German Units Just South of Bayeuth April 1945

[ra stefanowicz]

Can anyone give me a brief idea of the situation of Germany Army units operating just south of Bayreuth in mid April 1945. I am trying to reseach a brief but sharp fight by the village of Creussen about 15 k's SE of Bayreuth on 15 April 1945. Thanks if anyone has info on this area ...
Bob

[WBW]

Can anyone give me a brief idea of the situation of Germany Army units operating just south of Bayreuth in mid April 1945. I am trying to reseach a brief but sharp fight by the village of Creussen about 15 k's SE of Bayreuth on 15 April 1945. Thanks if anyone has info on this area ...
Bob

Sounds like the fight between the 14th Armored Division and Gruppe Grafenwöhr. A couple of relevant quotes --

QUOTE

Similarly, the 240-man company attached to the 14th Armored Division, in combat from 5 April to 3 May 1945, failed to receive the same approving response from the division as the platoons attached to infantry regiments.45 The 14th Armored Division, moving south through Bavaria along the Bayreuth Nurnberg autobahn when everyone knew that the war was over, that is everyone "except the men who could hear the high-pitched, irritable whine of a sniper's bullet, the blast of a mortar shell,"46 met sporadic and spotty resistance, but resistance that was still strong enough to produce sharp, and sometimes prolonged, fire fights. The Combat Command Reserve rifle company was mainly employed in attachment to the 25th Tank Battalion. The company's first real engagement was at Lichtenfels, where two platoons crossed the Main and, after a bitter fight, took the town.47 But it was at Creussen, near Bayreuth that the Negro reinforcements got the accolade of approval from the men of the 14th Armored Division. The 94th Reconnaissance Squadron had entered Creussen, site of a weapons factory, on 15 April when enemy tanks and infantry all but surrounded the town. A call for reinforcements started two platoons of tanks from the 25th Tank Battalion and one of the Negro infantry platoons toward the town. At about 1145, near Gottsfeld, the tanks were fired on by antitank guns. Four were hit and two were destroyed. The remaining tanks pulled back. The Negro infantrymen dismounted, entered the town, and, while considerable enemy artillery fire fell, cleared Gottsfeld by 1500. Tanks then moved in and before dark knocked out five enemy Mark IV's which had come out into the open just east of the town. The tank-infantry force then continued to Creussen, already relieved of much pressure as a result of the action at Gottsfeld, and moved in from the west at 1700. For the next two days, platoons of Combat Command Reserve rifle company patrolled in and around Gottsfeld and Creussen, taking prisoners. One platoon of the 94th's D Troop, observing the Negro riflemen for the first time, commented in its journal: "And were those guys good!"
UNQUOTE
(http://www.army.mil/CMH-PG/books/wwii/1 ... pter22.htm, p. 700)

Compare the above with the following quotes from pages 423 and 424 from the softcopy edition of THE LAST OFFENSIVE:

"The Germans wasted their few available tanks on the 14th Armored Division northeast of Nuremberg. In a counter-attack on the 15th, Gruppe Grafenwoehr struck the 94th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, but reinforcements rushed from the reserve combat command helped bring the strike to a standstill. Within two days Gruppe Grafenwoehr had ceased to exist." (p. 424, The Last Offensive, soft cover edition).

"Available a few miles northeast of the city was Gruppe Grafenwoehr, composed of two battalions of infantry and thirty-five tanks of various types gleaned from factories in Nuremberg and from a panzer training center whence the force drew its name." (Ibid, p. 423)

Cheers

WBW

[mbeimler]

Interesting Post. I am trying to find some information about this event, too.
I have the "History of G-2 section for month of April 1945" of US 14th Armored Division.
"....
15 April 1945
The ey continued to offer only light and scattered resistance to our advance until late in period when ey estimated at Bn strength supported by 15 tks were reported attacking our units from all sides in CREUSSEN (7945). Ey air was relatively active during period. PWs were taken from elms of a BG of the 2nd Pz Div; elms of the 256 VGD; 2nd Hvy and 14th Hvy Nebelwerfer Rgts; Misc. Repl and Trng Units.
..."

and a quote from the after action report of 14th AD

"...
15 April
...
CCR attacked at 0630B to SE to cut NURNBERG-BAYREUTH Autobahn in Z. At 1050B 94th Cav Rcn Sq (Mecz) (-) reported it was being attacked by estimated 15 Tks and Bn Inf Vic CREUSSEN (0-7945). CO CCR sent B-25 Tk Bn to reinforce the Sq. The attack was beaten off by 1600B. 12 Ey Tks and 2 SP's were knocked out.
PW's were being taken by the hundreds and the Div was having a problem getting them back to the rear areas. ..."

What information do You have?

Thanks

Matthias