German Units in the Balkans - 1941.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

March 27, 1941: briefing to officers about the invasion of Greece, for the rest break-time.

March 28, 1941: Duty guard with the batteries.

March 29, 1941: light duty.

March 30, 1941: light duty. Reconnoitering the firing positions along the Greek border.

March 31, 1941: light duty.

Source: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

April 1, 1941: light duty.

April 2, 1941: exercise carried out by the Comms Detachment.

April 3, 1941: march to the Greek border. As the attack was not imminent, the group established a bivouac near the border.

April 4, 1941: waiting for marching orders.

Source: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

April 5, 1941: at 23:30 hours it was occupied the firing positions west and east of the road Markassa-Komotini, about 1-2 km of the border. The battalion was to support the attack of the IR 123.

April 6, 1941: at 10:10 hours, the group unleashed its fire concentrations against fortified positions which hindered the progress of the IR 123. However, it could not neutralize the fortress over the height of 510.

Source: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

April 7, 1941: harassment fire on height 510. At 01:50 hours concentration of artillery fire on the height. But the bunker remained intact. In the afternoon, artillery fire with 6 light batteries and 9 heavy batteries on the height. At 18:00 hours the artillery fire ceased as the infantry had gained the height and the fortress of the Metaxas Line.

April 8, 1941: it was received a marching order. As a result of demolitions and roadblocks, the beginning of the advance was delayed one day.

Pictures: Destroyed horse-drawn columns......................

Sources: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

Cheers. Raúl M 8).

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

April 9, 1941: The Artillery Group went through the mountains in the direction of Komotini.

April 10, 1941: up to Xanthi, more than 38 km.

April 11, 1941: Rest in Xanthi.

April 12, 1941: Rest in Xanthi because the bridge over the river Nestos has not yet been completed.

Sources: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

April 13, 1941: march towards Pontolivado, 40 km.

April 14, 1941: march by Kavalla towards Amissiana.

April 15, 1941: up to Mesia.

April 16, 1941: resting.

Sources: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

April 17, 1941: march towards Orfanon .

April 18, 1941: march across the Strymon towards the Bay of Orfanto. Bivouac at Retina.

April 19, 1941: resting in the reached area.

April 20, 1941: Coastal protection in the Bay of Orfanto. The batteries were moved to their firing positions on the coast: 4. Battery south of Stavros, 5. Battery before Vrasna and 6. Battery east of the estuary of the Strymon.

Sources: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; last part.........................

War Diary belonging to the II. / AR 150 (in the Balkans - April 1941).

April 21, 1941: the 5. Battery was placed in a new firing position north of the road Thessaloniki-Kavala.

April 22, 1941: continued the coastal protection.

23 April - 5 May 1941: coastal protection, construction of firing positions and instruction.

May 6, 1941: began the return march.

Sources: Kriegstagebuch der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 150. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R150-R.htm
Army Light Field Artillery Album. Historical Media, LLC. Martes, 07 de Abril de 2009, 13:59:05.

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; after a while a new story regarding this topic.................

With the IR 105 (72 ID) against the Metaxas Line.

The 72 ID had reached Romania as training troop already in January, 1941 and on March 3 of that very year had crossed the Danube on the border between Romania and Bulgaria. The people of Nikopol greeted the Germans with great displays of affection, as the Romanians had done previously. With great effort and difficulties for men and beasts, the division marched southwards having as its objective the city of Nevrokop near the border between Bulgaria and Greece. During the march the seasoned Landser could sense what was coming, a new campaign against Greece.

The Greek fortified line in that sector was defended by the 26 RI belonging to the Greek 7 DI; this regiment also defended the forts of Dasavli, Lisse, Pyramidoides, Ousoyia, Castle, Agios Nikolaos, Bardiseva.

Sources: 72 Infanterie Division – Einsatz mit dem Infanterie Regiment 105. Kampf in der Metaxas Linie. Deutsche Militärzeitschrift Nº 17.
http://army.gr/structure/eng/istoria/mo ... xi_en.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more.................

With the IR 105 (72 ID) against the Metaxas Line.

At dawn on April 6, 1941 the troops of the 72 ID crossed the Greek border and maneuvering quickly, the IR 105 broke through the security zone of the Greek positions along the road Nevrokop-Exochi and by noon reached the assigned objective, the valley of Kato-Nevrokopion. Until that time the regiment had not found any Greek defensive position...... yet.

Confident, the soldiers of the IR 105 moved towards the mountains Ochiron-Lisse where they suffered a real bloodbath. The position was defended by 40 heavy machine guns, several pieces of artillery and about 500 soldiers, constituting the largest fortification of such defensive sector. The attackers suffered heavy casualties due to heavy defensive fire without having ever seen a Greek soldier.

Sources: 72 Infanterie Division – Einsatz mit dem Infanterie Regiment 105. Kampf in der Metaxas Linie. Deutsche Militärzeitschrift Nº 17.
http://army.gr/structure/eng/istoria/mo ... xi_en.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more.................

With the IR 105 (72 ID) against the Metaxas Line.

