5cm Flak 41 Cotentin 1944

[searay]

While rummaging through a VII Corps photo collection yesterday, I found three photos of what appears to be the rare 5cm Flak 41 from a battery stationed about a half-mile from the VII corps HQ near Yvetot-Bocage (southwest of Valognes) in June 1944. Anyone have any ideas about which battalion these may have belonged to?

[jopaerya]

Hello Steve

Emmanuel also found a picture of a captured 5 cm Flak 41 , from what I could find the
only conclusion could be that the 5 cm Flak 41 was part of the Luftwaffe III Flak-Korps ??
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 0&t=128112

Regards Jos

[Manuferey]

Very nice pictures, Steve ! I had only seen one view of the gun on its carriage in a US footage but without an accurate location. The 2nd gun in the field position is (barely) visible in the background.



The captured 5 cm Flak 41 I had previously identified appears on the following picture taken at a collection point:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlq/621973 ... /lightbox/

I don't think that the 5 cm Flak 41 on searay's picture belonged to III. Flak Korps since it was outside the Korps' area of responsibility. There's a better chance that it belonged to one of the various "le.-" or "gem.-Flak-Abteilungen" of Flak Regiment 30 that operated in the Cherbourg peninsula.

Emmanuel

[jopaerya]

Hello

Here a part of a report from Sébastien Deviére with the places were the III Flak-Korps should be placed

Regards Jos

[Manuferey]

Jos,

Yes, I am aware of this document from Sébastien. It is dated May 28, 1944. But I have not found any confirmation yet that the order for FSR 32 to position AA batteries around La Pernelle (and its important radar center) had been carried out before June 6, 1944. For instance, Pickert, CO of III. Flak Korps does not mention it. But you’re right that it remains a possibility. However, there were plenty of “leichte” batteries and Zuege from various Flak-Abteilungen of Flak-Regt 30 around Cherbourg in June 1944. There were also a couple of Heeres-Flak Zuege.

Unfortunately, we have not been able yet to name any particular Flak unit, Luftwaffe or Heer, that was equipped with 5 cm Flak 41. There are known pictures of a 5 cm Flak 41 in position at Stp Loewe on the French coast near Calais in 1941 (see Jos’ post on 26 Nov 2009 on this same thread). If someone knows which unit it was, it could be a start.

Emmanuel

[Manuferey]

The three different 5 cm guns seen on the pictures (it looks to me like pix # 2 and # 3 show two different positions) posted by searay would have constituted a Zug (platoon) like for the 3,7 cm gun (3 guns per Zug). The Zug was the basic unit for employment of light (or medium) Flak, not the battery. For reference: 4 guns per Zug for the 2 cm Flak.

Also, the "second 5 cm flak 41" that I have pointed out with a red rectangle is the gun on picture # 3.

Emmanuel