Hi everyone:
I found the enclosed web containing great info about the first Fallschirmjäger drop of the war, carried out in the context of Weserübung operation, on 9 April 1940. The 4./FJR1, commanded by Walter Gericke, had the task of taking this fort, the two Aalborg aerodromes and the Stoerstrom bridges. Thought it could be interesting. Jens was very kind and made the translation of the historical background
http://www.sitecenter.dk/masnedoefor...denssensation/
Tuesday the 9 of april 1940, started a dark period for Denmark
None the les sit was the day where Masneø and the Masnedøfort was the occassion to no less than a world sensation, as the german invasiontroops for the first time in the world history used paratroopforces in a (succesful) operative wareffort.
In the early morning 12 transporters of the type Junkers JU 52 from 8 Staffel from Kampfgeschwader zu besonderen Verwendung (KG.z.b.V.) flew over the Stormstrømmen in direction Masneø.
The transporters went from Uetersen Airbase northwest of Hamburg 0530 hours "Weserzeit", 0430 danish time.
Above the transportmashines the was fighterplanes and bombers, which should secure and support the attack.
When the planes was over Masneø in a height of 150meters, the paratoopers jumped out of the planes. Before that the operation was carefully planned by the german military leadership, due to the fact that they wanted this new weapon to be
kept secret before the attack on Holland, Belgium and France about a month later.
At last they concluded that certain targets were so important that one had to sacrifice the secret, and as late as 7 of april in the morning, Hitler deciced with general Jodl to deploy the force.
The landing did not go totally unnoticed. About 0505 the Masneøfort reported to the Navy as well as Vordinborg Garrison that german paratroopers had lande don and around the railway.
The paratroopers came from 4 Kompagnie 1 Fallschirmjägerregiment and the whole force was about 80 men, namely 2 platoons. The force was under command of the companycommander hauptmann Walter Gericke and leutnant Alkmar von Hove as platooncommander.
Hauptmann Walter Gericke recived the 14. juni 1941 the Knigts Cross, and was at the end of the war Oberst and commander of a airlanddivision. Bothe officers died for about 10 years ago.
In front of this force stod the galant defenders of Masnedø, 3 mand all in all, namely til army civilian fortmaster Henry Schmidt with 2 drafted privates Adolf Kernwein and Olaf Jensen. The two drfted had one rifle (antique Remington M/1867) but no ammo!
During the jump the german paratroopers were only armed with a gun, while the rest of the weapons first had to be found in the containers. For the toptrained paratroopers it took just a short time to be combatready and deploy.
After a short chit-chat, where the danish navysoldiers told the german troops that the fort was actually lying “dead”, the germans looked through the fort and occupie it. When the fort was taken and secured, the shot green flares, so the fighters and bombers would go away.
The deployed group of paratroopers then made ready for a counterattack from the garrison in Vordingborg. The Garrison in Vordingborg was made up of 5 Regiment under command of Colonel Harrel, who issued a order to ”Imediately go against any enemy attack”.
The force in Vordingborg was mainly recruits, and the regiments officers and NCOs were living scattered over Vordingborg. After about 30 minutes they had but together a force from the 19 bataljon, who was ordered to go into position southwest of Vordingborg at Road nr 2 just about Vordingborg Railwaystation.
Before that the order came to all Danish troops not to engage in fight with the german occupationstroops. The order was regretteable but natural and unavoidable of a totally wrong defence policy lead by the party ”Det Radikale Venstre”. For the same reason this party will forever have blood on their hands.
Imeadiately after 0515 a german pincer from the III Bataljon of the 305. Inafnteriregiment I cars and mototbikes from the south over the Storstrøm-brige. This force was ferried with the ferries "Mecklenburg" and "Schwerin" on a eksra tour, to if necessary to support the deployed paratroopers. The units commander was Oberst Buck.
When the unit was sure that there would be not attack from the Garrison in Vordingborg the went around Vordingborg up and through Zealand.
The paratroppers, reinforced with a platoon of haevy machineguns and to PAKs, secured the bridge and the railway til 0920, where 1 company of pionerabteilung 235 arrived and took over the bridge.
The paratroopers deployment was over, and they were transpoted away.
A unconfirmed fairytale says that they use of paratroopers against
the Masnedøfort was a mistake. Before 9 of april german officere had visited Vordingborg and surroundings. Under cover as turists and businessmen to get a firsthand knowledge.