The II. / IR 105 together with the III. / IR 105 found a good protection in the large extension of wetlands shrubs before Kato Vrondu on the west bank of the valley. German soldiers awoke the next morning amid countless croaking of frogs. With the first light of April 7, 1941 was given the order to advance, the Germans crossed the swamp with water at waist towards the fortification of Dasavli with its 80 defenders. Due to the croaking of frogs, getting more and more louder, the Greeks did not perceive the inevitable noise produced by the equipment of the attackers. The objective of the attack, the heights of Kresti, weakly occupied, were conquered in heavy rain. The following night, though cold and wet, was quiet.

At dawn on April 8, 1941 came the alarm due to an enemy attack. Taking advantage of the bushes, the brave Greeks had approached up to about 10 meters of the German lines.

Sources: 72 Infanterie Division – Einsatz mit dem Infanterie Regiment 105. Kampf in der Metaxas Linie. Deutsche Militärzeitschrift Nº 17.
http://army.gr/structure/eng/istoria/mo ... xi_en.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; last part.................

With the IR 105 (72 ID) against the Metaxas Line.

A German soldier reported: I was in a good position on the left flank of the 7. / IR 105 when I saw two Greeks placing a light machine gun almost against my post, then with my gun I knocked out both enemies. I left my position and took the gun; one of the Greek soldier, wounded in the left side of his chest, asked for help therefore I gave him some first aid and as well to his comrade who was wounded in the thigh.

Then after a short counterattack the battalion retreated from the Kresti height. Until the morning of April 10, 1941 the forts remained in the hand of the Greek troops but taking in account the rapid collapse of the Yugoslav resistance and flanking maneuver by Beles-Nestos plus the quick German advance towards Thessaloniki, the capitulation became inevitable.

Sources: 72 Infanterie Division – Einsatz mit dem Infanterie Regiment 105. Kampf in der Metaxas Linie. Deutsche Militärzeitschrift Nº 17.
http://army.gr/structure/eng/istoria/mo ... xi_en.html

It's all folks. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes a new history about this topic.................

Thus we assaulted the fort of Istibei.

On the Greek-Bulgarian border, April 6, 1941 at 05:20 hours, the leader of the assault team of engineers, a young lieutenant (Leutnant Klingseisen?) walked the last few steps to the Greek position in front of his men. Soon the first shots rang out and so began the battle against the Greek fortifications in our sector. The bunker above us, there on the top, should be conquered because the position blocks the advance through the valley of the Struma.

The shots break the silence of dawn. The barbed wire obstacle is blown up with explosives and then follows the machine gun nest, the resistance there was eliminated with an explosive charge attached to a pole. Now the sappers could storm the trenches located deeper to the rear. Other assault troops also conquered other forts in that same height. Our brave and young soldiers continued the attack towards Kelkaja and Arpaluki. The young lieutenant of the sappers, who led the raid was shot in his leg.

Sources: So wurde der Istibei gestürmt. PK Heinrich Rodemer.
http://www.pionier39.pl/dzialania_istibei1941.html

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.................

Thus we assaulted the fort of Istibei.

Diving planes (Stukas) on Istibei.

Meanwhile antitank (Pak) and anti-aircraft (Flak) artillery, placed at our height began firing on the forts located on the bluffs at 1300 meters to our right. Istibei is the heart of the whole defense system in the area. About 25 small and large bunkers could be counted, including the "festungberg". The second shot achieved a direct hit. This could be seen without the aid of binoculars. After that broke the fire of howitzers and mortars. Salvo after salvo. A small bunker was literally plucked from the surface, and from a large bunker flew a block of cement. The Greek defensive fire has weakened. Our machine guns rattled and the artillery from time to time sends its regards of steel.

There is a hum of engines nearby in the blue sky. The Stukas!. The red disc of the sun was growing up as the planes began to howl while swooped. The blasts occur in the hitherto quiet valley of the Belasica Mountain range. The mountains trembled and on top of Istibei, rose black columns of earth. The trunks of the trees and the stones fly through the air. Some bunkers are completely destroyed, but others do not. The planes delivered its deadly cargo in several waves and simultaneously our artillery sends the shells over our heads.

Sources: So wurde der Istibei gestürmt. PK Heinrich Rodemer.
http://www.pionier39.pl/dzialania_istibei1941.html

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; last part.................

Thus we assaulted the fort of Istibei.

The assault troops do the rest.

The sappers and mountain hunters scale up the slopes of the mountain. The mountain artillery had dug its fire positions at 1600 meters in the snowy ridge adjacent to Popotlivitza. In large groups the assault troops venture into the mountain fortress (festungberg) and despite the heavy shelling, some forts still shows signs of life. The Greeks still were defending the line and its machine guns fire feels hard. Its heavy artillery apparently was in retreat, but later still fell some heavy caliber projectiles. The sappers had fought laboriously outpost by outpost.

Short red and yellow lightning were seen out from the loopholes of the bunkers, there is a work for the flamethrower. But the sappers can not come themselves. Again breaks the protective fire of antiaircraft, anti-tank weapons and heavy infantry howitzers. Finally when the supporting fire was unleashed, the German soldiers could reach the top of the "mountain fortress" but still resonate some shots from some corners that are soon silenced with explosive charges.

Not even the scorching midday sun could contain the attack. Despite a sleepless night and a tremendous physical effort, as required by the fighting in the mountains, our troops without having almost no rest, continued the assault into the valley of the Struma.

Sources: So wurde der Istibei gestürmt. PK Heinrich Rodemer.
http://www.pionier39.pl/dzialania_istibei1941.html

Its all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .