SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49
Encyclopedia
SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 was a formation of the Waffen SS during World War II
. It was created in June 1944, from units stationed at the NCO's
(SS-Unterführerschulen) and replacement units. By the end of August it had been virtually destroyed and the remnants were incorporated into the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division
1 which was formed in March 1944, from personnel stationed at the NCO'S in Lauenburg
(Pomerania
) and Radolfzell
and the SS Panzergrenadier Training and Replacement
Battalion 9 at Stralsund
.
They were placed under the command of Sturmbannfuehrer (Major) Markus Faulhaber
. Until the Normandy Landings 6 June 1944, the Brigade was just a paper formation, but it had been arranged that the Brigade could be fully mobilized within 48 hours if required.
SS Kampfgruppe 1 was officially renamed the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 on 18 June 1944. The Brigade's title is misleading as the Brigade was an Infantry formation and did not have an armoured unit attached.
from the 11 to the 13 June 1944, this allowed the garrison of Denmark to move towards the invasion beaches, the main formation released was the 363rd Infantry Division
. Their secondary task in Denmark was to guard against a suspected Allied landing on the North Sea
coastline. The Brigade was located at the southern end of the Jutland
peninsula and responsible for the defence of the coast between Bramming
and Ballum
. They were the only major unit between the south of Denmark and the German border, leaving it very open to attack after the departure of the 363rd Division. A few days later their sister brigade arrived the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51
which relieved the pressure on SS Brigade 49 and allowed the forces to consolidate their positions.
On the 12 August with the 7th Army being surrounded in Normandy
the Brigade received orders to prepare for an immediate move. The next day they boarded trains for France, their original destination was to be Calais
. In an attempt at deception
they were upgraded and referred to as the 26th SS Panzer Division.
The Brigade's transfer to France was not without incident with the Danish Resistance carrying out acts of sabotage
on the rail network and as they got closer to the front the rail cars were attacked by Fighter Bombers.
The Brigade reached the French coast North of Calais on 16 August.
They were soon moved again to the area south of Paris
, to try and restore the front line after the American break out of Normandy. By 22 August they were in positions around Meaux
to the east of Paris.
The Brigade was ordered to establish two bridgeheads across the Seine river at Bray
and Nogent
each defended by a battalion with a battalion in reserve.
On the afternoon of 25 August the neighbouring 48th Infantry Division which was covering a bridgehead at Romilly
retreated after encounters with the U.S. 5th Infantry Division
. To cover this gap in the line elements of the I Battalion were sent from Nogent to guard the bridge at Romilly, both bridges were now guarded by reinforced companies.
The following day the Brigade was attacked by the U.S. 5th Infantry Division, which overran the Brigade headquarters and outflanked the III Battalion which was forced to withdraw. The bridgeheads at Bray and Romilly were also abandoned, while the bridgehead at Nogent was under attack from the U.S. 7th Armored Division
which was driven off. After holding out all day the III Battalion withdrew that night.
On 27 August the Brigade found a gap in the American line and withdrew to Sézanne
and then on to Châlons-sur-Marne, where it defeated an attack by the U.S. 80th Infantry Division, but under pressure from the U.S. 4th Armored, was forced to fall back towards Verdun
.
At Verdun the brigade found itself the last unit defending the city and managed to hold out against the U.S. 4th Armored for a few days until 31 August.
It then pulled back towards Metz
the following day fighting the advancing American forces enroute.
The I Battalion and parts of the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51 were combined as the II Battalion of the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 37 and II and III Battalions became the II and III Battalions of the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 38. What was left of the SS-Junkerschule instructors and equipment, together with the artillery battalion returned to the SS Artillery School II in Bohemia
Moravia
.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was created in June 1944, from units stationed at the NCO's
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
(SS-Unterführerschulen) and replacement units. By the end of August it had been virtually destroyed and the remnants were incorporated into the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division
Formation
The SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 can trace its origins to the SS KampfgruppeKampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
1 which was formed in March 1944, from personnel stationed at the NCO'S in Lauenburg
Lebork
Lębork is a town on the Łeba and Okalica rivers in Middle Pomerania region, north-western Poland with some 37,000 inhabitants.Lębork is also the capital of Lębork County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, formerly in Słupsk Voivodeship ....
(Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
) and Radolfzell
Radolfzell
Radolfzell am Bodensee is a town in Germany at the western end of Lake Constance approximately 18 km northwest of Konstanz. It is the third largest town, after Constance and Singen, in the district of Konstanz, in Baden-Württemberg....
and the SS Panzergrenadier Training and Replacement
Battalion 9 at Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
.
They were placed under the command of Sturmbannfuehrer (Major) Markus Faulhaber
Markus Faulhaber
Markus Faulhaber was a Sturmbannführer in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. It was given to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.-Life:Markus Faulhaber was born on 22 July...
. Until the Normandy Landings 6 June 1944, the Brigade was just a paper formation, but it had been arranged that the Brigade could be fully mobilized within 48 hours if required.
