Showing posts with label Reichsarbeitsdienst RAD. Show all posts

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Reichsarbeitsdienst “Albert Speer” panzer grenadier Abtielung 1945

Albert Speer RAD Panzer Grenadier Abteilung 1945

I have commenced my kampfgruppe 1001 nights, part of the unit was Albert Speer’s RAD body guard Abteilung, which was made up of Reichsarbeitsdienst troops from Berlin, many of whom come from anti aircraft batteries around Berlin. One RAD motorcycle company plus the Armoured cars joined the Kampfgruppe 1001 nights to fight in the Seelow Heights. The remainder stayed in Berlin to man 88 gun batteries and to act as infantry in he Spree sector.

The miniatures are from Simons Soldiers fall of Berlin range, which are very versatile miniatures for the last days of the Reich wargaming

HQ company

RAD commander

RAD panzerschrek

Rifle coy

RAD rifle company

RAD Rifle coy

MG Support Coy

RAD MG42

RAD MG team

Rapid Fire Organisation

Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung Speer

HQ, Co + 3 car, medic, panzerschrek
2 x Motorcycle company (RAD uniform) 7 figs, two Fausts
Armoured car company

2 x Sd.Kfz 231 A/C, 1 x Sd.Kfz 263

Support Company

Pak 38 Anti Tank mot tow, 4 crew
Sdkfz 7 quad 20mm flak 38, RAD 4 crew
Two kettenkrads plus trailers 2 x MMG 5 figs

It seems that this unit may of increased in size with infantry reinforcements and armoured cars or have been just renamed on the 3rd of April as the “Spree Panzer Grenadier Regiment” (this also may be a mistaken renaming as they were assigned the Wehrmacht Feldpost 43449 and posted to the Spree sector in Berlin).

I hope you found this interesting as I have researching it, any notes, organisational mistakes I have made please let me know!

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Kampfgruppe 1001 Nachtes - Looking East

Looking East

Reading books can be a dangerous thing, but is good for stirring the blood for new projects (not that I need any). While reading James Lucas Battlegroup book this week, I came across this unusual unit, Kampfgruppe 1001 Nachtes. Recently Steven Shann, released some Rapid Fire scenarios based around the fighting for the Seelow Heights, so with that influence I have dug deeper to build this unusual Kampfgruppe for my Rapid Fire late war Fall of the Reich units.

So I have decided to build this unit as part of my last levy German forces for the fighting around Kustrin -Wriezen, the Seelow Heights and the defence of Berlin. I will build as normal for Rapid fire which can also be used for skirmish games also. As luck would have it, I have quite a few Hetzers in my collection not assigned to units, some painted but most not, plenty of spare fallschirmjagers and german infantry, odd AA gun, motor bikes and a few SdKfz 251 and 231s! So over the next month or so I will pull something together to fight Marks and my Russian hordes and defend the Reich. A big plus also, an opportunity to force me to complete some more German countryside buildings for ww2 and modern cold war games!

Kampfgruppe 1001 Nachtes

The Kampfgruppe was formed into three combat formations

Commander

Major Gustav-Adolf Blancbois

Suleika

560th SS tank destroyer Battalion

Commanded by Sturmbannfuhrer Wost, then later Haupsturmfuhrer Markowz

Hq company T34 with drilling mount, bergepanzer iii recovery

1st Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 14 Jagpanzer Hetzer (three tone factory camouflage)
2nd Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 14 Jagpanzer Hetzer (three tone factory camouflage)
3rd Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 14 Jagpanzer Hetzer (three tone factory camouflage) 2
3 Sturmgeschutze III, (from 27th Friewillgen-grenadier-regiment Langemarcke)
600 SS fallschirmjager Kompanie (140 men) in Wehrmacht smocks.
Kommamder Fritz Leiheit (joined 1st April)
1st jager coy
Support coy 75mm LG recoilless. (No FG -42)

Harem