12. Fallschirm Sturmgeschütz Brigade
In January 1944 this unit was formed as 2.Fs.StuG.Abt., but it later changed name to 12. Fs.StuG.Brig.1 It was intended to be a permanent part of 2. Fallschirm Korps.
On 17 May the unit had an authorized strength of 31 assault gun, but it had none on hand.2 Exactly when it received its assault guns is not clear, but it had arrived at 2. Fallschirm Korps on 15 June.3 There would have been little point in sending it to the combat area without its assault guns. If it had received its full complement of assault guns is not clear.
According to Blauensteiner the brigade had six StuG (7,5 cm K) and three StuH (10,5 cm H) in each battery.4 If he refers to authorized strength or actual strength is not entirely clear. The brigade was still forming and training at the beginning of June.5
Nevertheless, the brigade was sent to Normandy together with the 3. Fallschirm-Division.6
The brigade reported 11 combat ready StuG on 27 June.7 Four days late it remained with 2. Fallschirm Korps.8
It still had seven StuG and three StuH combat ready on 29 July.9
According to Tornau/Kurowski the brigade had a strength of about 60 % of its original manpower in its combat elements, while the support elements still had about 90 % strength when the brigade crossed the Seine.10
Notes:
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1 |
G. Tessin, Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS (Mittler & Sohn, Frankfurt am Main and Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1966-1975). |
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2 |
Gliederung II. Fs.Korps, Stand 17.5.44, BA-MA RH 20-7/136. |
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3 |
Kriegsgliederungen zum KTB der Führungsabteilung AOK 7 ab 6.6.44 bis 30.6.44, T312, R1566, F000006. |
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4 |
E. Blauensteiner, Normandie: Vorgeschichte II. Fallschirmkorps Anfang Mai 1944 - 6. Juni 1944, MS # B-240, p. 2. |
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5 |
Ibid. |
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6 |
Tornau & Kurowski, Sturmartillerie (Maximilian-Verlag, Herford 1965) p. 261. |
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7 |
AOK 7 Ia Nr. 3454/44 g.Kdos 27.6.44, T312, R25, F7029978. |
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8 |
Anlage I zu Korpsarzt II. Fallsch.Korps B Nr. 65050/45 g.Kdos vom 27.1.45, Berichtzeit 1.7 - 4.9.44, BA-MA RL 33/5. |
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9 |
AOK 7 Ia Nr. 4174/44 g.Kdos. den 2.8.44, T312, R1569, F000358f. |
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10 |
Tornau & Kurowski, Sturmartillerie (Maximilian-Verlag, Herford 1965) p. 261. |