Dutch 1940 Grenadiers and Jager Regt’s
Dutch 1940 Grenadiers and Jager Regt’s
Outside of name was there anything exceptional about these two regiments? Thanks in advanced. -James
Re: Dutch 1940 Grenadiers and Jager Regt’s
Bottomline, no. The Dutch army was conscript army with an extremely small professional component. I have not found any source that states that these two units had a higher proportion of long-term service men than the remainder of the army. If they did, it would likely be a very slight increase compared to the other units. The arms and equipment were the same for the grenadiers/jägers and the line infantry.
The limited amount of combat prevents any assessment of morale or any other 'soft measurement'. The III battalions of the two regiments (Grenadiers and Jägers) each covered Ypenburg and Waalhaven airfields respectively. The Grenadiers were able to protect/retake the Ypenburg airfield from the FJs. The Jägers did poorly and lost the airfield at Waalhaven and were never able to retake it. Note that this is a general comment and one would need to read detailed accounts to sort through what happened.
Ypenburg is well covered in E.H. Brongers' The Battle for the Hague 1940. Both Ypenburg and Waalhaven are covered in Amersfoort and Kamphuis' May 1940, but this book covers the entire campaign so has less detail on the individual battles than Brongers' book. Brongers has written many books on the war including Opmars naar Rotterdam (which includes the Battle at Waalhaven), but only the Hague book has been translated.
The limited amount of combat prevents any assessment of morale or any other 'soft measurement'. The III battalions of the two regiments (Grenadiers and Jägers) each covered Ypenburg and Waalhaven airfields respectively. The Grenadiers were able to protect/retake the Ypenburg airfield from the FJs. The Jägers did poorly and lost the airfield at Waalhaven and were never able to retake it. Note that this is a general comment and one would need to read detailed accounts to sort through what happened.
Ypenburg is well covered in E.H. Brongers' The Battle for the Hague 1940. Both Ypenburg and Waalhaven are covered in Amersfoort and Kamphuis' May 1940, but this book covers the entire campaign so has less detail on the individual battles than Brongers' book. Brongers has written many books on the war including Opmars naar Rotterdam (which includes the Battle at Waalhaven), but only the Hague book has been translated.
Jeff Leser
Infantrymen of the Air
Infantrymen of the Air
Re: Dutch 1940 Grenadiers and Jager Regt’s
Thank you Jeff for responding!
Re: Dutch 1940 Grenadiers and Jager Regt’s
Agreeing with Mr Leser, I'd add, that - apart form the 1940 episode - there were some nuances:
- these regiments were mainly stationed around The Hague (with some exceptions in 1940 re some battalions of Jagers), which is not only the seat of government but also the home of the Royal Family;
- they appear to have had some tasks of protecting the Royal Family;
- they may have been a bit more orangist/royalist than other infantry units, as shown during the thwarted socialist uprising after WW1;
- apparently it was still an honour for an officer or reserve-officer to be part of these (almost Guard) regiments - which may have led to the more royalist outlook of the regiments.
- 204 KIA Gr. and J. for May 1940 seems a bit high relatively, but I have not seen a list of all KIA per regiment.
If you are looking for an "elite" unit of the Dutch Army in 1940, there was just one: the professional Korps Politietroepen of some 1700 regulars (and some 500-600 conscripts) in 1940. This was a strategic and standing crack unit, manning crucial bridges, operating their own AT guns, highly reliable (used to quell unrest in the cities in the 30s). In spite of their name, this Korps was military and not so much a policing unit.
- these regiments were mainly stationed around The Hague (with some exceptions in 1940 re some battalions of Jagers), which is not only the seat of government but also the home of the Royal Family;
- they appear to have had some tasks of protecting the Royal Family;
- they may have been a bit more orangist/royalist than other infantry units, as shown during the thwarted socialist uprising after WW1;
- apparently it was still an honour for an officer or reserve-officer to be part of these (almost Guard) regiments - which may have led to the more royalist outlook of the regiments.
- 204 KIA Gr. and J. for May 1940 seems a bit high relatively, but I have not seen a list of all KIA per regiment.
If you are looking for an "elite" unit of the Dutch Army in 1940, there was just one: the professional Korps Politietroepen of some 1700 regulars (and some 500-600 conscripts) in 1940. This was a strategic and standing crack unit, manning crucial bridges, operating their own AT guns, highly reliable (used to quell unrest in the cities in the 30s). In spite of their name, this Korps was military and not so much a policing unit.