Dear all,
I'm asking this for a friend who is studying the 162nd Inf. division.
Please view the above order of battle, apparently it is an incomplete document; it lacks some unit commanders names and so on. Could anyone please help out?... Any additional information or perhaps sources to recommend?... Any mistakes? Many thanks in advance!
(...)
162. (Turkistan) Infanterie-Division: order of battle
In spring the Turkistan Division was still guarding the Leghorn coast. In April its operations officer Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Busch, was replaced with Major Erhard Adler. 19) In 1944 the 162. (Turk.) Infanterie-Division was composed of:
- Staff
- Feldgendarmerie (Field Gendarmerie)
- 303. Infanterie-Regiment, commander: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Christiani (formed in 1943, composed of three Turkistani battailons, the third one was disbanded in 1944)
- 314. Infanterie-Regiment, commander: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Pohle (formed in 1943, composed of three Azerbaijani battailons, the second one was disbanded in 1944)
- 329. Infanterie-Regiment (formed in 1944, composed of two Azerbaijani battailons)
- 162. Division Bataillon
- 236. Artillerie-Regiment, commander: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) von Le Fort (formed in 1943, composed of four Turkestani battalions)
- 936. Pionier-Bataillon (formed in 1943, composed of three companies)
- Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 236 (Anti-Tank Battalion 236) commander: Hauptmann (Captain) Kiesler
- Aufklärungs-Abteilung 236 (Reconnaisance Group 236)
- Infanterie-Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 236 (the divisional radio and communication unit)
- Nachschubtruppen 936 (supply troops)
- Feldersatz Bataillon 236 (field replacement battalion)
- Services companies and medical companies all bore the number 236 (later switched to 162)
- Transport HQ 936 (coordinating the motorized vehicles and the animal-drawn vehicles)
20) The infantry regiments were composed of battalions with anti-tank and infantry cannon companies. 21) The Reconnaisance Group was composed of a heavy motorized squadron and of two mounted squadrons. 22) The Anti-tank Battalion was composed of two companies, one of which was drawn while the other one was equipped with Italian 75/34 half-tracks. 23)
The division had a good deal of Italian equipment. Going into detail, at least 6 out of 9 105 mm. batteries and at least 2 out of 3 150 mm. batteries of the Artillery Regiment were equipped with Italian artillery pieces. 24)
It is likely that the division included Italian personnel in German uniform (after September 8 1943 180,000 Italians had joined the German Wehrmacht, the Waffen-SS and the Polizei). 25)
Colonel Fiorentini's independent Security Unit (known as Sicherheits Abteilung, 250 Italian men and women in Italian uniform) was temporarily subordinated to the Division in late 1944. 26) The Debica battalion (Italian soldiers in German uniform) was temporarily assigned to the Division in June 1944.
(...)
I'm asking this for a friend who is studying the 162nd Inf. division.
Please view the above order of battle, apparently it is an incomplete document; it lacks some unit commanders names and so on. Could anyone please help out?... Any additional information or perhaps sources to recommend?... Any mistakes? Many thanks in advance!
(...)
162. (Turkistan) Infanterie-Division: order of battle
In spring the Turkistan Division was still guarding the Leghorn coast. In April its operations officer Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Busch, was replaced with Major Erhard Adler. 19) In 1944 the 162. (Turk.) Infanterie-Division was composed of:
- Staff
- Feldgendarmerie (Field Gendarmerie)
- 303. Infanterie-Regiment, commander: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Christiani (formed in 1943, composed of three Turkistani battailons, the third one was disbanded in 1944)
- 314. Infanterie-Regiment, commander: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Pohle (formed in 1943, composed of three Azerbaijani battailons, the second one was disbanded in 1944)
- 329. Infanterie-Regiment (formed in 1944, composed of two Azerbaijani battailons)
- 162. Division Bataillon
- 236. Artillerie-Regiment, commander: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) von Le Fort (formed in 1943, composed of four Turkestani battalions)
- 936. Pionier-Bataillon (formed in 1943, composed of three companies)
- Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 236 (Anti-Tank Battalion 236) commander: Hauptmann (Captain) Kiesler
- Aufklärungs-Abteilung 236 (Reconnaisance Group 236)
- Infanterie-Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 236 (the divisional radio and communication unit)
- Nachschubtruppen 936 (supply troops)
- Feldersatz Bataillon 236 (field replacement battalion)
- Services companies and medical companies all bore the number 236 (later switched to 162)
- Transport HQ 936 (coordinating the motorized vehicles and the animal-drawn vehicles)
20) The infantry regiments were composed of battalions with anti-tank and infantry cannon companies. 21) The Reconnaisance Group was composed of a heavy motorized squadron and of two mounted squadrons. 22) The Anti-tank Battalion was composed of two companies, one of which was drawn while the other one was equipped with Italian 75/34 half-tracks. 23)
The division had a good deal of Italian equipment. Going into detail, at least 6 out of 9 105 mm. batteries and at least 2 out of 3 150 mm. batteries of the Artillery Regiment were equipped with Italian artillery pieces. 24)
It is likely that the division included Italian personnel in German uniform (after September 8 1943 180,000 Italians had joined the German Wehrmacht, the Waffen-SS and the Polizei). 25)
Colonel Fiorentini's independent Security Unit (known as Sicherheits Abteilung, 250 Italian men and women in Italian uniform) was temporarily subordinated to the Division in late 1944. 26) The Debica battalion (Italian soldiers in German uniform) was temporarily assigned to the Division in June 1944.
(...)
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