Book Review -Sturmartillerie de la Waffen SS Tome II

 Book Review -Sturmartillerie de la Waffen SS Tome II

I am finally catching up on some reading this week, I have built a few fast build StuGs last week and then purchased the new MIG Zimmeritt book, the tools and the paste. I also ordered some new reference books to look at the patterns for my 17SS StuGs. 

The book is hardcover in French and has a lot of period photos for the three divisions Totenkopf, Polizei and Wiking. The book is published by Heimdal and is Tome II of a three part series. 

The photos are from the propaganda stock and quite a lot personal images also. Short stories of commanders or the photographers there are very few colour photos. Quite a lot of personnel named vehicles and several different zimmeritt and camo patterns which was exactly what I was looking for. There are lots of good maps and in most cases daily fighting reports. A good resource for the wargamer and researcher for certain. 

Cheers

Matt

Counterattack Saint-Mere-Eglise

A few photos from recent learning game of the counterattack at Saint-Mere-l’eglise. The German assault failed due failed activation rolls, both supporting stugs were destroyed, one by a 57mm and one bazooka. 

A few more games of Chain of Command 2 to grasp the new rules fully. 

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

341. Sturmgeschütz Brigade 

This unit was formed as 341. StuG.Abt. in December 1943. It was reorganized as 341. StuG.Brig. in February 1944. In May 1944 the unit was located near Narbonne in southern France and it was still forming. On 1 June it had 19 StuG and 9 StuH which can be compared to an authorized strength of 45 assault guns. It remained in southern France during June and recieved further assault guns. On 1 July it was at full strength, having 33 StuG and 12 StuH.

Commanders 

Hauptmann Dr Karl Ernst Bumm February 14 1944 - 6th August 1944 wounded

Hauptmann Gunter Dreyer August 1944 - September 1944

Hauptmann Dr Eric Barkley September 1944- 8th December 1944 KIA

Movements 

24.7.44
Bv.TO with AOK 7.
Br.B.nr.1615/44 geh.

Daily report :
I) Troop transports:
a) Movements:
Sturmgeschützbrigade 341 leaves the Toulouse region in 5 convoys towards Pz.Gr.West.
1st convoy leaves on 25.7.44.

28.7.44
Bv.TO with AOK 7.
Br.B.nr.1643/44 geh.
Daily report :
I) Troop transports:
a) Movements:
Sturmgeschützbrigade 341:
1st convoy to Saint-Etienne-de-Montluc (northwest of Nantes, movement at 22:00.) 

2nd convoy to Couëron (northwest of Nantes, movement at 22:00.)
3rd and 4th convoy on 26.7 at the entrance to Nantes.

29.7.44
Bv.TO with AOK 7.
Br.B.nr.1648/44 geh.
Daily report :
I) Troop transports:
a) Movements:
Sturmgeschützbrigade 341:
1st and 2nd convoy to Rennes, movement planned at nightfall.
3rd convoy to Redon, movement in the evening.
4th convoy to Beslé* (north-east of Redon), movement in the evening.

* Beslé station is a railway station on the Rennes to Redon line, located in the municipality of Guémené-Penfao.

30.7.44
Bv.TO with AOK 7.
Br.B.nr.1655/44 geh.
Daily report :
I) Troop transports:
a) Movements:
Sturmgeschützbrigade 341:
1st convoy and 2nd convoy unloaded early on 30.7 at La Boussac and Pleine-Fougères (east of Dol de Bretagne).
3rd and 4th convoy stopped at Rennes; continuation planned for 30.7 after dark.
5th convoy at the entrance to Nantes.

31.7.44
Bv.TO with AOK 7.
Br.B.nr.1662/44 geh.
Daily report :
I) Troop transports:
a) Movements:
Sturmgeschützbrigade 341:
3rd convoy unloaded early on 30.7 at Combourg (south of Dol).
4th convoy unloaded on 30.7 in the evening at Rennes. 

1st August 
5th convoy on 31.7 at Redon, continuation planned at nightfall towards Combourg. 

5th August 

III battery defending the river bridge in Ville Mayenne, fighting in Mayenne, retire to Aaron. 

6th August 

III battery in Aaron

7th August 

III battery counterattack Ville Mayenne in support of Kampfgruppe Corelli

8 August 

retire from Aaron north east to Villanes La Juhel.

10th August 

Retire to Mamers

11th August 

At Belleme

15th August 

III battery Moved to defend the Eure river line at La Loup.

16th August 

III battery at Le Boullay-Thiery reports 9 vehicles, retire toward Dreux

17th August 

All vehicles destroyed

I & II battery Commitment to stem the American breakout at Avaranches 

The unit was first comitted to combat in the Brécey - Avranches area on 31 July in Kampfgruppe Bacherer along with the iii Abteilung 897 regiment, 77th infantry division and two battalions II Fallschirmjäger-Ersatz-und-Ausbildung Regiment 2 FJD to retake Avaranches. Heavy fighting occurred whilst trying to retake Pontaubault bridge. It seems that 1st Batterie was the first unit to see action. During its first days of combat, this battery lost twelve of its fourteen assault guns. 

StuG III destroyed by AT fire, note the modified Shurzen and debris guard on top of the Mantlet. 

1.8.44
Bv.TO with AOK 7.
Br.B.nr.1672/44 geh.
Daily report :
I) Troop transports:
a) Movements:
Sturmgeschützbrigade 341:
5th convoy unloaded on 1.8 at Combourg.
It was reported on 1 August that the two committed batteries were almost all destroyed, while the third battery was still close to Rennes at Combourg. It was reported that five railway cars with elements of the brigade were still in Redon on 2 August.


