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Normandy/German AA battery info needed

Gambit21

By Gambit21
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Gambit21

Gambit21

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I need references/info regarding pre-invasion AA batteries in Normandy.

 

Location, composition, (including lights or lack thereof placement etc.

Any help/info appreciated.

 

 

namhee2

namhee2

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi Gambit

Before landing in Normandy, there is almost no fixed position, because General Pickert, commander of the IIIFlak Korps wanted batteries to always be mobile, that's the reason why there are almost no anti-aircraft bunkers in Normandy thinks I'm talking about the inland not the coast.

I have a good source on the III Flak Korps. I will be able to give you more information later.

 

 

"

This is the Flak-Regiment 32 (which will become the Flak-Sturm Regiment 1 in June), a unit of the III. Flak Korps of the Luftwaffe, established in Calvados before the landing.

The 8.8 cm Flak guns of this regiment were mobile. General Pickert who commanded the III. Flak Korps insisted that these troops train to move to maintain their spirit of mobility. Thus the 8.8 cm Flak batteries of the FR 32 often changed position. As these units are mobile, this explains the lack of dedicated Luftwaffe-type bunkers.

On June 6, 1944, the four 8.8 cm Flak batteries were in place in the St Clément, Gefosse Fontenay, and Granpcamp Maisy “south” sector."

OIP.jpg

Edited by namhee2
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Lusekofte

Lusekofte

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AA batteries are a bit bigger than AAA

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Gambit21

Gambit21

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lol - noted.

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namhee2

namhee2

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi @Gambit21

 I did some research. Since the headquarters in Berlin expected an invasion of Pas de Calais, most of the Flak regiments were stationed north of Paris. At the end of May the 4th regiment was stationed between Bayeux and Isigny (near Omaha Beach).
Two Flak regiments between "Montreuil sur Mer" and the enbouchure of the Somme.
A Flak regiment around Tréport.
A Flak regiment around Bayeux

Edited by namhee2
Gambit21

Gambit21

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Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, namhee2 said:

Hi @Gambit21

 I did some research. Since the headquarters in Berlin expected an invasion of Pas de Calais, most of the Flak regiments were stationed north of Paris. At the end of May the 4th regiment was stationed between Bayeux and Isigny (near Omaha Beach).
Two Flak regiments between "Montreuil sur Mer" and the enbouchure of the Somme.
A Flak regiment around Tréport.
A Flak regiment around Bayeux

 

I know there were guns placed along the coast in various spots. For instance the airfield at Cherbourg had 6 88’s. So I’m trying to get a handle on what/where.

 

This is a start - thanks.

 

 

4 hours ago, JG7_X-Man said:

One of these maybe of some help.

 

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/d-day-maps

 

Maybe I’m missing it bit at least looking on my little phone screen right now I’m not seeing Flak etc. I’ll look again later.

 

 

 

Edited by Gambit21
Gambit21

Gambit21

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31 minutes ago, twilson37 said:

I have a map of the German Coastal batteries but sadly nothing on AAA batteries.

0001.thumb.jpg.136ce329723781d80cd6e7f6de7ae523.jpg

found this after a quick search may help point in the right direction:

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=178451

 

 

Thanks.

The coastal guns were generally (all?) accompanied by AA. That might mean a dozen 88's, or it might mean four 20mm.

I have an amazing WWII map/Atlas that I just remembered is sitting right here next to me on the shelf :rolleyes:

After flipping through it the maps I see the drop zone and landing guns marked (105mm) but no AA.

 

Might have to wing it a bit using the coastal gun positions as a guide.