On a visit on one of the bars in town someone told the officers that the fort was guarded by “white Italians”. Believing that the “white Italians” was a special force under codename, they decided to deploy paratroopers. Later the only “White Italians” they found was they fortmasters chickens
This fairytale has now at last been declared, but still a funny story!<O
></O>
I found the enclosed web containing great info about the first Fallschirmjäger drop of the war, carried out in the context of Weserübung operation, on 9 April 1940. The 4./FJR1, commanded by Walter Gericke, had the task of taking this fort, the two Aalborg aerodromes and the Stoerstrom bridges. Thought it could be interesting. Jens was very kind and made the translation of the historical background
http://www.sitecenter.dk/masnedoefor...denssensation/
Tuesday the 9 of april 1940, started a dark period for Denmark
None the les sit was the day where Masneø and the Masnedøfort was the occassion to no less than a world sensation, as the german invasiontroops for the first time in the world history used paratroopforces in a (succesful) operative wareffort.
In the early morning 12 transporters of the type Junkers JU 52 from 8 Staffel from Kampfgeschwader zu besonderen Verwendung (KG.z.b.V.) flew over the Stormstrømmen in direction Masneø.
The transporters went from Uetersen Airbase northwest of Hamburg 0530 hours "Weserzeit", 0430 danish time.
Above the transportmashines the was fighterplanes and bombers, which should secure and support the attack.
When the planes was over Masneø in a height of 150meters, the paratoopers jumped out of the planes. Before that the operation was carefully planned by the german military leadership, due to the fact that they wanted this new weapon to be
kept secret before the attack on Holland, Belgium and France about a month later.
At last they concluded that certain targets were so important that one had to sacrifice the secret, and as late as 7 of april in the morning, Hitler deciced with general Jodl to deploy the force.
The landing did not go totally unnoticed. About 0505 the Masneøfort reported to the Navy as well as Vordinborg Garrison that german paratroopers had lande don and around the railway.
The paratroopers came from 4 Kompagnie 1 Fallschirmjägerregiment and the whole force was about 80 men, namely 2 platoons. The force was under command of the companycommander hauptmann Walter Gericke and leutnant Alkmar von Hove as platooncommander.
Hauptmann Walter Gericke recived the 14. juni 1941 the Knigts Cross, and was at the end of the war Oberst and commander of a airlanddivision. Bothe officers died for about 10 years ago.
In front of this force stod the galant defenders of Masnedø, 3 mand all in all, namely til army civilian fortmaster Henry Schmidt with 2 drafted privates Adolf Kernwein and Olaf Jensen. The two drfted had one rifle (antique Remington M/1867) but no ammo!
During the jump the german paratroopers were only armed with a gun, while the rest of the weapons first had to be found in the containers. For the toptrained paratroopers it took just a short time to be combatready and deploy.
After a short chit-chat, where the danish navysoldiers told the german troops that the fort was actually lying “dead”, the germans looked through the fort and occupie it. When the fort was taken and secured, the shot green flares, so the fighters and bombers would go away.
The deployed group of paratroopers then made ready for a counterattack from the garrison in Vordingborg. The Garrison in Vordingborg was made up of 5 Regiment under command of Colonel Harrel, who issued a order to ”Imediately go against any enemy attack”.
The force in Vordingborg was mainly recruits, and the regiments officers and NCOs were living scattered over Vordingborg. After about 30 minutes they had but together a force from the 19 bataljon, who was ordered to go into position southwest of Vordingborg at Road nr 2 just about Vordingborg Railwaystation.
Before that the order came to all Danish troops not to engage in fight with the german occupationstroops. The order was regretteable but natural and unavoidable of a totally wrong defence policy lead by the party ”Det Radikale Venstre”. For the same reason this party will forever have blood on their hands.
Imeadiately after 0515 a german pincer from the III Bataljon of the 305. Inafnteriregiment I cars and mototbikes from the south over the Storstrøm-brige. This force was ferried with the ferries "Mecklenburg" and "Schwerin" on a eksra tour, to if necessary to support the deployed paratroopers. The units commander was Oberst Buck.
When the unit was sure that there would be not attack from the Garrison in Vordingborg the went around Vordingborg up and through Zealand.
The paratroppers, reinforced with a platoon of haevy machineguns and to PAKs, secured the bridge and the railway til 0920, where 1 company of pionerabteilung 235 arrived and took over the bridge.
The paratroopers deployment was over, and they were transpoted away.
A unconfirmed fairytale says that they use of paratroopers against
the Masnedøfort was a mistake. Before 9 of april german officere had visited Vordingborg and surroundings. Under cover as turists and businessmen to get a firsthand knowledge.
On a visit on one of the bars in town someone told the officers that the fort was guarded by “white Italians”. Believing that the “white Italians” was a special force under codename, they decided to deploy paratroopers. Later the only “White Italians” they found was they fortmasters chickens
This fairytale has now at last been declared, but still a funny story!<O
></O>