German Commandos in North Africa?

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Michael Emrys
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German Commandos in North Africa?

#1

Post by Michael Emrys » 01 May 2005, 18:13

In the new issue of World War II magazine, a reader—Wilhelm Höhn by name—mentions that the U-331 "landed commandos at Ras Gibeisa in Libya" a week prior to torpdoing and sinking the HMS Barham. This was news to me. I had not previously even heard of Ras Gibeisa (presumably a cape), nor do I know its location.

Does anyone have any information on this raid? How large was the party? To what unit did they belong? Where is Ras Gibeisa precisely? What were the objectives of the raid? Were they achieved? Were the commandos extracted after the raid?

Any information appreciated.

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#2

Post by Jon G. » 01 May 2005, 19:35

Just a glimpse of additional information:
Early on during their 3rd patrol, on 17 November, 1941 U-331 dropped off 8 commandos on the Egyptian coast east of Ras Gibeisa. Their mission was to blow up a railway near the coast, but they did not succeed in doing this. A few days later, 25 Nov, 1941, U-331 sank the British battleship HMS Barham.
From the U-331's bio from U-Boat.net, a very good site.


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Michael Emrys
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#3

Post by Michael Emrys » 01 May 2005, 20:02

Thanks, Shrek. That at least narrows the search a bit.

:)

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R-Bob The Great!
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#4

Post by R-Bob The Great! » 07 May 2005, 00:56

As I recall the Brandenburg Commandos were used in Africa, there were about 200 of them in the unit as far as I can remember and were the only real commando unit in the Wehrmacht.

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Two Litre
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...

#5

Post by Two Litre » 18 Jun 2005, 00:48

The 6th Airborne Paratrooper Division

When the allied breakout south-east from Caen towards Falaise began on 16 August, the Division and the two Special Service Brigades attacked south and east between Cabourg on the coast and Troarn. By 22 August, the troops had pushed across the River Dives and the Dives Canal and reached the River Touques. Despite heavy resistance, especially at Pont L'Eveque, the river was crossed and 12 Devons dashed ahead to seize Honfleur on 25 August. By the time the Division halted its advance on 26 August, it had pushed the Germans back 45 miles in nine days to the River Seine, taking over 1,000 prisoners and liberating 400 square miles of France. 6th Airborne was pulled out of the line and shipped back to England at the beginning of September to rebuild itself.

Vetnor Radar Station an example

Britain was determined to find out exactly how far advanced German radar was. A British scientist was suspicious about why British planes were quickly engaged across the channel so a series of low-level photo reconnaissance pictures finally revealed the presence of a newly installed 'Wurzburg' early warning radar.

A raid was planned on the German radar installation at Bruneval, France by 130 Paratroopers from the newly formed airborne regiment. To ensure success, a mock raid was made at an almost identical externally radar station in Britain - that of Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight.

Without warning, No. 2 Special Services Battalion under the command of Colin Newman undertook a night raid, and successfully penetrated the outer minefield and other defences, bursting into the operations room and engineers began to dissemble the Wurzburg's components.

The raid on Bruneval on 17 February, 1942, was a complete success. The Germans said it was the best raid they had ever seen.

No offence intended 8O
Last edited by Two Litre on 23 Jun 2005, 11:57, edited 2 times in total.

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Michael Emrys
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Re: ...

#6

Post by Michael Emrys » 18 Jun 2005, 07:34

Two Litre wrote:No offence intended 8O
None taken I'm sure. But I'm puzzled as to what this has to do with the topic or any other posts in this thread.

:? :? :?

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Two Litre
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#7

Post by Two Litre » 18 Jun 2005, 08:47

Absolutely nothing. Sorry for hijacking your post Grease. It's the morning after the night before :(

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Michael Emrys
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#8

Post by Michael Emrys » 19 Jun 2005, 00:49

Okay. No probs. :) I was just a little bemused.

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#9

Post by Brad Hunter » 19 Jul 2005, 16:33

The 13./800 Brandenburger Regiment was present in NA. It was assigned as the 1st company of 288. Sonderverband, and was included in "KG Hecker" during the Gazala battles....

Brad

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tigre
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Re: German Commandos in North Africa?

#10

Post by tigre » 21 Dec 2018, 01:50

Hello to all :D; a complement...........................

Sabotagetruppe "HAI" 1941.

