Luftlande - Holland 1940.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more............

The IR 65 in Holland and France - 1940.

The regiment fought in the so called “Fortress Holland” (Festung Holland) as part of the 22 ID (luftlande) from 10 till 15 of May of 1940. The IR65 (Oberst Georg Friemel) had assigned the following landing places: Loosduinen, to the southwest of The Hague and the aerodrome of Ypenburg to the south-east of the mentioned city.

Great part of the cargo planes, the well known Ju-52, exploded in flames and others had to carry out forced landings in any place available. Part of the I. Battalion landed in the neighborhood of Hoek van Holland. The 8. Company landed on the freeway to the south of Delft and other parts of the II. Battalion landed in the dunes to the north of The Hague, in the highway between Katwyk and Scheveningen. The 7º, 4º, and 13º Companies finally landed in the aerodrome of Waalhaven-Rotterdam with the IR 16.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... r/IR65.htm
http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk28 ... =ascending
eBay auction. de. Infanterie Regiment 47. Martes, 23 de Diciembre de 2008, 13:50:45
http://www.mgs-del.de/1/7/

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more............

The IR 65 in Holland and France - 1940.

In the Landing Place II, Loosduinen, landed part of the 5 ª Company (Oberleutnant Lingner) taking the aerodrome and along with the HQ of the II. Battalion (Major Zürn), the mounted units of the Commando, the cyclist squadron, the AR 22, the 3 ª Company of the Pi Btl 22 and the 3 ª Company of FJR 2 was reunited with the Sponeck Group. After several night marches on May 13 of 1940 the group reached the highway Rotterdam - Delft.

Jointly with other parts of the 22 ID (Luftlande) which had landed there and later together with the armored vanguards of the 9 Pz they managed to reject all the Dutch attacks. Due to their performance, Major Zürn and Oberleutnant Lingner were both decorated with the Knight's Cross.

Out of the 523 soldiers of the II. /IR 65 who landed, only returned 262; with 261 losses the battalion was the unit that suffered the greater number of casualties. Also in the Landing Place III, Ypenburg, the parachutists jumped too much to the south. They already suffered great losses in the air . In the earth a little more than 2 dozens of Ju-52 airplanes were set afire.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... r/IR65.htm
http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk28 ... =ascending
eBay auction. de. Infanterie Regiment 47. Martes, 23 de Diciembre de 2008, 13:50:45
http://www.mgs-del.de/1/7/

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; last part............

The IR 65 in Holland and France - 1940.

Although the soldiers had reached the objective during the day, it was not possible to reject the very superior enemy of their position in the edges of the airfield. Already in the afternoon the resistance had to be abandoned. Besides the great numbers of wounded soldiers, 6 officers, among them the commander of the regiment (Oberst Friemel) and 116 NCOs and enlisted men, the most part of the 5 and 6. Companies marched to the captivity. Between the killed in action were the Adjutant of the Regiment, Leutnant Miller and the Orders’ Officer Leutnant Hingle.

The captured soldiers of the regiment were maintained in The Hague and on May 12 1940 at night transferred to the warehouse of the fish market of Ymuiden; in the following morning they were already embarked in the steam " Phrontis". The attack of a Ju 88 against the steam missed the target. In the evening, they were transported to Dover and given to the British. On June 21 1940 they were taken to Canada in the ship “Duchess of York”, together with other 2000 prisoners and those German citizens kept in Liverpool. After a trip of 7 days the steam arrived at Quebec. There the soldiers were divided in several POW camps.

On May 15 of 1940, Holland capitulated. After several days of rest in Scheveningen, the battalions returned to their garrison at Delmenhorst. Here Oberst Haccius took over the regiment (IR 65). On June 09 of 1940, the IR 65 marched again to the front by the south of Belgium through Liege, Nandrin towards France. There it followed by Tavaux-Pontsericourt, Ribemont up to St. Quentin. Finally some elements of the regiment, under Major Zürn, marched to Paris but the scheduled militar parade never took place.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... r/IR65.htm
http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk28 ... =ascending
eBay auction. de. Infanterie Regiment 47. Martes, 23 de Diciembre de 2008, 13:50:45
http://www.mgs-del.de/1/7/

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; now something more about the IR 47............

The Infanterie Regiment 47 in Francia – Jun of 1940.

