What exactly is this unit MEK ASM - Marineeinsatzkommando

[Ian Jewison]

Gents,

What exactly did this unit do MEK - Marine Einsatz Kommando? Or more specifically MEK ASM - Marineeinsatzkommando Admiral Schwarzes Meer.

I have few of these, more often designated MEK SM.

I know it came under the K-Verbände umbrella but haven't seen exactly what it did. Was it more of a training unit or did it take part in action.

Thanks in advance!
Ian

[Eric JB]

Ian,

I think that it isn't a Marine Einsatz Kommando Schwarzes Meer entry, as that unit was disbanded in July 1943.

Looking at the entries on your page 25 :

- 14.4.44 shows Marine Ersatz Kompanie Admiral Schwarzes Meer.
and
- 28.4.44 shows the same entry, Marine Ersatz Kompanie Admiral Schwarzes Meer.


best regards

Eric-Jan

[Eric JB]

Helmuth Blocksdorf.

page 161

The MEKs - Naval Sabotage Units.

As with other light naval units, the MEKs were formed late in the war.
As commandos and naval sabotage groups they operated behind enemy lines close to the coast, attacking harbour instalations, bridges, ships, supply depots, ammunition dumps and worthwhile targets.
The idea was never discussed at OKM until 16 September 1943, the motive for the deliberations being the operations by their British counterparts.

[Ian Jewison]

Well spotted Eric-Jan...picked the wrong book up!

However on the next page different abbreviations.......

Picked this one up as the K-Regiment I bought recently was in the same area also.....


/Ian

[Eric JB]

No problem Ian, but I could only reply to the page 25 that you posted in post # 1 here on WAF.

Best regards

EJ

[Ian Jewison]

Incidentally according to the Volksbunde the owner of this Soldbuch was missing February 1945 in Russia.

There are entries in the Soldbuch up to 25.3.1945 and he is listed in the Vermisstenbildliste. I contacted the Red Cross to explain this some years ago.

Their reply was at the time no news was heard from him since the date in February.

I have just noticed however that this has been updated:

Nachname: Pietrulla
Vorname: Heinz
Dienstgrad: Marine-Artillerist
Geburtsdatum: 04.09.1921
Geburtsort: Mallmitz
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 20.12.1945
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Kgf. in Narwa

/Ian

[Eric JB]

Ian,

Seems to me that the entries in post # 4 do show again Marine Ersatz Kompanie Schwarzes Meer entries and that your man further on served with the Marine Flak Abteilung 217, Memel, Jan.45 Pillau, disbanded in Febr 1945 and your man ended up in Marine Schützen Bataillon 124 that was formed in March 1945 in Pillau under Festung Pillau - under Army command.
On April 25 the Red Army captured the city.

EJ

[Ian Jewison]

Thanks E-J, I know that.....as mentioned picked the wrong book up!

However, Batterie Tirpitz I do not recall ever finding anything on...some units were called after a Battleship simply as their guns had come from that Battleship, however not in this case.

I have 3 Soldbücher from Marine Flak Abteilung 217, however all ended up in different units in 1945!

/Ian