Note - I edited the text below because I had misread and then transposed batterie numbers wrt the map discussed below. The units in question are 698 and 686.
Hi - we have documents showing the original order was for Qty 7, 38cm Siegfried guns. Several authors state there were four guns produced while others indicate three. Reviewing the link at
viewtopic.php?f=70&t=224492&p=2159552#p2122611 regarding the Reichsbahn numbering scheme, we have carriages 919583, 919584 and 919182 (seen in the photos above). Has anyone ever heard anything definitive on a fourth gun?
I am attaching a few snippets of a document that shows composition of E-batterie 698 in 1943 and 1944 and a map enclosed in same document that indicates several things.
To me, it looks like the data says there was a plan as of late 1944 to move E-batterie 698 Siegfried guns Eastward (out of the southern France zone). We know for sure that the two guns associated with 698 never got that far. One was found and destroyed in Ahlen Germany (subject of ETO report 248) and another ("Gneisenau") near Montélimar France in August 1944.
The map shows that as of (Sept 8, 1944), it looked like there was one Siegfried gun at Rugenwalde (Okt) (what does Okt mean - October ?) and one gun also on the Eastern front (or a plan to put them there). I am not sure whether the map shows a "plan" or a "status"? To me, it doesn't make sense that an official document would show an intention unless it was reflecting what had been ordered. I don't have much experience reading these documents so any help in understanding them would be most appreciated. Were the 698 guns being split and moved to a new unit 686?
Note that the date of the map which is in Sept might coincide with destruction dates of the 698 guns so perhaps 698 was written off as the line through the map suggets.
The map at least shows an intention of moving one of two 686 guns to the Eastern front (discussed above in the thread) with the other one being relocated to Rugenwalde. Note: the map shows the Siegfried gun on the Eastern Front as assigned to batterie "679". Was there ever such a batterie or was it just planned? Since we have two guns destroyed in the West but not in there initial locations, does that infer that they were on their way to their new destinations when destroyed? Does map mean that there were four Siegfried guns active? The two in 698, one at Rugenwalde and on Eastern Front. E-Batterie 686 indicates it was made up of two 28cm guns so I am confused as to what the map is indicating.
Regardless, the documents shows two active Siegfried guns making up 698 and E-batterie 686 being two 28cm guns so again, what does the map and 686 marked as having 38cm Siegfried guns mean.
Note: relative to 919182 in the photos above, it looks to me that there is at least one French gun off to the right, one Bruno type gun in front of it and perhaps something else French in front of the Bruno type gun. To me this is a bit of coincidence because the Eastern Front unit "679" on the map says it was supposed to be made up of 1 Kz Bruno, 2 592 (f) guns, 2 752(f) guns, 1 32cm (f) gun and 1 Siegfried.???
Sorry this is so long and I hate to share my insanity but any help with understanding the map would be appreciated (this is what happens when my wife gives me a day off - ha ha).
Regards