Sources: eBay auction. de. Infanterie Regiment 47. Martes, 23 de Diciembre de 2008, 13:50:45
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... IR47-R.htm

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; now something more about the IR 47............

The Infanterie Regiment 47 in Francia – Jun of 1940.

Raking a French city - St Quentin.

Sources: eBay auction. de. Infanterie Regiment 47. Martes, 23 de Diciembre de 2008, 13:50:45
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... IR47-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; for those interested in...................

http://www.nimh.nl/nl/images/1940%20sec_tcm5-7281.pdf

Airfield location..............

KG zbV I Münster-Loddenheide (I. Gruppe Werl).

KG zbV 2 Lippspringe (KG zbV 9)- Paderborn (i./ KGzbV 172) - Lippstadt (KG zbV 11) - Störmede (KG zbV 12).

17./ KG zbV 5 at Köln.

Source: German airborne divisions: Blitzkrieg 1940-194. Escrito por Bruce Quarrie,Duncan Anderson,Marcus Cowper,Nikolai Bogdanovic.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little correction..............

The Infanterie Regiment 47 in Francia – Jun of 1940.

Raking a French city - St Quentin.

Actually those pictures were taken in Holland 1940, perhaps Valkenburg or nearby. I could verify this with someone else who owns nearly the same photos in his album. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; after a while here goes as a complement the actions of the IR 16 at Rotterdam...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

Within the great offensive that is to break out, there is a small operation but which nevertheless had great strategic importance, it was the capturing of the Nieuwe Maas Willemsbrücke (new Meuse) in the heart of the city of Rotterdam.

The rail and road bridges were vital for the armored units of the the XXXIX AK (Mot) of General Rudolf Schmidt could reach the heart of Holland. Selected for the mission were two elements, the 11. / IR 16 (Oberleutnant Schrader) and the 3. Platoon of the 11. / FJR 1 (Oberleutnant Karl-Heinz Becker) under the command of Oberleutnant Horst Kerfin.

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

The Oberstleutnant v Choltitz recalled: the day before our departure, I met a paratrooper battalion commander in his thirties and told him Well, my dear friend, are you convinced?. He replied: Yes, I do it with conviction. Oberstleutnant v. Choltitz replied: Have you considered that our goal is a small and neutral country? ". Him:" Now is located in an area needed for the protection of our country" adding "if I would not know we follows a leader who is not a conqueror it would be maybe something else but I not only believe, I know; v. Choltitz: "My young friend, how I envy the faith that I can not share." The paratrooper forced a smile and v. Choltitz took him by the shoulders saying, "my friend, tomorrow we'll meet again in Waalhaven ".

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

A veteran of the 11. / IR 16 recalled: then it was something new for us, an airborne operation with seaplanes, and the exercises took us to the Lake Zwischenahn and Brake on the Weser River. The seaplanes in question were biplanes, twin engines He-59 D of the 3./KGrzbV.108 (Hauptmann Horst Schwilden).

On May 9, 1940 the infantry soldiers were taken to Bad Zwischenahn near Oldenburg where it already were the He-59. In the early hours of the morning of May 10, 1940 the 120 men of the 11. / IR 16 (Platoons of Leutnant Gottbehöde and Leutnant Fortmann plus a group of engineers from the 2. / Pi Btl 22 and Company's Squad). Meanwhile Oberstleutnant v. Choltitz gathered within one hangar the whole body of officers and noncommissioned officers of his battalion in front of a large sand table and representing Waalhaven and reviewed each phase of the operation after landing.

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

Rotterdam on May 10, 1940.

The He-59 seaplanes took off and flew towards its target. At 06:00 hours the goal was reached without drawbacks split into two flights. Six planes arrived from the east and six from the west; immediately Schrader's men launched their dinghies and paddled to Willemsbrücke, the Platoon Gottbehöde established the northern bridgehead and the Platoon Fortmann the south bridgehead. The bridges of Jan-Kuiten and Leeuwen were also captured.

Kerfin's paratroopers were assigned as the landing zone the Feyenoord Stadium in the neighborhood of the same name south of the river. After landing safely the fraction was assembled and then marched to the target divided into two columns; one led by Kerfin and the other by a lieutenant, apparently no one had realized that 50 Germans fell from the sky. Oberleutnant Kerfin saw an empty tram which had just begun the journey and took it, the motorman did not immediately recognize the soldiers because their helmets and uniforms were not the usual for the army of the Reich, but when they speak he had no doubts any longer..... to the Willemsbrücke and without stopping. The tram approached the left ramp and stopped at the Königshaven, the paratroopers jumped from the wagon and joined the soldiers of the 11. / IR 16. Shortly afterwards also came the other column in seized cars, now 170 men took cover as best as they could between the structure of Willemsbrücke.

