26th artillery regiment

[benjaman.c]

Does anyone know where I can find info on the 26th artillery regiment? I have a uniform of a colonel in that unit. Even if all you have is a suggestion of where to start looking I would be thrilled. Thanks, Ben

[Mike H]

Research ...

Ben,

Research is the fun part of this hobby, in my view. Thanks to guys like Tim Curley, Neil Stewart, and Simon Orchard, I got started in the right direction.

The best book is "Hitler's Legions" by Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr. I think I got mine on Amazon.

Your unit had an incredible history. It was part of the 26th Infantry Division, later redesignated the 26th Volksgrenadier Division. Let me summarize a bit from the book.

Raised in 1936, mainly composed of Westphalian Rhinelanders. Home station was Cologne (Wkr. VI).

It did not take part in the Polish invasion. It began its serious service in Russia in 1941. Crossed the Volga, stormed Rzhev, and heavily engaged in the Russian winter offensive of 1941-1942. Suffered heavy casualties at Kursk. Finally overrun near the East Prussian border in September 1944 and withdrawn from the line.

Rebuilt in western Poland and redesignated a Volksgrenadier Division. Sent to the Luxembourg sector of the Western Front in November 1944. Suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of the Bulge and took part in the siege of Bastogne as part of the XLVII Panzer Corps.

At the end of the offensive, it only had 1,782 men -- it remained in action and opposed the Allied drive on Pruem in February 1945. Finished the war on the Western Front.

You see what I mean about being interesting -- and bringing meaning to that piece of history you now own?

My best,

Mike

[Mike H]

Link

Ben,

Go here as well:

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...ionen/26ID.htm

And here:

http://www.feldgrau.com/InfDiv.php?ID=26

Mike

[Larry deZeng]

And these, too:


http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=1428
http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=828

--Larry

[benjaman.c]

Thanks a bunch, this is good stuff. being as new to this as you can be, what steps should I take to find the colonel this uniform belonged to?
Thanks again - Ben

[tenoriodj]

Artillerie-Regiment 26
__________________________________________________ _________________________________
Feldpostnummer (Stab): 09/39 - 08/44: 29 706
Organisatorisches:
* 06.10.1936 - 00.08.1944 [Bei Mobilmachung tritt die I./s.AR 62 hinzu. Diese ist im Jahr 1942 zeitweilig
mit Beutekanonen ausgestattet (10,5 cm Kan. 331 (f)). Im Sommer 1943 sind die 3., 4., 8. und
10. Bttr. mit 15,5 cm s.FH (f) und jeweils eine Bttr. der I.-III. Abt. mit 8,8 cm Pak 43/41 (t.mot) ausgerüstet.
Im Oktober 1943 wird die I./62 umbenannt in IV./AR 26. Bei Kowel im August bis auf Reste
vernichtet. Im September werden daraus bei Pz.AOK 4 aufgestellt: Stab I./AR 214 (214. Inf.Div.), 1./
AR 172 (72. Inf.Div.), 7./AR 342 (342. Inf.Div.), 12./AR 253 (253. Inf.Div.), das Rgt. damit aufgelöst.
Wiederaufstellung auf dem Tr.Üb.Pl. Warthelager.]

Gliederung:

1939/1942:
Stab, I. 1.-3., II. 4.-6., III. 7.-9., I./s.AR 62 mit 1.-3. Bttr.

10/1943:
Stab, I. 1.-3., II. 4.-6., III. 7.-9., IV.(s.) 10.-12. Bttr.

Kommandeure und Führer:
01.09.39 - 25.11.40 Kdr. Obst. Riedel, Paul
25.11.40 - 25.03.42 Kdr. Obst. Grassmann, Gerhard DKiG 17.11.41 AR 26
00.00.42 - 00.08.44 Kdr. Otl./Obst. Werner, Theodor DKiG 19.09.42 AR 26

Your oberst might be Paul or Gerhard above...

Source: Scherzer´s Militaire-Verlag 2004: www.wehrmachtdivisionen.de

[Simon O.]

The best book is "Hitler's Legions" by Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr. I think I got mine on Amazon.

that's not exactly my favourite book to be honest Mike, the Lexikon and Feldgrau beat it easily. It's only useful if you cross reference with other sources in order to weed out the mistakes.

It was OK for it's time though as far as English language sources go.

[Larry deZeng]

It's only useful if you cross reference with other sources in order to weed out the mistakes.

Right on the money, Simon. I couldn't agree more. Mitcham's first 3 or 4 books (I can't speak for the more recent ones) were taken in toto from U.S./Allied wartime intelligence publications and documents. They are useful only as quick, one-volume outlines to build a general picture of the information sought. Then you go to Tessin, Keilig or the two or three on-line sources, L-d-W, Feldgrau and Axis History Factbook. Although I cannot say with certainty, there is circumstantial evidence that Mitcham may not read German. For example, in the hundreds of books listed in each of the bibliographies in his Hitler's Legions (1985) and Men of the Luftwaffe (1988), only 4 or 5 are German language books. That's about 2% or less. That fact alone should be a warning to all.

--Larry