At the beginning of August, 1941, seven men were sent to the H.Q. of the Lehrregiment Brandenburg at Berlin, and practised for a week laying demolition charges beneath a railway line. They drew tropical kit. On 28th August they left Berlin by air for Athens, where they reported to Hauptmann Schiffbager, an officer attached to Abwehr II (Secret Service) at Athens. They attempted to leave Athens on 31st August by air, but their Do.24 crashed into the quay and the attempt was abandoned. They were then instructed to embark in U 331 on 12th November.

U 331 sailed from Salamis on her third patrol at 1900 on 12th November, 1941. Before sailing she embarked a sabotage party, which Tiesenhausen had been ordered to land at a given point on the North African coast, its mission being to destroy a section of British railway line. He was then to wait for them and bring them back to Salamis. The embarkation of the sabotage party had been kept secret from U 331's ship's company until the last minute. The party brought its own rubber dinghy, in which it was to be landed.

The party consisted of:
Leutnant Josef Kiefer, 17th Co., 2nd Batallion Lehrregiment Brandenburg (in command).
Feldwebel Adolf Risch, 1st Co., 1st Battalion Lehrregiment Brandenburg.
Obergefreiter Werner Schoeler, 5th Co., 3rd Battalion Lehrregiment Brandenburg.
Gefreiter, Josef von der Lahr, 5th Co., 3rd Battalion Lehrregiment Brandenburg.
Pionier Josef Handrischik, 5th Co., 3rd Battalion Lehrregiment Brandenburg.
Pionier Otto Pralle, 5th Co., 3rd Battalion Lehrregiment Brandenburg.
Pionier Hermann Boebs, 5th Co. 3rd Battalion Lehrregiment Brandenburg.

Disembarkation of Sabotage Party. On arrival off the given point on the North African coast, the sabotage party was duly landed. One of U 331's complement, Matrosengefreiter Wolfgang Eberta, Tiesenhausen's servant, being detailed to assist the navigation of the rubber dinghy and wait until the party re-embarked. On the night of 17th November, after waiting off shore for twenty-four hours owing to the heavy sea, U 331 approached to within one mile of the coast at a point between Ras Gibeisa and Ras el Schaqiq, where demolition charges were to be placed beneath the coastal railway line. The party then boarded the rubber dinghy and proceeded towards shore. Their equipment consisted of: 1 light machine-gun, 5 machine pistols, 9 stick hand grenades, 2 Very pistols, 1 signalling lamp, 4 pairs field-glasses, 3 compasses, 3 knapsacks, 3 demolition mines (later captured), Meat, Biscuits, British money.

A wireless transmitter was left behind, as it was considered too clumsy and heavy. It consisted of a laryngeal microphone enabling softly-voiced sounds to be transmitted. It was agreed that U 331 should return to the same position on the following night, where she would fire a green Very light to indicate her presence. The party was to fire red Very lights. The sabotage party landed safely and set about its work, leaving two men to stand by the dinghy. These two were later surprised by sentries but they overpowered them.

The following night, the party tried to re-embark. The dinghy, however, capsized in the surf, the gear was lost and the Very cartridges were put out of action by the sea water. The party therefore returned to the shore, where they were all captured a few hours later. Ebertz was found to be wearing a British army shirt with von Tiesenhausen's name. The mission was named "Operation HAI"). U 331 waited all during the night of 18th November for the party to make themselves known, but at daybreak she abandoned hope and proceeded towards Sollum.

Officers aboard U 331: Oblt. Hans-Diedrich Freiherr von Tiesenhausen; IWO Oblt. Wilhelm Franken; IIWO Oberfähnrich Herbert Kühn; WO Heinz Koch; WO Kplt. Bernhard Zurmühlen (supernumerary).

Sources: http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-331INT.htm
https://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_4932.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!. :D

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tigre
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Re: German Commandos in North Africa?

#11

Post by tigre » 29 Dec 2018, 01:10

Hello to all :D; more..........................

Sabotagetruppe "HAI" 1941.

Sources: https://www.google.com/maps/place/30%C2 ... 8.75?hl=en

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo - Szczęśliwego nowego roku!! :thumbsup:
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Geographical situation of Ras Gibeisa (Ra's jubaysah).........................................
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Urmel
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Re: German Commandos in North Africa?

#12

Post by Urmel » 29 Dec 2018, 15:36

All captured by a patrol from 2nd South African Division
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41

The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42

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