Eastern Front replacements

Discussions on WW2 in Eastern Europe.
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ransomhades
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Posts: 36
Joined: 15 Oct 2020, 15:25
Location: Poland

Eastern Front replacements

#1

Post by ransomhades » 19 Oct 2020, 15:20

Hello all,

This is a two part question.

With regards to Army Group North and the casualties sustained up until early 1944, before the siege at Leningrad was lifted, is it safe to assume a lot of guys would have been transferred between units to fill gaps after heavy losses were sustained?

For example, infantry from certain regiments within the 16th Army being transferred to replenish depleted regiments within the 18th Army.

Second question follows on from the first.

If unit transfers like the aforementioned happened would that require a new Erkennungsmarke? Considering that Germany was on the defensive by 1944 I am guessing admin would have been a nightmare and particularly for those guys trapped in Courland. It wasn't as if they could nip home to have their soldbuch updated.

I appreciate any help in advance!

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Simon H
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Joined: 11 Apr 2002, 13:58
Location: UK

Re: Eastern Front replacements

#2

Post by Simon H » 06 Nov 2020, 17:03

New erkennungsmarken were not issued per say every time an individual changed units. Many times the owner might even keep the same Erkennungsmarke throughout his service. You can see this when you compare the details within a Soldbuch or Wehrpass, where the Erkennungsmarke has not changed even if the owner has changed units several times. There are exceptions, but they seem to be few and far between.
WW2 Battlefield Relics: German Erkennungsmarken Identification.


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I have questions
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Joined: 25 Nov 2018, 22:49
Location: North America

Re: Eastern Front replacements

#3

Post by I have questions » 06 Nov 2020, 19:48

I don't believe the whole 'transferring between regiments' would have happened for two reasons. One, it would be an absolute nightmare on personnel rosters. Two, given the nature of the Leningrad front (that is, the areas west and southwest of the city) it was fairly quiet until winter 1943-44, which would mean that the receiving and distributing of replacements could happen unabated and with little difficulty as the front wasn't constantly fluctuating. In other words, the need to take from neighboring regiments wasn't there, it isn't as if they are getting overrun and desperately need backup. Perhaps a regiment from a neighboring unit would be used as a placeholder until sufficient replacements arrived, but not become a permanent addition to said unit.

In the case of Kurland, the 11th Infantry and 14th Panzer Divisions acted as the crisis response force for the army group. That front (with exception to the 5 'big' battles) was static, even though there was fighting daily in the form of raids and various other activities undertaken on temporarily forgotten fronts. As far as cannibalizing regiments from other divisions, I don't think any German divisional commander in 1945 would allow such a thing to happen unless ordered to from the top.

That being said, I'm sure examples of this behavior exist.

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