Fallschirm Aufklärungs Abteilung 12

 

This battalion was raised in January 1944 to be a permanent component of II. Fallschirm Korps.1

The battalion had the following authorized organization2:

1. Kompanie   Armoured Cars
2. Kompanie   SPW (with 47 MG and two 8 cm mortars)
3. Kompanie   SPW (with 47 MG and two 8 cm mortars)
4. Kompanie   schwere Kp. (15 MG, four 2 cm Flak guns, nine 7,5 cm AT guns, 2 infantry howitzers)
5. Kompanie   Versorgungskompanie

On 17 May it was however far from complete. It had yet received none of its armoured cars and only half of its mortars.3 Many of the units of II. Fallschirm Korps were only partially equipped, manned and trained. It is possible that during the three weeks between 17 May and D-Day the battalion received equipment to bring it up to strength, but that would still leave the training of the unit in a less than satisfactory state.

According to Blauensteiner, the cheif of staff of II. Fs.Korps, the battlion was equipped with Volkswagen passenger cars and trucks not capable of cross country movement.4 He estimated that it had a manpower strength of 900 men.5 Effectively the battlion seems to have been a motorized infantry unit.

On 10 June the battalion had reached Pont Brocard (eastsoutheast of Coutances).6 It was with II. Fallschirmkorps on 1 July7 and it seems to have remained with the corps for the remainder of the campaign.

The battalion was considered to be "schwach" (means that battalion had a combat strength of 100 - 200 men) on 29 July.8

The battalion was among those surrounded in the Falaise pocket and on 19 August it was just west of the Dives river.9

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

BA-MA RH 2/1594.

3

Gliederung II. Fs.Korps 17.5.44, BA-MA RH 20-7/136.

4

E. Blauensteiner, Normandie: Vorgeschichte II. Fallschirmkorps Anfang Mai 1944 - 6. Juni 1944, MS # B-240, p. 2.

5

Ibid.

6

E. Blauensteiner, Normandie: 6. Juni 1944 - 24. Juli 1944, MS # B-261, p. 2.

7

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.

8

AOK 7 Ia Nr. 4174/44 g.Kdos. den 2.8.44, T312, R1569, F000358.

9

E. Blauensteiner, Einsatz des II. Fallsch.Korps in Nordfrankreich 25.7.1944 - 25.8.44, MS # B-346, p. 11.