 

twilson37

twilson37

Posted
Posted

From the forum I posted above:

Quite. The Abteilungen were redesignated 18-24 June, but most retained their original designation in actual fact. III Flak-Korps began organizing in April, but it only became operational after 1 June, shortly before the invasion.
Gefechtsstand – Paris
Kdr: General der Flakartillerie Wolfgang Pickert
Ia: Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Schlodder

Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regt.1 Organized April 1944 from elements of Stab/ Flak-Regt. 431.
Gefechtsstand – Isigny-Bayeux
Kdr: Oberst Paul von Kistowski

gem.Flak-Abtl.266 (mot) Officially redesignated II./Flak-Sturm-Regt.1 on 24 June 1944, the battalion had been in Paris under 1. Flak Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 100) as late as 1 June and had just arrived in Normandy. 5. and 6. Batterie were in Cherbourg under 13. Flak-Division and were probably lost there.
Kdr: Hauptmann Schmuck
Gefechtsstand – south of Longueville
1.-3. Batterie were heavy and 4..-6. Batterie were light.

gem. Flak.-Abtl. 497 (mot) Assigned to 13. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 15) at Rennes as late as 1 June. Officially redesignated I./Flak-Sturm-Regt.1 on 24 June 1944.
Kdr: Hauptmann Stein
Gefechtsstand – northeast of Isigny
1.-4. Batterie were heavy and 5.-6. were light.

le. Flak-Abtl. 90 (mot) Assigned to 13. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 15) as late as 1 June. Redesignated Selbstfahrlafette (Sf.) or self-propelled carriage in July 1944.
Gefechtsstand – Bayeux
1.-3, Batterie were light

Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regt. 2 Organized April 1944 from elements of Stab/Flak-Regt. 653.
Kdr: Oberst Josef Moser
Gefechtsstand – Amiens
gem.I./Flak-Regt. 20 (mot) Assigned to 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 11) as late as 1 June.
1.-3. Batterie were heavy and 4.-5. Batterie were light

gem.II./Flak-Regt. 52 (mot) Assigned to 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 11) as late as 1 June.
6.-8. Batterie were heavy and 9.-10. Batterie were light

le.Flak-Abt. 80 (Sf) Assigned to 12. Flak-Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 45) as late as 1 June.
1.-3, Batterie were light

Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regt. 3 Organized April 1944 from elements of Stab/Flak-Regt. 37.
Kdr: Oberst Oskar Schöttl
Gefechtsstand – Arras

gem.II./Flak-Regt. 22 (mot) Assigned to 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 11) as late as 1 June.
6.-8. Batterie were heavy and 9.-10. Batterie were light

gem.II./Flak-Regt. 64 (mot) Assigned to 18. Flak-Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 87) as late as 1 June.
6.-8. Batterie were heavy and 9.-10. Batterie were light

le.Flak-Abt. 84 (Sf) Assigned to 18. Flak-Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 87) as late as 1 June.
1.-3, Batterie were light

Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regt. 4 Organized April 1944 from elements of Stab/Flak-Regt. 79.
Kdr: Oberst Herbert Röhler
Gefechtsstand – Amiens

gem.I./Flak-Regt. 35 (mot) Assigned to 18. Flak-Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 87) as late as 1 June.
1.-3. Batterie were heavy and 4.-5. Batterie were light

gem.I./Flak-Regt. 53 (mot) Assigned to 18. Flak-Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 87) as late as 1 June.
1.-3. Batterie were heavy and 4.-5. Batterie were light

gem.I./Flak-Regt. 141 (mot) Assigned to 18. Flak-Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 87) as late as 1 June.
1.-3. Batterie were heavy and 4.-5. Batterie were light

le.Flak-Abt. 98 (Sfl) Assigned to 18. Flak-Brigade (Stab/Flak-Regiment 87) as late as 1 June.
1.-3, Batterie were light

Luftnachrichten-Abteilung 103

Thus, the total was nominally 28 heavy batteries and 31 light batteries. The figure given for 23 June, 27 heavy and 26 light batteries, probably reflects the tactical organization and may exclude the two batteries of gem.Flak-Abtl.266 trapped in Cherbourg. Likewise, the figure for 8 August, 29 heavy and 40 light batteries, probably reflects the tactical organization, including the three 8-gun Flakkampfgruppen organized in July.

 

 

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