Fallschirmjager drops NE Stalingrad summer '42

[Peter H]

Of interest as well but not yet published:

http://www.leapinghorseman.com/proddeta ... isbntbafis

The unknown story of 4. Kompanie / Fallschirmjäger-Fla-MG-Btl.7, which fought in Stalingrad from early September 1942 until its remnants, together with the rest of 6. Armee, either lay dead in the snow or were marched into captivity.This Kompanie was truly unique, being the only one of its type in existence. It was formed from young, elite paratroopers and contained four platoons: two were equipped with 5cm anti-tank guns: the other two with 2cm anti-aircraft guns. It came to Stalingrad with a ration strength of 5 officers and 250 NCOs and men and from September to November 1942 participated in costly combat around Orlovka, a small village west of the dreaded city.

The Kompanie was under the command of Hauptmann Martin Kemnitz.

[Peter H]

These photos posted by batfink9 here ( http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... 56&page=31 ) are supposedly of wounded members of this FJ unit near Stalingrad.

[Russ Schulke]

Something wrong with the top photo! The Battle of Stalingrad happen in 1942-43 but the top photo is clearly labeled 1941. (Note the distinctive shape of the number 2)

Russ



http://www.fireonthevolga.com

[Peter H]

It might actually be Stalino 1941 but the weather looks too good to be in the last quarter of 1941.

Regards
Peter

[Fallschirmjäger]

Just another thread on the Wehrmacht-Awards site i saw today on this subject.

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... p?t=246053

[ebcunni]

Hey Gang, probably unrelated but again a story of FJ being dropped behind Soviet lines - Have any of you read "As Far My Legs Will Carry Me" or something along those lines? It's about an FJ Lt who was captured after his unit was dropped behind the lines for some recon work or something like that .. They were all either captured or killed and he was sent to a labor camp in Siberia, a salt or nickel mine. Anyway, he escaped and walked - walked - back to Germany. An amazing story .. I'm sure a lot of things went on like that which never made the records, somethings we'll just probably never know.

E.

[Kurt_Steiner]

Could those German soldiers at Stalino/Stalingrad be just POWs?

[Fallschirmjäger]

Well from the info provided so far it seem like they did go there,and also maybe that they where prisoners there and fought there too.

[Kurt_Steiner]

But 1941 it's too early for Stalingrad. And it states clearly "Stalingrad", not Stalino.

It's odd. Perhaps the text label is jsut wrong. Dunno what to think.

[Peter H]

For what its worth,something here:

http://stalingrad.ic.ru/mist.html

[Fallschirmjäger]

Thanks for the link Peter.

[Peter H]

Some film and photos exist of Luftwaffe ground troops involved in the Stalingrad fighting.I assume they were from a Flak unit and somehow joined the ground fight.

"Luftwaffe troops at Stalingrad"--Ballantine's Stalingrad.

[Fallschirmjäger]

Yea i remember seeing in some WW2 book these luftwaffe troops in the stalingrad ruins,and looks like it was these same guys.But it was another picture of them i think,you dont have any others of them?,thanks.

[Ypenburg]

I don't know about Stalingrad,but whilst on Crete in 2001 for the 60th anniversary of the invasion,I was told by an American who was the liason officer for the German vets that FJ had dropped behind Russian lines without parachutes into deep snow,the idea being to give the Russians the idea that the aircraft were just overflying the area.Unfortunately I can't remember anymore.

What you are refering to as far as I know happened march 1942 in Russia near Makarowka. According to "Weg und Schicksal des deutschen Infanterie-Regiment 82 im II. Weltkrieg 1939-1945" page 100 it actually were Russian FJ's who jumped out of planes into deep snow. The planes flew 10m above the snow and the Russians were taken POW by the 2nd zug of 9./IR82:

"Als sich die 9./IR82 vorgehend dem Stassenkreuz näherte, brachen weiter südwestl. die Sowjets in Makarowka ein und setzten unmittelbar westl. des Strassenkreuzes im Tiefflug aus 10 m Höhe Luftlande-Einheiten der 8.sowj.Fallsch.Jg.Brig. ab, die ohne Fallschirme einfach in die riesigen weichen Schneedünen gekippt wurden. Ehe sie in Aktion treten konnten, wurden sie vom 2.Zg. der 9.Kp., der sofort heranstürmte, gefangen genommen."


Cheers

[Marius87]

Some film and photos exist of Luftwaffe ground troops involved in the Stalingrad fighting.I assume they were from a Flak unit and somehow joined the ground fight.

"Luftwaffe troops at Stalingrad"--Ballantine's Stalingrad.

yeah these "luftwaffe troops", were very special, mein grandfather was pilot in a stukka , and he was send to this "division"! I think i remember that he told me that about 10.000 aircraft men, who were send to this ground troop.....more or less^^! But most of them die because they had no experience in ground fighting......! My Grandfather escaped with one of the last planes which were leaving this hell.......later he was captured in Austria by the Americans!