Not to my knowledge. ss div's numbered up to 40 and AFAIK no Heer division was turned into an ss div. 363 was a Heer Division.
Actually there were several Army divisions and remnants that made up the core of W-SS Panzer Korps...... E
Stevin: Yes it would have to be ! Never heard of any W-SS units with 300's designation. 500's though like SS Jagd panzer 560 and 561 both armed with the Hetzer..... by the way anymore on the Nachtjagdschiff Togo crews ? E
Yes, or the Jagdverbande... On the TOGO boys: In October/November I tried and called Herr Zillich several times, but no answer. The last few months I have only had sporadic contact with Herr Petsch. I have found one or two other refferences about TOGO in other books/accounts. Both deal with its part in the evacuation of Danziger Bucht. Also try to get info on the KRETA and its crew. Only know when and where that one was sunk. I think I sent you that info. I might even have posted it here. recently it kinda slipped my mind, so thanks for the reminder. I'll get back on the TOGO!
As a sidenote it might be intersting that the SS tried in July 1944 to put all Divisions raised in with 29th wave under SS-jurisdiction and under Himmler's own command (which in fact would made them Waffen-SS divisions). This attempt was dismissed in Sept. 1944. the 15 Divisions (541st - 555th Grenadier Div.) became Heeres-Divisions... Cheers,
That is interesting, Andy. First of all, I guess, it shows the nervousness of the Nazi top by considering this shortly after the invasion. On the other hand, this would have been the first (?) ss draftees, instead of volunteers. Same as Otto Renger, who was called up for the army and found himself in the FSJ, as one of the first draftees in those elite units. Something else I have never really thought or read about are the 'waves' of conscription/drafting. the 29th in july/sept 1944, right!? and that 'gave' the germans 14 Volksgrenadier Divs. Thatis roughly 140.00 men, wouldn't you say, as I doubt that these div.'s were up to strenght. Have you got any literature on these waves of conscription, Andy??
Panzer, This is what I found on (any) 363: * Marine-Festungs-Bataillon 363 Formed 11.44 in Wilhelmshaven (Schillig) under Seekommandant Ostfriesland. 4.45 to Emden, and absorbed by Marine-Regiment 1 West * 363.Volksgrenadier-Division: Book: Geschichte der 363. Infanterie-/Volksgrenadier-Division Helmut Gohlke, Selbstverlag, 1977, 210 pages 363. Volksgrenadier-Division was destroyed in the Ruhr pocket Apr 1945. Commanders Generalleutnant August Dettling (? Sep 1944 - ? Apr 1945) Area of operations Netherlands & Western Germany (Sep 1944 - Apr 1945) Order of battle 957. Grenadier Regiment 958. Grenadier Regiment 959. Grenadier Regiment 363. Artillery Regiment 1. Battalion 2. Battalion 3. Battalion 4. Battalion 363. Fusilier Battalion Supply Troops * 363 Infanterie Division 363. Infanterie-Division was destroyed at Falaisse Aug 1944. Commanders Generalleutnant August Dettling (21 Nov 1943 - ? Aug 1944) Area of operations Poland (Nov 1943 - May 1944) Denmark (May 1944 - June 1944) Belgium (June 1944 - July 1944) France (July 1944 - Aug 1944) Order of battle 957. Grenadier Regiment 958. Grenadier Regiment 959. Grenadier Regiment 363. Artillery Regiment 1. Battalion 2. Battalion 3. Battalion 4. Battalion 363. Fusilier Battalion Supply Troops Seems some descprepancy in the above info: Though AI thought it was one and the same div. (VG and Inf.) it seems that it was destroyed in two different places or twice. Source: Third Reich Factbook This from another source: 363. Volks-Grenadier-Division 1. Einsatz und Unterstellung: Aufgestellt am 17. September 1944 als Ersatz für die vernichtete 363. Infanterie-Division auf dem Truppenübungsplatz Wildflecken aus der 566. Volks-Grenadier-Division. Die Division geriet im Ruhrkessel in amerikanische Gefangenschaft. 1944 Datum Armeekorps Armee Heeresgruppe Ort September in Aufstellung BdE Wildflecken Oktober XII. SS 1. Fallschirmarmee B Arnheim November II. SS 1. Fallschirmarmee B Arnheim Dezember z. Vfg. 1. Fallschirmarmee H Arnheim 1945 Datum Armeekorps Armee Heeresgruppe Ort Januar LXXXI 15. Armee B Aachen, Düren April XII. SS 5. Panzerarmee B Rhein, Ruhr 2. Kommandeure: 3. Gliederung: Grenadier-Regiment 957 Grenadier-Regiment 958 Grenadier-Regiment 959 Division-Füsilier-Kompanie 363 Artillerie-Regiment 363 Here it says that this division resulted under an SS Corps in Oct. Nov. 1944 in Holland and later also in the Ruhpocket/Rhein. source: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Volksgrenadierdivisionen/363VGD-R.htm Additional information: in June and August 1944 the div. resulted under LXXXIV Army Korps (84th AK) (Gen. Erich Marcks)which also had 17th SS under its command....amongst many others. I could find anything else, regiments, brigades, etc. with the 363 designation. [ 08. January 2003, 01:10 AM: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]
Weeeeeelllll Then! I just don't know. In Band Of Brothers they confront an SS Company of the supposedly 363rd VlksGrndr!!! That's the one they give hell to in the open fields!!!
Well, you know, this book was written by Ambrose and though one shouldn't speak anything but good about the dead, he was known not to be too concerned with the German side, right!? So, maybe the ss part was in error. The 363 VGD was in action in Normandy. Maybe it was attached to an ss coprs or division, but itself was not ss.