2.8.44
Bv.TO with AOK 7.
Br.B.nr.1681/44 geh.
Daily report :
I) Troop transports:
a) Movements:
Sturmgeschützbrigade 341:
(StuG of the 5th road convoy) 2.8 to Redon, movement at nightfall towards Mayenne

According to Tornau/Kurowski the brigade quickly received new assault guns from Paris via Tours. How many the brigade received is not clear, but it was reported that on 3 August four assault guns were in the area of Nantes and it is possible that these were intended for the 341. StuG.Brig in the Mayenne department area.

II battery Fighting Dinan - St. Malo area.

Remnants of II battery and support elements withdrew towards Saint Malo, where they join in the cities defence. 

1944 at the corner of rue de Dinan and de Langrolay/Rance in Pleurtuit

The StuH was destroyed by a 57mm from the 121st Infantry Division on the 9th August, an artillery round subsequently hit the vehicle blowing it apart. 

Destroyed by company L by bazooka 121st Infantry Division on the 8th August, St Malo,

St Malo destroyed by C Company 644th tank destroyer battalion 12th August

III battery Fighting Mayenne 

On the night 2nd of August the third battery moved from Rennes to Laval by train, disembarked on the western side of the Mayenne river line to defend the breakout of Pattons 3rd army east towards Le Mans. The company moved from Laval then north to Ville Mayenne on the western side of the river (as the Laval bridges were already demolished) to cross then defend the bridge in Ville Mayenne that the was open for the retreating supply units from Rennes and the movement towards the buildup area for operation Lűttich. 

On the 3rd of August the unit joined Kampgruppe Coretti and seen action against the US 90th infantry division on the 5th of August, losing one Sturmgeschutz III to US tanks in Ville Mayenne. 

On the 6th and 7th of August the remaining three vehicles counterattacked against the bridgehead at Mayenne with elements of the 708 Infantry Division, 9th Panzer Panzer IV, Panzer Lehr reconnaissance Abteilung and elements of the 1st Sicherung Division, losing another vehicle to anti tank fire between Aaron and Mayenne. After a fighting withdrawal to the North east towards Alençon.

Destroyed Sturmgeschutz III in Ville Mayenne, photo from a private collection.

Withdrawal North East 

The brigade reported 20 assault guns on 2 August (Mayenne and St Malo), with most of the unit lost in the fighting in Brittany, five days later on the 9th it reported twelve assault guns remaining. 

10th August the III Batterie was assigned to 352nd inf division, defending the Eure river at La Loup, on the 15th August breakthrough retired to Le Boullay-Thiery, elements of the 341 stug brigade attached 9 vehicles, at 8pm on the 16th of August the survivors of the regiment surrendered to American troops.

Some elements seemed to have escaped with the some vehicles reporting 3 StuG and 1 StuH in September. 

On 1 October the brigade had 544 men which was only four less than its establishment called for. During September casualties amounted to only 18 men, while 133 men arrived as replacements. Five men had left the brigade for other reasons than being casualties. Accordingly the brigade must have had 434 men on 1 September.

No deliveries of assault guns to the brigade has been found among the records of the Inspector-General of Panzer Troops, except 17 StuG III and 10 StuH III sent to OB West on 31 July for further distribution.These arrived 9 August and may have ended up with 341. StuG.Brig north of Chartres. The assault gun deliveries indicated by Tornau/Kurowski may also have been taken from various training facilities in France (there was e.g. an assault gun school at Tours). On 1 October the brigade had 10 combat ready assault guns and 13 in short term repair.

Numbers known were 

2- 201 stab

I battery 211 - 212 - 213 - 214 

II battery 221 - 222 - 223 - 224

III battery 231 - 232 - 233 -234

IV battery 241 - 242 - 243

Building for Rapid Fire 

I plan to add the Sturmgeschutz brigade 

I company 

2 x StuG III

II company 

2 x StuG IIII

III company 

2 x StuH III

Sources 

Cheers

Matt

SturmGeschütz III ausf G variants 1942-45

 SturmGeschütz III ausf G variants

A chart I came across on the airfix taptalk forum, posting it here for my own reference really!

A big thanks to user Huib who made this up and posted it on the forum.

Summary Stug III Variations

December 1942 to March 1943

1. Drivers periscope
2. No schurzen 
3. Bolt on frontal armour 
4. No shot deflector on the front cupola
5. Machine gun shield
6. Box model mantlet without co-ax MG
7. Rubber rimmed return rollers
8. No zimmeret

Mid Production December 43- February 44

1. No drivers periscope 
2. Early production schürzen (tended to fall off easily)
3. With or without shot deflector on cupola
4. Welded frontal armour
5. MG shield 
6. Box model mantlet or Saukopf mantlet without co-ax MG
7. All steel return rollers
8. Zimmeret

Late Production October 1944-April 45

1. No driver periscope 
2. Improved Shürzen mounts
3. Welded frontal armour
4. Shot deflector on cupola
5. Rotating machine gun mount
6. Box mantlet or saukopf manlet with co-ax MG
7. All steel return rollers
8. No zimmeret 
9. Concrete add on armour to mantlet option

The airfix Stug III suits October /November 43 but needs shürzen added at least, with a later Saukopf manlet. Bolt on frontal armour needs to be adjusted also. 

Cheers

Matt