101st Airborne Normandy WIP Wednesday part one

 101st Airborne Normandy

A project for this Winter /Spring  is my 101st for the Normandy, I purchased some of Simons soldiers, Alder Miniatures and added some other pieces to fill out the units. This way I will now have Arnhem and Normandy US airborne regiments. I need to get the infantry done then I will add AT guns, crewed artillery, jeeps and the glider infantry (in normal US infantry uniform). 

Plan is to build for Rapid Fire 

501st Parachute Infantry Regiment 

502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment 

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 

327th Glider Infantry Regiment

401st Glider Infantry Regiment

377th Parachute Field Artillery battalion 

321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion 

907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion 

326th Airborne Engineer Battalion 

3 Waco gliders 

2 x C47 aircraft 

90th Infantry Division in Normandy part 1

 90th Infantry Division in Normandy and Pays de Loire

One of the American projects I am planning to build winter is the 90th infantry division (Tough Hombres) for the analogue painting challenge. The 90th landed on Dday at Utah beach, fought their way through the Bocage west of St Lo, suffering horrendous casualties along the way. They captured the important river bridge at Mayenne allowing Pattons army to break out east the swing and close the gate on Falaise. 

My plan is to build the 357th Regiment, the reconnaissance troop, and a battery of artillery to start with. 

Historical Organisation 

Headquarters, 90th Infantry Division

357th Infantry Regiment Col Barth

358th Infantry Regiment 

359th Infantry Regiment

 

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 90th Infantry Division Artillery343rd Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)

344th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)
345th Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm)
915th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm)

315th Engineer Combat Battalion

315th Medical Battalion 

90th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)

Headquarters, Special Troops, 90th Infantry DivisionHeadquarters Company, 90th Infantry Division

790th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company

90th Quartermaster Company

90th Signal Company

Military Police Platoon

Band 

 

 

Fallschirm Aufklärungs Abteilung 12

This parachute reconnaissance battalion was created at the begining of January 1944. An independant unit attached to II. Fallschirmjager - Korps, it was led by Hauptmann Gotsche. I have quite a few spare fallschirmjager, so it will be an easy build. A lot of accounts mention no or not many Armoured cars were available, I plan to at least have 1 Italian Armoured car (1 destroyed at St Lo). And possibly one other in the 1st company, the remainder of the battalion in VW kubelwagens. The support coy, will have heavy cars. Flak 20mm and a pak 40. 

Theoretical establishment  
Stabs Kp 

1Italian armoured car AB 41/43.

222A/C

1 Kp- (Lt Von Konitz)

2 x Kubel wagon 8 figs 

2 Kp- (Lt Runge): 

2 Kubelwagen 8 figs

3 Kp- (Lt Tereux)

2 Kubelwagen 8 figs

4 Kp- (Haupt. Raabe): Heavy coy

Flak 20 4 figs light car 

81mm mortar 3 crew

2 x MG42 6 crew

5 Kp- (Lt LLig): 

1x 120mm mortar 4 crew heavy car

 1x 7,5 cm pak 4 crew 40 heavy car 

Sources

Mourir Pour St Lo, Didier Lodieu

Armes Militaria”, nº263, Juin 2007, www.militaria-mag.com

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

Aérospatiale Alouette III. Ia French Gendarmerie

 A very old kit from the stash is finally completed, I elected to actually paint this one as a French gendarme helicopter, with a Force on force scenario in mind.  I have another two Alouette’s  which will join my French airforce and a mercenary unit in the future. 

A simple build, but the instructions leave a little to be desired, I added Elhiem civilian crew models and added a weight in the mid section so I can add a flying stand if required. The decals were a little old so I clear varnished them, only a few splintered, but not terrible. Overall quite happy with my build results. 

Cheers 

Matt

NATO Ground Crew & Pilots

 Another small project completed. A mix of Airfix and Esci Miniatures. The pilots are a mix of RAF, USAF and Luftwaffe. I could not resist painting some of the ground crews in aircraft carrier jackets. 

Cheers

Matt