SS Kampfgruppe 1 was officially renamed the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 on 18 June 1944. The Brigade's title is misleading as the Brigade was an Infantry formation and did not have an armoured unit attached.
Denmark
The Brigade was activated after the Normandy Landings and moved to DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
from the 11 to the 13 June 1944, this allowed the garrison of Denmark to move towards the invasion beaches, the main formation released was the 363rd Infantry Division
363rd Volksgrenadier Division (Germany)
The 363rd Volksgrenadier Division was a volksgrenadier division of the Heer during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945....
. Their secondary task in Denmark was to guard against a suspected Allied landing on the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coastline. The Brigade was located at the southern end of the Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
peninsula and responsible for the defence of the coast between Bramming
Bramming
Until 1 January 2007 Bramming was a municipality in Ribe County on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 170 km², and had a total population of 13,638 . Its last mayor was Karl Kristian Knudtzen, a member of the Venstre political...
and Ballum
Ballum
Ballum is a village on the western half of the island of Ameland and the smallest of the total of four villages on the island, one of the West Frisian Islands and part of the Netherlands. It has a population of about 370; this includes about 60 inhabitants of the countryside surrounding the village...
. They were the only major unit between the south of Denmark and the German border, leaving it very open to attack after the departure of the 363rd Division. A few days later their sister brigade arrived the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51
SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51
SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51 was a formation of the Waffen SS during World War II. It was created in June 1944, from units stationed at the NCO'S and replacement units...
which relieved the pressure on SS Brigade 49 and allowed the forces to consolidate their positions.
France
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
the Brigade received orders to prepare for an immediate move. The next day they boarded trains for France, their original destination was to be Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
. In an attempt at deception
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
they were upgraded and referred to as the 26th SS Panzer Division.
The Brigade's transfer to France was not without incident with the Danish Resistance carrying out acts of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
on the rail network and as they got closer to the front the rail cars were attacked by Fighter Bombers.
The Brigade reached the French coast North of Calais on 16 August.
They were soon moved again to the area south of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, to try and restore the front line after the American break out of Normandy. By 22 August they were in positions around Meaux
Meaux
Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located east-northeast from the center of Paris. Meaux is a sub-prefecture of the department and the seat of an arondissement...
to the east of Paris.
The Brigade was ordered to establish two bridgeheads across the Seine river at Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
and Nogent
Nogent
Nogent is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Nogent, in the Haute-Marne département* Nogent-l'Abbesse, in the Marne département* Nogent-l'Artaud, in the Aisne département* Nogent-sur-Aube, in the Aube département...
each defended by a battalion with a battalion in reserve.
On the afternoon of 25 August the neighbouring 48th Infantry Division which was covering a bridgehead at Romilly
Romilly
-People:*Baron Romilly, title created in 1866**John Romilly, 1st Baron Romilly , English judge*Esmond Romilly , British socialist and anti-fascist, married to one of the Mitford sisters...
retreated after encounters with the U.S. 5th Infantry Division
U.S. 5th Infantry Division
The 5th Infantry Division —nicknamed the Red Diamond, the Red Devils, or die Roten Teufel—was an infantry division of the United States Army that served in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War, and with NATO and the U.S. Army III Corps...
. To cover this gap in the line elements of the I Battalion were sent from Nogent to guard the bridge at Romilly, both bridges were now guarded by reinforced companies.
The following day the Brigade was attacked by the U.S. 5th Infantry Division, which overran the Brigade headquarters and outflanked the III Battalion which was forced to withdraw. The bridgeheads at Bray and Romilly were also abandoned, while the bridgehead at Nogent was under attack from the U.S. 7th Armored Division
U.S. 7th Armored Division
The 7th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II.-Activation and organization:...
which was driven off. After holding out all day the III Battalion withdrew that night.
On 27 August the Brigade found a gap in the American line and withdrew to Sézanne
Sézanne
Sézanne is a commune in the Marne department and Champagne-Ardenne region in north-eastern France. Its inhabitants are called Sézannais.-See also:*Communes of the Marne department...
and then on to Châlons-sur-Marne, where it defeated an attack by the U.S. 80th Infantry Division, but under pressure from the U.S. 4th Armored, was forced to fall back towards Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
.
At Verdun the brigade found itself the last unit defending the city and managed to hold out against the U.S. 4th Armored for a few days until 31 August.
It then pulled back towards Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
the following day fighting the advancing American forces enroute.
Disbandment
Upon reaching Metz it was relieved by the Metz garrison on 2 September and because of shortages and a lack of manpower, was absorbed into the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division the next day.The I Battalion and parts of the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51 were combined as the II Battalion of the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 37 and II and III Battalions became the II and III Battalions of the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 38. What was left of the SS-Junkerschule instructors and equipment, together with the artillery battalion returned to the SS Artillery School II in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
.
Order of battle
- Commander SS Stubannfuhrer Faulhaber
- I/Battalion SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49
- II/Battalion SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49
- III/Battalion SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49
- SS Artillery Battalion 49
- Headquarters Company
- 13. Infantry Gun Company
- 14. Flak Company
- 15. Pionier Company
- Transport Company