Liberation of Stalag XIB

Hi all,

I would like to know which US army/divison liberated the German work camp located in Hallendorf (SE of Hanover), as know as "Arbeitserziehungslager Hallendorf".

All I know is that the camp was liberated on April 11, and a number of prisoners were wounded or killed in the process.

Thanks in advance!

Franck

 

I can't get to it right now for some reason but :
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-SS.../USA-SS-Chronology-5.html
may answer your question(s)

Wiki at:
Stalag XI-B - Wikipedia
Gives some details on the liberation of 357 which was apparently quite close to XI-b

and
The Wartime Memories Project - STALAG X1B POW Camp
states: "General Montgomery's Ninth Division liberated Stalag X1B in early 1945. "

 

Thanks lwd,

The title of this thread is very misleading I am afraid...
My friend's grandfather stayed in Stalag XIB for a long time, but he was in the work camp of Hallendorf in April 1945, when the US Army arrived.
Hallendorf is SE of Hanover, while Stalag XIB is located N of Hanover...

Can I change the title of the thread?

The following link works :
HyperWar: CHRONOLOGY 1941-1945

Franck

 

If you can't the mods can. I use the report function when I want them to do something like that.

When I did the search that found the Hyperwar site it specifically mentioned Hallendorf and the google showed a line about the unit approaching it but didn't include the unit info (google gives excerpts with the search terms). Hyperwar is a good site for such thing though so I'd try it if you haven't already. Will look a bit further as well.

*** edit for ***
I did a quick scan of the books listed at"
European Theater of Operations - The U.S. Army in World War II Series - U.S. Army Center of Military History
and didn't see the information but a closer read may provide some answers for you.

The map on pages 14 and 15 of:
http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-36/CMH_Pub_72-36.pdf
gives you an idea of which units were getting close and the one on pages 24 and 25 shows what unit's zone it was in after liberation. Not exactly what you wanted but perhaps useful clues

 

Yes, I noticed this : "In XIX Corps area, 2d Armd Div renews eastward drive: CCA advances in 3 columns to Hallendorf area, SW of Braunschweig"
That must be it.

I am still trying to figure out what "CCA" means.
"2d Armd Div" is most probably "Second Armoured Division", right?

Franck

 

Yes, Second Armored Division. Each American armored division was divided into three regimental-sized units; combat command A, combat command B and combat command reserve. These were then broken down into battalion sized "task forces". The CCs were all-arms units with tanks, infantry and artillery.

 

Thanks Harolds!
I am now convinced that 2nd Armored Division's CCA is what I am looking for.

My friend's grandfather (Raymond Douhet) was wounded during the attack of that camp in Hallendorf, but he died in a hospital in Lemgo, a town located 75 east of Hallendorf.
That sounds like a strange move, but I have just found out that Lemgo was also liberated by the 2nd Armored Division (CCA) a week earlier.

I do not know how medical assistance was organized in the US army, but if there is a medical unit attached to the 2nd Armd Div, they might have installed a temporary hospital in Lemgo, and that would explain the move.

More help needed here

Franck

 

"Liberation of Hallendorf Kommando - April 1945" would be better

 

Thanks Lou,

Had a look at the 2nd Armoured Division website. Very interesting!
I have found that the 48th Armoured Medical Battalion was attached to the 2nd Armoured Division during the invasion of Germany.
But that unit is not mentioned on www.med-dept.com. I will ask them if they can help.

If I was to search the archives of that Unit, where would it be? NARA at College Park?

Franck

 

College Park would be the place to go for unit records. You should first contact them for a listing (or index) of the records that they hold for the 48th Armored Medical Bn AND the 2nd Armored Division. It is likely that the Division records will include records of their subordinate units. Review Post #2 in the thread Unit Operational Records for a good explanation of how to submit this request.

 

Thanks! I have just sent a request to NARA, asking for the index of these units.
I have worked with a NARA researcher for years, and will ask him for help after I hear back from NARA.

Franck

 

You can find AAR's for the 48th AMB here: After action report, 48th Armored Medical Battalion, 2nd Armored Division, 25 July 43 thru Sept 43, June 44 thru May 45. :: World War II Operational Documents

Scroll down to page 211 for the April 45 report. I skimmed thru it and unfortunately, there's very little useful info. Lemgo is mentioned a couple times in their "Location" listings, along with dates, but there is no narrative indicating day to day activities.

Hopefully the 2nd AD website will have something indicating what went on at Hallendorf and you can work from that.

Good luck,
Steve

EDIT: Looking at the April report again, Company C is shown as having a Treatment Station in Lemgo from the 7th-10th, leaving on the 10th. There may have been an Evacuation Hospital set up there by that time. If that is the case, unit Morning Reports could be a research source to consider since it may indicate where he was sent from the field, especially if he was seriously wounded.

 

Hi Steve,

Thank you for the new link. It is very useful.
I have noticed that the 48th Medical Battalion was still in Lemg the day the work camp of Hallendorf was liberated (April 10). This explains why all the wounded soldiers and civilians in Hallendorf were sent to Lemgo, located 70 miles west. It know makes perfect sense.

I have contacted NARA, and will hire a researcher to dig into the archives of the 48th Med. It will take a few weeks.

If something significant is found, I will update this thread.

Franck