The Combat Performance of the Fallschirmjäger

[JonS]

perhaps you see my point regarding the "light infantry" concept and how amalgamating paratroopers into the line units damages the overall combat record of the unit.[/qoute]
No, I don't see that. I do see that the 101st's combat record was considerably enhanced by it's involvment at Bastogne.

They were simply not constructed for such use.

True-ish. That's why (apart from the role of chance which saw various other units fetch up at there on their way back from Skyline Drive) the 101st wasn't alone at Bastogne. but getting back to that combat record thing ... those other units are utterly forgotten, though their presence was vital to the US' ability to retain Bastogne.

[fredleander]

Thank you for the correction re: 82nd/101st. You were both quite right. However, perhaps you see my point regarding the "light infantry" concept and how amalgamating paratroopers into the line units damages the overall combat record of the unit..

I do not necessarily agree on that. It would depend on how they were used/integrated with the "normal" troops. If these had their regular support weapons there could be plenty of supplementary work for special units, such as recce, close-in defense of staffs and reduction of enemy infantry break-throughs. Since, after the initial test period of both sides' paras, there was a development towards equipping these, too, with heavier support weapons such as light artillery and mortars they could also in a tight spot use, or assist in using, the fellow units' equipment of said type. In Bastogne, a very important unit was a self-propelled tank destroyer platoon.

They were simply not constructed for such use. It is not a knock against the troops themselves-- one works within the system one is placed-- but I can say from personal experience that when your mission statement is "enter/disable/secure" and you are suddenly required to "long-term defend", everything from tactical implementation to logistics goes a bit awry.

I'd say "secure" contains a tinge of "hold......

The question is when these light forces could be relieved and refitted. The Germans, in particular, as early as 1940 had a very good system for refurbishing their para units. Student, in his book, describes how measures were taken to replace the losses in Holland, at the same time expanding the force as a whole. At the time the Germans had the advantage of a superior infantry training, the numbers, and a fleet of dedicated jump planes. That said, the jump training was resource, not time-demanding, in that aircrafts were needed. It is the tough infantry - and jump training - that create the special spirit of the paras but jump training does not necessarily take more than a week. The jump, however, is only a method of transport. It can get you killed, though - it's the infantry training that is meant to achieve the reduction (read: killing) of the enemy.......

Fred

[Groteska 1]

Hi.
In some earlier posts (few years back) in this thread, one or two members included Poland 1939 as a campaign of Fallschirmjäger. I have never read of any operational use of paratroopers during that campaign. All I ever encountered were some loosely mentioned few "fifth columnist" dropped behind polish lines, no mention of actual paratroopers being used to "enter/acquire/hold' any objectives. Or maybe paras were used as purely infantry formation ?. Could anyone care to enlighten me on this subject ?.
Thank you.

[fredleander]

Hi.
In some earlier posts (few years back) in this thread, one or two members included Poland 1939 as a campaign of Fallschirmjäger. I have never read of any operational use of paratroopers during that campaign. All I ever encountered were some loosely mentioned few "fifth columnist" dropped behind polish lines, no mention of actual paratroopers being used to "enter/acquire/hold' any objectives. Or maybe paras were used as purely infantry formation ?. Could anyone care to enlighten me on this subject ?.
Thank you.

To my knowledge, that is correct. Student was rather pissed that he was not allowed to use his men during the Polish campaign. Hitler was intent on keeping the FJ units a "secret" for more important missions. That is, the assault in the West.

[Groteska 1]

Thank you fredleander.
Just as I thought. I did mention that they might have been used in infantry role, but if it was true we would have known about it. What I meant was that maybe because of their excellent physical condition and training some high ranking visitors to the front might have been given personal bodyguards. Pure speculation on my part, nothing to support this. Once again few years back on this thread someone did mention that some Fallschirmjäger were training on some ex polish forts for their finest hour in the West. Any information where?.
Cheers.

[phylo_roadking]

I did mention that they might have been used in infantry role, but if it was true we would have known about it.

We do; absence of evidence (known to Fred) is not evidence of absence ...

No parachute operation wa carried out by any unit of 7th Flieger....but towards the end of the campaign there were airlanding operations undertaken when 1st Batt./2FJR was put down by Ju52 at Deblin airfield and 2nd Batt. was landed at other airfields between the Vistula and the Bug rivers and near the Dukla Pass, in order to speed up the dissolution of the Polish Army and prevent its senior officers escping by air from those fields. Also, 2nd Batt./1FJR were involved in the ground fighting at Wola-Gulowska, fighting a Polish artillery regiment; that action saw the first FJ fatality in combat in WWII, a Feldwebel Meusel.

(From James Lucas' "Storming Eagles" and Kuhn's "German paratroops in WWII")

As for the aspect of retaining the FJ's capabilities secret - Hitler's comment to Student regarding secrecy made at the Chancellery on the 27th came AFTER the conclusion of the campaign - there WAS a paratroop bridge seizure planned for the Polish campaign, Operation Pulawy, to seize a bridge across the Vistula; the FJ were emplaned and waiting to take off when the operation was cancelled...NOT to preserve their secret, but because panzers, racing ahead of their schedule, seized the bridge on the ground! In fact, there were a number of similar operations called off in the first 48 hours of the campaign - the rapid advance of the ground forces simply obviated the need for them

[Groteska 1]

Yes, I should have typed "I" instead of "We".
Until now I was oblivious about the firefight and airlandings, obviously.
Thanks phylo_roadking

[fredleander]

Yes, I should have typed "I" instead of "We".
Until now I was oblivious about the firefight and airlandings, obviously.
Thanks phylo_roadking

....he-he...dementes is a creepy disease. PRK is of course correct in the information given - you would have found the same if you had googled: "German paratroopers in the Polish campaign" -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Parachute_Division_(Germany)

For my own part I should know better, having read up on Student's biography a little while back. I suppose I got stuck in the fact that the FJ's were used neither to purpose nor capacity.

As for why, Student writes a lot. First, they were seemingly planned for "real" operations but the need did not arise. What was needed to use them is not clarified. The fighting at Gulowska was, according to Student, more a mistake than of any practical use. A Polish unit was hiding in the nearby woods and the CO of the FJ unit present just wanted to take up a defensive posture, his priority mission was to secure the German HQ at site. The local commander, however, ordered the unit to hunt the Poles down.

Back to what was needed to use the FJ's fully. In a meeting with Hitler in Berlin after the conclusion of the campaign Hitler stated, according to Student, that it was not his intention to use the FJ's in Poland, even if the Army Staff had planned so. He explained to Student why, his attitude as a sort of excuse to Student. Student was very disappointed that his "boys" had not been used meaningfully and expressed this. Hitler promised that they would see plenty of action soon enough, meaning the upcoming Western campaign.

There was an afterplay as Student was not the only one that was disappointed. There occured a slight crisis in the division, many officers wanted to transfer back to their original units.