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

Rotterdam on May 10, 1940.

Suddenly the first shots rang out on the north shore, a Platoons of Marines led by Lt. Nanninga was deployed at 07:00 hours to the Oude Haven (Old Port) a few hundred meters north of the Witte Huis (White House). Suddenly one of the German group suffered a severe shock having lost its leader Uffz Wink, who died of a shot to the head, and later fell also the machine gun gunner, Gefr. Hayen, and the survivors retreated to the second pillar while were covered by one of the airman with the MG-15 removed from the seaplane (4 He-59 were damaged and their crew joined the infantry).

From 09:00 hours troops of the Dutch army had joined the combat, they belonged to the MG Coy of the III/ 39 RI, engineers and troops of deposit (reservists); besides also joined several naval units, as the warships Z-5, TM 51 and two auxiliary minesweepers.

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

Rotterdam on May 10, 1940.

South of the river - Waalhaven.

The airfield of Waalhaven was assigned as the target for the III. / FJR 1 commanded by Hauptmann Karl-Lothar Schulz, the battalion had the task of conquering the airfield and secure it, in order to allow the subsequent arrival of the III. / IR 16 under the command of Oberstleutnant v. Choltitz (Commander and future savior of Paris in 1944).

According to the story of a bomber pilot: our mission was to attack and destroy the anti-aircraft sites deployed in the aerodromes at Rotterdam, The Hague and Delft. A moonless and dark night masked our preparations. The takeoff had been ordered for 04:30 hours. We flew in close formation. The flight of Oberleutnant Beermann was ahead of me. Slowly we climbed to the established altitude. The sky became clear at every minute.

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

Rotterdam on May 10, 1940.

South of the river - Waalhaven.

Below us and to one of the sides we recognized "our airport". The anti-aircraft artillery flashes sparkled around the aircraft. We must destroy them to ensure the operation of the paratroopers. I can see the first bombs hit the southern edge of the airfield.

I carried out a diving attack. The target flies to me and grows increasingly in the cross of my sighting device. I dropped the bombs while opened fire with the onboard weapons against the anti-aircraft emplacement from very low altitude. The tail gunner reported: Hurra, direct hit!, Direct hit!.

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a note from a friend: on the picture is what was left of the Koolhoven aircraft factory, which was situated on Waalhaven. The remains of the hangar are in the upper left corner. Now more follows...............

A bridge in the center of Rotterdam - May 1940.

Rotterdam on May 10, 1940.

South of the river - Waalhaven.

While wherever reach their eyes were flying transport planes loaded with paratroopers; the sun began to peek over the horizon behind them, casting a warm glow on the silhouettes of men. Near the target, the anti-aircraft guns began to crackle uncomfortably close to the aircrafts. Despite the roar of the engines could be heard the explosions around. The flashes of guns could be seen everywhere down there.

At last the order to jump and the paratroopers went like lightning out of their airplanes. It soon became clear that the boundaries of the airfield were the center of the defense and the Dutch had deployed large numbers of forces to defend their main airfield. Although they fought bravely, more than expected for a people without experience of war for over a century, were overwhelmed and Hauptmann Schulz completed his mission ahead of schedule and still had time for breakfast which was prepared by the Dutch. But the breakfast was interrupted by the roar of many engines as there began to land airborne troops led by Leutnant Schwiebert (9. / IR 16). Just the day before v. Choltitz had told Schulz "boys, just make sure to be there when we land."

Sources: El III Reich. IV ANESA 1975.
"Soldado entre Soldados" por Dietrich von Choltitz.
Die Geschichte der 22 Infanterie Division. v Metzsch
OLDENBURGISCHE INFANTERIE (O I R 91/. IR 16/ PzBtlt 314) Nº 15/1989 Nº 20/ 1990.
http://familieholleman.nl/mei1940.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/
http://www.angelfire.com/my/rememberww2/1940/05/10.htm
http://www.mgs-del.de/2_I.R.+65.html
http://4umi.com/image/map/nl/rotterdam/brongers.php

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo!!!