Pionier Sturm Regiment 1

[Hurtgen44]

Hello All,

I was curious if anyone has some information on Pionier Sturm Regiment 1. I have checked Lexikon and there is a small amount, but was hoping someone had a bit more. In particular, I would like to know about its participation in the battle in the Hürtgenwald (Hurtgen Forest) - who were they subordinated to or did they work independently, etc. Really anything would be appreciated.

Best Regards,

Pete

[Hurtgen44]

Pionier Sturm Regiment 1

Hello All (I'll ask again),

I was curious if anyone has some information on Pionier Sturm Regiment 1. I have checked Lexikon and there is a small amount, but was hoping someone had a bit more. In particular, I would like to know about its participation in the battle in the Hürtgenwald (Hurtgen Forest) - who were they subordinated to or did they work independently, etc. Really anything would be appreciated.

Best Regards,

Pete

[bhholst]

Hello Pete.
Tessin gives the following, short information on this formation:
formed 1.Oct.1944 within 1.Fallschirm Armee in the Lower Rhine Area.. Consisted of three battalions incl. the Heeres Pio.Btl.z.b.V. (mot.) 600 which shortly thereafter became an independent unit again.
The regiment had three battallions with three companies each.
The regiment was Heerestruppe and subordinated to Hgr.B, and deployed around Aachen and Huertgenwald.
I have a book about the fighting in the Huertgen Forest and will check for mention as soon as I have located the book in my shambles of a library.
Bernhard H. Holst

[Johnny R]

I also would look for a parent unit history, many times a division history or Korps etc. will have a chapter on the smaller units in it.

[Hurtgen44]

Thanks guys - I really appreciate the info.

Best Regards,

Pete

[Ian Jewison]

This is a little info I have when I was researching a Soldbuch a member of the same unit some years ago:

Pioniere Sturm Regiment 1
Formed 1.10.1944 on lower Rhein with 1 Fallsch. Armee, III/H.Pi.Btl. (mot.) z.b.V. 600 (Taifun) was added; It soon became an independent unit again.
Composition: I. 1-3, II. 4-6, III. 7-9
Under: Army troops: Lower Rhein (Hgr. B), Aachen, Hürtgenwald

Heeres Pioniere Bataillon (mot.) z.b.V. 600 (Taifun)
Formed 1.7.1944 near Bitsch, Lothringen, WK XII; Equipped with Flugabwehr-Rakete “Taifun”, the unit also made use of “Goliath” (Sd.Kfz.302);
Composition: Army troops: Saarpfalz, Ardennes (5 Pz. Armee)
Under: 5 Ulm, WK V

Flugabwehr-Rakete “Taifun”
The electromechanical works, which developed also the liquid-fuel rocket engine for the Peenemünder C -2 »Wasserfall« air defence rocket (a smaller version of the A4 (V2), operated the development of their own small air defence rocket with liquid-fuel rocket engine under the designation “taifun” towards the end of the war. This was designed as full-refuel-storable liquid air defence rocket and should be inserted uncontrolled use the mass firing from the ground against enemy bomber formations. Testing was yet complete however by the end of the war.
Starting from spring 1945 additionally the 0 series of the Taifun Fla rocket was taken up. The Army Laboratory Peenemünde was shifted 1945 completely under the pseudonym, “Electromechanical Works Karlshagen” to Bleicherode (southwest from the Kohnstein). The manufacture was done at KZ Dora-Mittelbau.
Technical data:
Classification: Air defence rocket (ground/air)
Drive: Liquid-fuel rocket engine (2.5 seconds burning duration with 800 kp thrust)
Fuel: 8.3 kg sports association material and 2.5 kg r-material
Control: none
Explosive head: 0.5 kg of powder charge and adjustable delayed-action fuse
Length: 1.85 m
Speed: 2740 km/h,

“Goliath” (Sd.Kfz.302)
The leichte Ladungsträger (light charge carrier) “Goliath” was developed 1940 by the company Borgward and delivered starting from 1942. It was wire-steered and served for the destruction of obstacles (road blocks, mine fields), firm positions and strong tanks.
From cost reasons the supply of this charge carrier starting from March 1943 (Sd.Kfz 303) came with a 125 HP carburettor engine. Later with this vehicle the explosive charge was increased to 100 kg.
The employment of the light charge carrier took place at the Panzer Pionier Kpn. (Goliath) 811-815 of the Heeres Pionier Bataillon (mot) z.b.V 600 (Taifun), at the Pionier Brigade 627 and the schweren Heeres-Panzerjäger Abteilung 654.

