Fallschirmjäger at Björnfjell

[Óscar G]

Hi!
I´d like to know anything regarding the units dropped on Björnfjell on may 1940. I´ve seen many times the photos taken there and have some information, but rather incoherent in order to form the "complete sequence of events" happened there.
Units dropped there? commanders? mission? dates?... I´ve got into a muddle with this!

On the other hand, I´ve read about the 300 men from GJR 136, 137 and 138 trained to be FJ and reenforce paratroopers there. What happened with them after Narvik?

Thanks in advance. Óscar

[GJR100]

Hi Óscar,

As far as could find …

May 14th - 11:00 - 66 Fallschirmjäger were dropped under the command of Leutnant Becker with 1 casualty. The equipment that these FJ brought with them was absolutely not fit for mountain warfare. They lacked backpacks, coats, snowshoes and no mountain equipment what so ever. These items were scraped together in order to have any use for these FJ.

The Gebirgsjäger were trained at the Wittstock/Dosse Fallschirmschule.
They had a short but thorough training on the ground and in packing Fallschirmen, shortly followed by a 250m jump from a JU 52.
Men of the 6./136 only had two practice jumps, the third was over Narvik.

On June 7th Oberst Meindl (commander of the FJ) jumped at Narvik.

I must have more info on this somewhere, but can’t find it at the moment.

The only item I have on this is a pencil drawing of Hauptm. Rieger.



I missed a document grouping of one of the participants once by an hour.

Hope this helps,

Bart

[Óscar G]

Thanks for the info, GJR100.
Yes, one of the famous photos shows Lt. Becker with his men I./FJR1.
Great pencil drawing! What unit did he belong to? I´ve heard of another famous Gebirgsjäger, Oberfeldwebel Adam Ebner (maybe 3rd company GJR137?), who was awarded both with RK and FJ badge.
Can you find out the real GJ units involved in this para event?
Thanks again, Óscar.

[GJR100]

Hi Óscar,

Found some info in these spots:

http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/norway.htm

The next piece was found on Jason Pipes Feldgrau

May 15: A German Luftwaffe parachute battalion drops in to reinforce Narvik. Several days later the 137th Regiment of the German 3rd Mountain Division is also dropped in, after a hasty training course in parachute jumping. These jumps result in wide dispersion and a number of injuries, but most of the men eventually join the main German force at Narvik.

On both sites, no mention on other units than the 137th ...

I'll keep searching on ...

Bart

[GJR100]

Found just one other site mentioning the event:

Bjoern Jervaas on Norway during world war 2

"1st Battallion / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1” (arriving May 15th as reinforcement)

“Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 137 / 3. Gebirgsjäger-Division” (2 companies, arriving May 21st by parachute after attending a crash course at “Fallschirmjägerschule Stendal”)

Bart

[Óscar G]

Thanks again, Bart. So, let´s order the events, bearing in mind all the sources you´ve suggested.

I./FJR1 (66 men commanded by Becker) were dropped to reenforce Dietl´s forces on May 14th (other source argues they were dropped too on may 15th...). Mountain Troops from the (2 companies) 137th Gebirgs Regiment, 3rd Division, who had been given hasty parachute training, were dropped on to the Bjornfjell Heights during the 21st, 23rd, 24th and 25th May. Then , on June 7th, Meindl´s forces jumped there...

Men of the 6./136 only had two practice jumps, the third was over Narvik.

How can we connect it up with this info?

On both sites, no mention on other units than the 137th ...

... We´ll keep on searching
Cheers

[GJR100]

Óscar,

I think the 136 not being mentioned by the listed sites is due to the fact that the 137 is most known to have jumped. And if writers of these articles used the same source of information, the other units are left out. As I also couldn't find much information on the participating units the original writer might have givenup on the other units. Just a possible explenation.

Bart

[Óscar G]

and Meindl?

Bart, I assume your hypothesis and think the same as you.
I´ve been checking some new sources and we must conclude that around 200 men belonging to GJR137, 3rd division (JYN states in "Green Devils" it was 2nd Division... The traslation I´m using (italian) may be wrong) jumped there on May 21st-25th. The only source adding "another" GJRs is "German mountain and Ski Troops 1939-1945" by Osprey (mine is spanish traslation), stating there were at least another regiments jumping (GJR 139, by instance).
Anyway, I wish we could fine-tune more details!.
Checking the information above ("Green Devils"), I´ve found an interesting matter. Oberst. Meindl - jumped on June 7th according to your information - was at that moment commander of GJR 112, 3rd Division... (it´s a "intruder" regiment in our thread...)
Thanks for your help. Regards.
Óscar

