}

German Nurse Talking with Allied War Correspondent
Before being transported back to her lines, this German nurse, taken during the fighting around Cherbourg, chats with an Allied war correspondent. Nine nurses were captured and sent back to Nazi lines in an ambulance while hostilities ceased. A Major greeted the nurses.
http://pro.corbis.com/images/U998803INP ... bb617277b9}

German Soldiers Marching Through Cherbourg :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/BE052807.j ... e097221e4e}

American Soldiers Examine a German Gun Captured in Cherbourg, 1944 :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/HU030769.j ... 05ae8d5fca}

French World War I war veteran, with a chest full of medals, watching the Bastille Day ceremony in Cherbourg, 17th July 1944 :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/HU024884.j ... 1f2c89eee2}

Fort de Chavagnac, just off the coast of Cherbourg, France, put up a fierce resistance before capitulating :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/NA008763.j ... 010f336fa3}

An unfinished German robot bomb launch site, found by Allied forces when Cherbourg, France, was occupied. It evaded detection because of camoflouging screens :
http://pro.corbis.com/images/NA008768.j ... 3d182e76c9}

Regards,

David

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lev_cek
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#5

Post by lev_cek » 06 Jun 2004, 02:49

Jezus, i knew to ask you to get an answer, but this is tremendous:)
i must slowly read all of thid first :lol:

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David Lehmann
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#6

Post by David Lehmann » 06 Jun 2004, 11:49

I tried to find books in English language ... perhaps you can find these ones :

- Breuer, William B. Hitler’s Fortress Cherbourg. New York: Stein and Day, 1984.

- Havers, Robin. Battle Zone Normandy. Battle for Cherbourg. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing Ltd, Forthcoming.

- Ruppenthal, Roland. Utah Beach to Cherbourg. Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1984.

Regards,

David

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Re: Cherbourg/Normandie June 1944

#7

Post by PropCollector » 06 Jun 2004, 18:38

lev_cek wrote:Good evening.
I'm interested in some informations about the units who took part in the Axis army at the battle of Cherbourg in june 1944.
Ok,

I will also try to contribute something to the Cherbourgh story. I did search my database with propaganda leaflets in my collection. Two hits on leaflets dropped inside Cherbourgh to the Germans. And one from just after the battle for Cherbourgh dropped to remaining Axis troops in Normandie to tell them what went wrong in Cherbourgh.

As these are all written in German of course, you lads can be glad that I also owe two official translations of two of them. From the thirth, dropped inside Cherbourgh and addressed to certain units, i do not have the translation. I can read it myself, but i think somebody else should put it on his shoulders to translate it to the rest.

So first, leaflet ZG16, dropped inside Cherbourgh. Without translation from me. I only show one side (the other side is telling the germans that they can expect a decent treatment if they surrender).

Hans
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cherbzg16.jpg
front of zg16 - no translation
cherbzg16.jpg (49.79 KiB) Viewed 8204 times

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#8

Post by PropCollector » 06 Jun 2004, 18:56

My next leaflet is from just after the previous. This is code zg17. Shown is one side of the actual leaflet + the official translation.

Hans
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cherbzg17.jpg
actual leaflet - one side only
cherbzg17.jpg (56.22 KiB) Viewed 8183 times
0132901.jpg
official translation zg17
0132901.jpg (83.5 KiB) Viewed 8206 times

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#9

Post by PropCollector » 06 Jun 2004, 19:01

My last leaflet is from just after the previous. This is code zg19. Shown are both sides of the actual leaflet + the official translation.

This leaflet is dropped to other axis troops in normandie AFTER Cherbourgh fell.

Hans
Attachments
0133001.jpg
official translation zg 19
0133001.jpg (180.85 KiB) Viewed 8164 times
cherbzg19b.jpg
actual leaflet zg19 back
cherbzg19b.jpg (117.75 KiB) Viewed 8175 times
cherbzg19f.jpg
actual leaflet zg19 front
cherbzg19f.jpg (112.81 KiB) Viewed 8176 times

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