Sturmgeschütze in 6. SS-Geb. Div. "Nord" in 1945

[FransN]

According to a file in the Vopersal archives in Freiburg, BA-MA N756/148, a StuG. Kp. was raised in early Sommer 1944, intended for the 6. SS-Geb. Dv. "Nord". During the last days of 1944 this unit received 11 Jagdpanzer "Hetzer" in Oppeln (Heereszeugamt). However, it was sent to Schneidemühl and fought with Pz. Gren. Div. "Kurmark" near Frankfurt/oder. Remnants were eventually used to build SS-Pz. Jg. Abt. 560 zbV.

However, several sources mention Sturmgeschütze in the "Nord" Division while it was fighting on the Western Front in early 1945:

BA-MA N756/148a lists SS-Pz. Jg. Abt. 6 in March 1945 with a 1. (StuG.) Kp., a 2. (7,5 cm. Pak) Kp. and a 3. (3,7 cm. Flak) Kp.

Franz Schreiber, "Kampf unter dem Nordlicht", Munin Verlag, Osnabrück 1969, says on p. 327 after the fights of late January 1945: "Die Sturmgeschütz-Batt. ersetzte einige abgeschossene Sturmgeschütze durch erbeutete Sherman-Panzer". On p. 337 around 9 March 1945: "Materialverlust: 6 Sturmgeschütze und 5 sPak, durch Treffer vernichtet." On 19 March 1945 the "Pz. Jg. Abt. - 12 Rohre und etwa 100 Mann" (page 364). A few days later the newly formed KGr. Goebel had only 6 sPak (i.e. no longer any Hetzers, p. 365).

Can anybody shed some light on these Hetzers? Where did this company come from? Since when was it with the division?

Best regards and good Easter days,
Frans

[Richard Anderson]

Can anybody shed some light on these Hetzers? Where did this company come from? Since when was it with the division?

Best regards and good Easter days,
Frans

The Ob West Panzerlage of 5 February 1945 confirms 14 assault guns (StuG III/IV/StuH/JgPz IV u. 38t) with 6. SS-Geb-Div, presumably they were JgPz 38t. Part of the confusion may be the habit of raising StuG "Abteilungen" that were actually just Batterien and then inserting them into an PzJg Abteilung? I suspect the Abteilung with the division in February came first and the latter Batterie in March was anintended reinforcement that got diverted elsewhere, but that is speculation.

[FransN]

Thanks for the quick reply Richard. Good to see that there is an official document that confirms the presence of 14 assault guns on 05.02.1945.
I see that I made an error in my initial post: The sources mentioned (Vopersal and Schreiber) did not mention any "Hetzers", just "Sturmgeschütze". However, I agree with you that Hetzers would be a likely choice.
Best regards,
Frans

[RFVD11]

By the time the unit was fighting in Oberhesse in March/April, 1945, I doubt it had any armor. Based on books I read and eye witnesses of my relatives.
AHK

[NicoH]

Hello
On germandocsinrussia (https://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/de/ ... ect/zoom/4)
also a Melding dated 11.2.45 is available. 11 Jagdpanzer 38 are mentioned.
Regards
Nico

[charli peng]

Moin,
the 18./ 11"R.H." had also a few Sturmgeschütze/ or Hetzer.
Regards Charly

[FransN]

Bedankt (thanks) Nico for sharing this interesting file with us! Most useful!

