Battle for Kurland 1944-1945

As usual, easy enough had Hitler approved it sooner. The pocket was not like Stalingrad and was supplied well enough. In fact, many supply stores were burnt intact and full prior to the surrender. Evacuation was taking place and there were losses but enough could have gotten out to have made a difference in the defense of Berlin.

 

..cannot promise anything but I´ll try to check the Red army tanks section in Kourland...

 

Thanks for the welcome.......

I have gathered enough general info like the following...

more

As you can see its not real specific. In an article titled "The Soviet capture of Riga" the following Fronts are list North to South:

3rd Baltic
2nd Baltic
1st Baltic

Then it lists the following air armies

13th
14th
15th
3rd

I have a list of the air armies (VA) and independent regiments attached to the 1st Baltic front (at the time of and immediately post bagration). However it seems that the bulk of the air regiments from this list are classified as being in East Prussia at the end of 44 and continued onto Konigsberg or even Berlin. (303IAD etc)

During and post Bagration my understanding is that the 1st Baltic front was drawn south as the Byelorussian front got bogged down in the area west of Grodno. Hence the 1st Baltic front covered the area of the North bank of the Niemen and latterly Tilsit.

Can anyone confirm this?

I am only looking for units and that took part in any of the "battles" in Kurland itself. I assume that means units of the 2nd Baltic Front? If so does anyone know of an OOB of the 2nd Baltic Front covering from Oct '44 to May '45? This would be very helpful in creating an OOB for the ground aspect of the scenario I am planning.

Most importantly I am still looking desperately for information to develop an accurate Air OOB. If anyone has any suggestions as to where to look please point me that way.

Thanks in advance,

Helwik

 

Thank you very much, Hedwik. That Order of Battle is really appreciated. Hope I could find some Air OoB in my books...

 

Helwik, just noticed a book (German) on the battle of Kurland on ebay.de yesterday. May help if you find it.

 

Thanks Erich,

I'll take a look.....

 

Here´s some data I found on my books:

On Glantz and House "When Titans clashed" p.239

The map shows the Russian troops around the Kurland from west to east as follows:

6G, 51, 4S, 42, 22 and 1S ( last one close to Riga ).

------------

On a Finnish book on the battles some excerpts to clear the route of attack:

On the 19.9. the 2nd and 3rd Baltic Front started their attacks towards Riga.

On 5th October the 1st Baltic Front( Bagramjan ) started their offensive according to Stavka order towards Memel and broke the defence on the first day of the attack.The 5th Guards tank Army that was included from the Riga area continued thé attack started by 2nd Guards Army and 43 th Army and reached the sea by 10th October. The German lines were cut.

The 2nd Baltic Front prepared for attack in the area of Tuckum with four armies, while the 1st Baltic Front prepared to destroy the Kurland pocket in the Libau area.

---------

So the 1st Baltic Front attacked the Memel and the 2nd and 3rd Baltics attacked the Kurland pocket. I have not found the reason for 1st Baltic´s course but what you mentioned might be the reason.

Unfortunately found not detailed OOB`s in my books.

I´ll have another look around but the Russian books don´t deal much in Kurland battles for some reason...

 

(Almost) everything you need to know, just in German:

http://www.kurland-kessel.de/

Cheers

 

Here´s a map where the position of troops can be seen quite well:

http://www.historyonmaps.com/BWSamples/big/RussianfrontN.jpg

 

Thanks for the map!!!

I am now looking for an orbat for the 10th Guards Tank Army of the 2nd Baltic Front Oct '44.

 

Heres a link to map I found during my research:

Its large so I linked it.

Scanned OKH Ostfront map

Kurland, Jan 24th, 1945

I have found the following for approx July 1944. Accuracy is unknown to me:

10th Guards Army (Suhomlina)

10th Assault Engineer Brigade
37th Tank Regiment (40 tanks - Sherman/Valentine/Churchill)
47th Tank Regiment (35 tanks - T34/76 being replaced by /85)
11991th SPG Regiment (21 SU-76)
6th AT Artillery Brigade
7th Guards Rifle Division
8th Guards Rifle Division
119th Guards Rifle Division
29th Guards Rifle Division
30th Guards Rifle Division
85th Guards Rifle Division
22nd Guards Rifle Division
56th Guards Rifle Division
65th Guards Rifle Division
60th Mortar Brigade (Katyusha)
13th Mortar Brigade
19th Guards Gun Brigade

 

Found somewhere this:

The troops at Kurland pocket surrendered on 8th May 1945. The troops by then were led by General-Colonel Hilpert. As well 41 other Generals surrendered(!).



General Hilpert, Carl
Born 12. September 1888, Nürnberg + Dezember 1948, russ. Gef.

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/HilpertC-R.htm


I was wondering if anyone got any names of these 41 Generals to put here....

 

Fantastic site! My grandfather was captured/surrendered as part of the 14th panzer-division, bit confusing as his records shows as follow:
Meldung 01/09/1944 stabskompanie panzer aufklarungs-abteilung 14 understellt 14.panzer-division then meldung 07/01/1945 stabskompanie panzerjager abteilung 30 understellt 30 infanterie division both einsatzraum kurland pow from 11/5/1945 - 7/1/1950 in 2 camps lager,magnitka,ural 102/26 and lager, magnitka,-gorski,siberien.