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Monday, June 30, 2025

Assault Gun Battalion 902 - Assault Gun Brigade 902

902. Sturmgeschütz Abtielung


A Sturmgeschutz school was formed in January 1944 Tours France for 7 Armee gruppe west for StuG and StuH drivers, crew and commanders, this school produced four Sturmgeschutz Brigades for the army of the west. On February 14th, using men from the Panzer Lehr ersatz und Ausbildungs and Sturmgeschutz 247. The new unit was formed and named Sturmgeschutz Brigade 902 with a strength of 19 StuG III L48 and 12 StuH III 42. Placed in command was Hauptmann Frerich von Lessen 


When the allied forces landed on the 6th of June the battalion was still at Tours in its training role. On the 8th of June 902. was subordinated to the 17. SS-Pz.Gren.Div however the battalion was not committed in the defensive sector of the 17. SS-Pz.Gren.Div in Angers-Saumur-Chinon Pays de Loire or in Normandy (south of Carentan). Hans Stöber, who has written a history of the 17. SS, states that the 902 StuG Abt was ordered to Normandy but did not appear with the division. On 11 June the 17. SS-Pz.Gren.Div. was subordinated to 2. Fallschirm Korps, while 902. StuG Abt was with 84. Korps. On 19 June the 7. Army Gliderung shows that the battalion was with Gruppe von Schlieben. However, two days later the 902 StuG Abt was located near La Haye du Puits and had 13 combat ready StuG in the 91 Luftlande Division area. There is some support for this in the Gliederungen charts and by an OB West document which indicates that the brigade was located in the Valognes area attached to Gruppe König 91st Luftlande Infantry Division on the 20th of June with 30 StuG but only 18 available.

On 1 July the battalion was at full strength, having 30 StuG III combat ready and one in need of repair. The losses suffered by the battalion during its first month in Normandy were slight. Until 11 July only three StuG were total losses, while two drivers and five vehicle commanders had been killed.

The 26th July final order of battle from the 91st Luftlande Division has the 902. With two batteries in operation. Operation Cobra was in full swing and was much more costly for the brigade.


On the 27th the full effect of the breakthrough further east meant a retreat to Countances and a new line towards Dangy with the HQ at Orval, the neighbor units were the 17th SS, Das Reich and 6th FJR.

28th of July a new line was ordered Percy- Sourdeval - La Baleine- Gavray - Cérences -Bréhal- coast line.The 902 were positioned to hold the Countances- Bréhal road on the left flank with 91st Luftlande Division. The whole front was weak in places, even while taking up position the American elements were attacking Trelly and ales Mesnil-Aubert. It this point the unit was totally combat ineffective and were withdrawn east, some units successfully filtered through the American lines and thrust toward Avaranches.  


On the 1 August it had only one StuG combat ready, while seven were in workshops. Also it had 3 combat ready StuH III which indicates that it had received some replacements. The remainders of the brigade withdrew towards Flers then the Falaise gap. I am yet to confirm however the brigade is mentioned in the defensive line south east of Flers -Argentan, in a French article. In September the Brigade report 265 men and no vehicles in Holland. 

The Panzers 


Note the debris guard, a feature of all Tours Armour School based StuG and StuH models 

Quettreville sur sienne

Quettreville sur sienne




Friday, June 20, 2025

French 75mm artillery

 French 75mm artillery 

Completed another 75mm French artillery piece, 3d resin gun with battlefield/ blitz crew, painted with the new AK French uniform colour which I really like, it looks really green in the photo but it is more khaki, but not as light as English uniform. Planning on painting my Simons soldiers French in the coming weeks. 





Cheers
Matt

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Fahnenflüchtige - Desterters

 Fahnenflüchtige- Deserters

A grim piece for my 44-45 defence of the Reich. Made by Battlefield miniatures, I am not sure it will improve my rolling…..





Monday, June 16, 2025

Painting spot

 We have been renovating for 8 years now, so finally I will get a full time painting spot by the end of August (if things go to plan). My current space will change (in a bathroom with no natural light) to a 3rd floor office space. Hopefully in before autumn begins. Still will not be as good a view as my first location view on the first floor! 





Cheers

Matt 

ME 163 Komet

 ME 163 Komet 

Another kit completed from my MAYDAY build, it has been finished for three weeks or so, but I mislaid the canopy, which I found yesterday…… a simple build, the paint job is part airbrush part hand painted as I had masking tape tear so a sand back then brush job to complete, added decals from the kit, pilot is a supplied one. Not much use for wargaming but I knew I had to have one. When I worked at the Australian war memorial as a guide I often would take my guided group past the one in the memorial reminding people that this little jet was really a glider that was often a one way ticket. 






Cheers
Matt

Saturday, June 14, 2025

370th Fighter Group P38 part 2

 370th Fighter Group P38 part 2

Finally got some time to complete this model, the P-38J from the 401st reconnaissance squadron of the  370th fighter group USAAF.  I have always wanted to build one of these for my European theatre ground air support as this unit was the close support for Pattons 3rd Armys breakout through Pays de Loire in August 1944. The droop snoot nosed aircraft was used coordination for targeting and low level rockets and bombing by the rest of the group, targeting the German support elememts and retreating convoys to the north and east into the Falaise pocket. 





As Wargamers we like to think that air support was easily available, with ground to air contact regularly. Pattons 3rd army was the first time that units at the front had direct radio liaison between the ground and the target liaison aircraft during the breakout. US aircraft were available every 8 mins to be targeted on the Germans units directed by these aircraft in constant contact with the lead elements of Pattons Armoured units. The P38s were flying out of Cardonville in Normandy so were over targets in the Mayenne region in around 5 mins as they chased the German 7th army east towards Paris then the border. The unit was also the first to drop Napalm incendiary bombs in Normandy on the 17th of July on a German fuel depot at Coutances west of St Lo. 

My kit is the superb Dragon model, only complaint no pilot….. so a Revell one was used, markings are for the 401st squadron of the 370th Fighter Group, fuselage code 7F. 


Cheers

Matt