Moin Charly! Could you give some more details about the Hetzers in 18./Rgt. 11? Sources?
First, in 1945 there was still a Pz. Jg. Abt. 6 in presence. It would be more likely that any Hetzers would end up in its 1. or 2. Kompanie.
Second, during their very short intermezzo in Denmark in late December 1944 the battalions were reorganized one more time, as can be seen in Wolf T. Zoepf, "Seven days in January with the 6th SS-Mountain Division in Operation Nordwind", The Aberjona Press, Bedford PA, 2001, page 56-57:
"...Finally, the battalions of our regiment were significantly reorganized. An additional company was added to each battalion. The addition was to be the "heavy company", consisting of one platoon with two 75mm infantry howitzers, and one platoon of four 120mm mortars. The addition of three companies to the regiment had significant consequences for the identification of all units. Because our companies had been consecutively numbered through the regiment, our three line (rifle) companies had been the 11th, 12th, and 13th, the heavy machine-gun company had been the 14th, and the headquarters company (with the signal, pioneer, and heavy mortar platoons) had been the 15th. Now, with the addition of the three additional organic heavy companies, the line companies' and heavy machine-gun company designations jumped by two each (becoming the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th companies); the new heavy company became the 18th. This caused great havoc in our intra-unit communications and administration, and still does today when the veterans recall the war."
This reorganization also had consequences for the regimental units. Thus the former 18. (Panzerjäger)-Kompanie became the new 21. (Panzerjäger)-Kompanie.

Looking forward to your reply!
Mit freundlichem Gruss (with kind regards),
Frans

[charli peng]

Moin,
I have the information from the comrad on the picture. I visit him, maby for 15 years.
He told me, one platoon from the 18./11 (Regiments Panzerjäger Kompanie) had Sturmgeschütze or Hetzer on the Westfront 1945. I don't know no more.
Only the SS- Geb.Jg.Rgt.12" M.G." was reclassified 12.1944!
And a "Arbeitsgeschütz" is for the "Einschießen",I can't translate "Einschießen", of the Batterie. At first fired this gun. Liegen die Treffer "Deckend", feuert die ganze Batterie.
Regards Charly

[FransN]

Danke Charly, sehr interessant (Thanks Charly, most interesting) !
Frans

[FransN]

For the sake of clarity of posts 7 and 8: Ostuf. Wolf Zoepf was Adjutant of III./SS-Geb. Jg. Rgt. 12. He described the reorganizations in his regiment, i.e. 12. Therefore, Rgt. 11 may not have been reorganized after all, thus corroborating Charly's source that 18. Kompanie of Rgt. 11 was still the Panzerjäger-Kompanie. Charly, do you have any written data (from your source or from elsewhere) that the Hetzers were in 18./Rgt. 11, and/or that Rgt. 11 was not reorganized, while Rgt. 12 was? I could not find anything in the (remaining) Kriegstagebücher in Freiburg.

Remains the question, why the Hetzers (would) have been subordinated to 18.(Pz.Jg.)/Rgt. 11 instead of to the still available Pz. Jg. Abt.? After all, Vopersal (BA-MA folder N756/148) mentions a 1.(StuG.) Kp. in the SS-Pz. Jg. Abt. 6....

Best regards,
Frans

[NicoH]

Frans,

Date is 19.2.45 not 11.2.45
Also note the 2 leichte beutepanzer in the Nord Division. Is something kniwn about these light tanks?

[FransN]

Hallo Nico, moin Charly,

This is what the divisional history (Schreiber) says:
In late January 1945, after the fighting in the Alsace: "Die Sturmgeschütz-Batt. ersetzte einige abgeschossene Sturmgeschütze durch erbeutete Sherman-Panzer."
During the fighting around Trier and along the Ruwer river around 6 March 1945 the 1. and 2./SS-Pz. Jg. Abt. 6 were mentioned in a "Sperrverband Nord" that was subordinated to SS-Geb. Jg. Rgt. 11 "RH". No type of weapons were mentioned (7,5 cm. Pak ?)
Also on 6 March 1945, two American tanks (no type mentioned, just "Panzer") had been captured and used against their previous owners. One was destroyed on 7 March by an American "60-Tonner" tank. The second turns out to be a Sherman tank ("Wir erledigen noch zwei Feindpanzer mittels unsere Panzerfäuste, und einen weiteren knackt unsere Beute-Sherman" (7 March).
Around 8 March 1945, after the Trier/Ruwer fighting, the division reported:
"Materialverlust: 6 Sturmgeschütze und 5 sPak, durch Treffer vernichtet. Feindverluste: 450 gezählte Tote, 356 Gefangene, darunter 6 Offiziere; 8 Panzer vernichtet, 2 erbeutet und dann zerstört."
That's all. Best regards, hartelijke groet, MfG,

Frans