704. Artillerie Brigade
With very few exceptions, German GHQ artillery was available as
battalions. Higher units were usually only staffs that were assigned
GHQ artillery battalions according to the requirements of the
situation. The 704th Artillery Brigade was no exception. When it was
raised on 28 September 1939 it was called Artillery Regiment staff
for special Employment 704.1 After the
defeat at Sevastopol in May 1944 the staff was transferred to the
west for refitting and it was renamed to leichte
Heeres-Artillerie-Brigade 704 (704th light Army Artillery Brigade) on
11 June 1944.2
This brigade has perhaps caused some confusion over which
artillery units were or were not transferred to Normandy. On 24 June
the brigade was ordered to transfer to Normandy. Then it had the
following units subordinated3:
628 Artillery Battalion (21 cm Mrs 18 Howitzer)
625 Cannon Battery (17 cm K 18 Gun)
861 Artillery Battalion (10,5 cm le FH Howitzer)
934 Artillery battalion (10,5 cm le FH Howitzer)
On 28 June it was on its way to Panzergruppe
West.4 One day later the brigade was
said to be Army Group reserve. The composition of the brigade had
also changed, it now consisted
of5:
628 Artillery Battalion (21 cm Mrs 18 Howitzer)
625 Cannon Battery (17 cm K 18 gun)
861 Artillery Battalion (10,5 cm le FH Howitzer)
934 Artillery battalion (10,5 cm le FH Howitzer)
151 Artillery battalion (10 cm K 18 gun)
217 Sturm Panzer battalion. (This was actually an AFV
unit, equipped with the StuPz IV. It was still forming at the
time.)
However, on 8 July the brigade staff was ordered to leave western
Europe6 (eventually it went to the
eastern front). The battalions that had not yet arrived in Normandy
discontinued their movements and turned to the east instead. Thus the
following battalions never arrived in
Normandy7:
151 Artillery battalion
861 Artillery battalion
934 Artillery battalion
In some instances these battlions have been said to have taken part
in the battle, but this is wrong. Probably the orders of 8 July,
countermanding the transfer to Normandy has not been discovered, and
it has been assumed that the units completed the transfers they were
initially ordered to.
Notes:
|
1 |
G. Tessin, Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS (Mittler & Sohn, Frankfurt am Main and Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1966-1975) |
|
2 |
Ibid. |
|
3 |
Ob.West Ia Nr. 4927/44 geh.Kdos. 24.6.44, T311, R25, F7029822. The equipment of the battalions is taken from Anlage 1 & 2 zu Okdo.d.H.Gr.B. Ib/Stoart/Ia Nr. 3748/44 g.K.Chefs v.21.6.44, T312, R1563, F000589f. |
|
4 |
Pz.Gr. West Ia, Nr 24/44 g.Kdos, Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 29.6.44, BA-MA RH 21-5/50. |
|
5 |
AOK 7 Ia Kriegsgliederungen zum KTB der Führungsabteilung ab 6.6.44 bis 30.6.44, T312, R1566, F000023. |
|
6 |
OB West Ia, Anruf OKW/WFSt. Major d.g. Friedel 8.7.44, T311, R28, F7034297. |
|
7 |
Ibid. |