Seeking information about LSSAH Pionier Kompanie during Ardennes Offensive

[Steyr]

Can anyone please post any information about LSSAH Pionier Kompanie that was involved in the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944 (such as operations, locations, actions, equipment, etc.)?

Thank you in advance, any details would certainly be appreciated.

[Harro]

Which LSSAH Pionierkompanie? They had several

[theforger]

As Harro says there were several. The ones with Peiper were the 3./ (Seivers) and 9./ (Rumpf). But there were also Pioneers with Knittel, and Hansen/Sandig had the 15./ (Lenski/Staude).

In terms of where they fought...a small group from the 9./ travelled with the Spitze from the start of the offensive. The 9./ were at the initial capture of the bridge at Stavelot on morning of the 18th December and fought later in the attack on Stoumont on the 19th December and thence back to La Gleize.

The 3./ were split 1/2 were in SPWs and 1/2 in trucks. The truck mounted Pioneers were involved in the fighting to hold and retake Stavelot on the 18-19th December. The SPW mounted troops pushed on to La Gleize on the 18th.

See the Devils Adjutant for an account of the actions. A comprehensive source on equipment used by the panzer grenadiers and pioneers is detailed in Appendix 1 from page 199 in Duel In The Mist2.

[Harro]

Indeed,

SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH had its own 9. (Panzer-Pionier) Kompanie as a regimental unit

SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 LSSAH had its own 15. (Pionier) Kompanie as a regimental unit

And then there was SS-Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 1 LSSAH, which consisted of:
- 1. Pionierkompanie (assigned to Gruppe Hansen in the Ardennes)
- 2. Pionierkompanie (assigned to schnelle Gruppe Knittel)
- 3. (schw.) Pionierkompanie (assigned to gepanzerte Gruppe Peiper)

[Der Rittmeister]

Indeed,

SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH had its own 9. (Panzer-Pionier) Kompanie as a regimental unit

SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 LSSAH had its own 15. (Pionier) Kompanie as a regimental unit

And then there was SS-Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 1 LSSAH, which consisted of:
- 1. Pionierkompanie (assigned to Gruppe Hansen in the Ardennes)
- 2. Pionierkompanie (assigned to schnelle Gruppe Knittel)
- 3. (schw.) Pionierkompanie (assigned to gepanzerte Gruppe Peiper)

What was the difference between the companies in the bataillon? In terms of equipment and mission?

Cheers