/Ian

[hennep11]

I have this little info:

In Nov. 44 Pionier-Sturm-Regiment 1 was renamed in Pionier-Kampfschule and till the end of the war active under the LXVII Korps of the 15th Armee during the battles in the Ardennes, together with Volks-Grenadier-Regiment 981 of the 272. Volks-Grenadiers-Division and later the Ruhr pocket and Rhine area. The unit surrendered Apr. 45 in the Ruhr pocket.

[mtdr]

Hennep, can you please tell where you get the information about the involvement of the Pionier-Kampfschule in the Battle of the Bulge?

I own a Soldbuch of the same units(Pionier-Sturm-Regiment 1 and the Pionier-Kampfschule) but didn't find many information about these units.

Thanks!

[Archi]

Hello !

I would also be interested in this question and on any further info on this Pionier-Kampfschule in 1944/45.

In addition to what the other members wrote, I hope the following info is of interest:
Pionier-Sturm-Regiment 1 was formed in September in the area of Wesel.
Pi.Btl. 600(Taifun) was assigned as III. Battallion. This was a unit specialised in house-to-house combat,
using some explosive gas, put e.g. into the cellar of a target and then had to be ignited in a special way.[1. scan].
It had been formed in mid 1944, was committed in the West since August (?!) and suffered high losses
during the retreat. It was reassembling at Wesel for rst and refit.

The I. battalion was committed in the area of II. Fs.Korps from 25.9.- 4.10. [see 2. scan].

Both these battalions were sent to the area NE of Aachen around 9. Oct. From 11. Oct. they were comitted in
several attacks in the vicinity of Haaren and Würselen. Especially the I. battalion suffered very heavy losses.
As a result, its remannts were merged with into the III. Btl. in the second half of Oct.
The III. btl. took over defensive positions, until it was relieved on 27.10. and sent to Wesel, again for rest and refit.
This unit the became independent again as Pi.Btl. 600(mot.) and saw action again in the Hürtgenwald and later
under XXXXVII. Pz.K. in the Battle of the Bulge.

To the best of my knowledge, during most of this time, the II./Pi.-Sturm-Rgt. 1, was not committed to combat,
but acted as training center in the area of Wesel. (For incoming soldiers from the Luftwaffe etc.).
It might be, that at some time, it officially became designated as Pionier-Kampfschule HGr.B and perhaps also
moved to the are Cologne - Bonn, (close to HQ of HGr. B) ?!
[This could be the unit, mentioned in the Soldbuchs :
FPN 65912 (23.4.1944-24.11.1944) 11.12.1944 Pionier-Kampfschule Heeresgruppe B]

In mid Dec., 1944, HQ of HGr. B, and LXVII. AK., were both in an area SW of Bonn, which would partially match
the info by hennep.

Best regards,

Archi

[Archi]

Forgot the scans, sorry !

[mtdr]

Another Wehrpass of the Pionier-Sturm-Regiment 1 and then the Pionier-Kampfschule. But for some reason this guy ended in the Breslau Siege and was killed there on 19.02.1945... Another mystery as these units fought at the Western Front.

[Archi]

Hello Aram !

Very interesting Wehrpass !

a) I think it confirms, that II./Pi.Sturm.Rgt. 1 became Pi.Kampfschule HGr. B
with 4.Pi.Sturm-Rgt.1 => 1.
with 5.Pi.Sturm-Rgt.1 => 2.
etc. (always same Kr.Str.Nr.)

b) The unit itself should have stayed in the West and been destroyed in the Ruhrkessel, as hennep11 mentioned.
My current understanding is that in April, they were part of Sperrverband von Alfen (LXXIV. AK.).

c) A possible connection to Breslau could be from a leave, visiting his parents :
Bismarckhütte is today Chorzow Batory, 5km W of Katowice and ~80km SE of Breslau/Wroclaw.

Was the Wehrpass officially closed ?
Any stamp with FPN 65912 ?

Thanks for showing another doc from this interesting unit !

Best regards,

Archi