Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade 111

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

I need to know the combat history of this little know unit. All I know that the unit was commanded by Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Wagner.

Edward L. Hsiao

[hucks216]

Sturmgeschütze Vor by Franz Kurowski has a page on the unit.
There are actually two such units listed -

In the book it is listed as Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade II (Sturmartillerie-Lehr-Brigade 111) - Commanded by Hptm Hans-Joachim Wagner and Oblt Liedtke as Adjutant. Confusingly, in the narrative it refers to the unit as Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade III despite the unit designation in the heading.
Transported to the Eastern Front in January 1945. Consisted of a HQ battery and three line batteries.
Attached to a Kampfgruppen assigned to relieve Posen but one battery sent to the area of Schneidemühl where it was surrounded and completely destroyed.
The remaining batteries were sent to the Meseritz-Tirschtiegel-Schwiebus area where they too were surrounded. An advance guard led by Wagner managed to break out and head for Frankfurt/Oder. The rear guard (with no StuG's), led by Hptm. Schmidt, also managed to make it across the Oder near Guben after a 5 day march on foot.

Those with Wagner were allocated guns and used in the Frankfurt bridgehead, seeing action at the Oderbruch. For holding off the Soviets Wagner won the RK on 21st February 1945.
The Brigade (without Wagner) pulled back through Berlin, Friesack and Rathenow and crossed the Elbe at Sandau, being taken prisoner by the Americans.

The men with Hptm Schmidt were assigned to the Sturmgeschütz-Schule at Burg where the Brigade was rebuilt. At the beginning of April 1945 it was sent to the Freienwalde-Fürstenburg area where the Soviets advanced on 16th April 1945 after which the Brigade retreated past Berlin to the north.
In the beginning of May, the first 2 batteries crossed the Elbe and were taken prisoner by the Americans. The 3rd Battery under the command of Hauptwachtmeister Lenzen crossed the Elbe at Gorlem and were also taken prisoner by the Americans.

Kampfgruppe Wagner ran in to the main body of Soviet troops attacking in the region of Lauenburg-Ludwigslust-Perleberg. After surrender negotiations the Soviets attacked the guns, knocking them out one by one including that of Wagner. Only a few survived to be taken captive.


However - the book also has an entry under the heading of Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade III which was under the command of Major Dr. Vaerst. It was placed on alert when the Americans approached the Elbe at Magdeburg in March 1945. It went in to action on both sides of the highway to the northwest of the Elbe crossing and west of Magdeburg where they prevented the American troops from crossing. It was then turned to the east where it faced the Soviets and with in days was scattered. The last action of the unit was in the defence of the railroad bridge at Tangermünde on 7th May 1945. On 8th May, Major Vaerst and the last remaining men went in to Soviet captivity.

So, those are the two units that are titled with a 'Lehr-Brigade III'. If it is the one under Wagner then it is Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade II (Sturmartillerie-Lehr-Brigade 111).

[hucks216]

But just to make things more confusing it is also mentioned here as being used as part of Division Schill...
http://www.webring.org/l/rd?ring=ww2;id ... i%2Ecom%2F

Sturmgeschütz-Lehrbrigade III
Sturmgeschütz-Brigade "Schill"
Apr 45 - formed from Sturmgeschützschule Burg and initially deployed against the Americans. Later reinforced and transferred to the Eastern Front as part of Division "Schill"

While Sturmartillerie-Lehr-Brigade 111 has this entry:

Lehr- Abteilung II Burg
Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade II
Sturmartillerie-Lehr-Brigade 111
Jan 45 – Formed from personal from Sturmgeschützschule Burg 191, 909 and 1.-3. leFH-Batterie
Apr 45 - 33 StuG III, 9 StuH 42 and 5 JgdPz IV/70

[hucks216]

As it happens, the Battle of Magdeburg is covered in the current issue (# 180) of After The Battle which can be bought from the publishers website (£6) or for a digital downloaded version from the Pocketmags app/website (£4.99).

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Thanks for the information.

Edward L. Hsiao