[Óscar G]

Fine-tuned details

Here you have more information taken from a good source http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/. This web shows daily movements happened at Narvik. All this info leads to think that GJR137 was the only regiment dropped there. It seems that floating planes carried elements of GJR138 and GJR139 to that area.
This is the summary of the events.
Regards. Óscar

14.Mai 1940
11:00 3 Offz. and 63 men of the I./Fallsch.Jg.Rgt.1 drop at Björnfjell

15 May 1940
22 men of the I./Fallsch.Jg.Rgt. drop near Narvik.

16 May 1940
01:00 1./Fallsch.Jg.Rgt.1 (Lt.Becker) with 3 officers, 63 men, 4 l.M.G., 5 s.M.G. arrives at the Kuberget to reinforce the 1./GJR.139.

19 May 1940
Rest of 1./Fallsch.Jg.Rgt.1 (74 men, 12 l.M.G. under Lt.Mösinger) arrive at the Kuberget. The 1./FJR.1 replaces the 1./GJR139 and goes back on Pkt.529 – 620 as reserve.

23 May 1940
Two german Geb.Jg.companies start to land by parachute at Björnfjell during the next two days.
Today 1 Offz. and 65 men of the 1./Geb.Jg.Rgt.137. Just two light wounded at landing.
(1./Geb.Jg.Rgt.137 Olt.Schweiger 108 men, 2./Geb.Jg.Rgt.137 Olt.Riegler 118 men are scheduled to land)

24 May 1940
22:00 55 men of 2./Geb.Jg.Rgt.137 land by parachute without casualties.

28 May 1940
The 4./Fallsch.Jg.Rgt.1 under Lt.Keuchel is dropped at Narvik.

30 May 1940
Pi.Zg.Brandt,Mar.Kp.Salzwedel, 3./FJR.1, are transported by train to the area Hundalen to defend the line Hundalen – Sildvik.

31 May 1940
The Gr.Wf. Zug of I./Fallsch.Jg.Rgt.1 arrives at Narvik by air.

2 June 1940
Fallsch.Jg.Zug Spang arrives at Narvik with 2 officers and 44 men and is ordered to march to the Rundfjeldet and support at Pkt.615 and 698.

7 June 1940
Oberst Meindl (Kdr.Geb.Art.Rgt.112) arrives at Narvik to look at the situation.

[Simon O.]

Damn, i really ought to look through the other forums once in a while. Missed this one.

I'd like to add the following postscript to this thread.

There were 2 other jumps made by members of GJR 136 in North Norway which remain virtually unkown. This is because they were not strictly combat jumps.

The ceasfire in North Norway took place on the 9th June 1940. For Dietl it was a huge relief but it was then vital that the important airfield of Bardufoss and the town of Tromsø (where the Norwegian king and government had only left shortly before) were secured, both of these being to the North of Narvik. dietl's men were in no position to make the dash and nor was the KM. So at 00:15 on the 12th June 13 Ju52s dropped 137 men from GJR136 on Bardufoss airfield to secure it, which they did without incident.
The next night (in full daylight actually) 127 men again from GJR 136 led by a Leutnant Siefen dropped on Tromsø at 01:30 and took control of the town, again without difficulty. These men were not to be reinforced until 21 June when elements of GJR 138 arrived by sea.

I have seen photos from both jumps published in a local book and newspaper.


regards

Simon

[Óscar G]

Thanks for your info and interest, Simon. At least we have "documented" the jumps made by GJR126 and GJR137. It´d be nice to see those pics... rather difficult to find?
Regards. Óscar

[Óscar G]

Hello!
I´ve just found this superb pic (for my taste) in "fallschirmjäger-militaria" website. They might be the men from I/FJR1 after arriving in Björnfjell on 14 May in the sunlight... It originally comes from a postcard entitled "Fallschirmtruppen sind von einer Junker JU52 abgezetzt und bereiten sich zum einsatz vor."
All the best.

[Simon O.]

63 years ago today.

127 men under Lt. Siefen of GJR 136 jump on to Tromsø island to secure the town. Although broad daylight and sunshine it is in fact about 01:30 hrs.

[Óscar G]

Thanks for the photos, Simon! They are quite unknown for me... outstanding both fallschirmjäger and that "midnight sun" (Nordic essence )
Regards. Óscar

[Koenigstiger]

63 years ago today.

127 men under Lt. Siefen of GJR 136 jump on to Tromsø island to secure the town. Although broad daylight and sunshine it is in fact about 01:30 hrs.

@Simon

Can you re-upload this pic. That would be great!!

Best regards,
Koeti