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The Fallschirmjäger in Russia
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The Fallschirmjäger in Russia
by Wayne Turner
The conquest of Crete was ultimately successful, but the cost to the Fallschirmjäger was high in men and aircraft. Too high for Hitler. He decided not to use the Fallschirmjäger in a large-scale airborne operation again. However that was not the end of their service.
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The men of 7. Fliegerdivision soon found themselves redeployed to
Russia. They weren’t to be thrown into the meat grinder of the Eastern
Front, but were used as elite infantry for limited operations where
their independence, skills and fighting spirit could be used to the
best advantage. |
Leningrad Front
7. Fliegerdivision was deployed to the Leningrad front near Neva from
September to December 1941. By December they had received over 3000
casualties, a testament to the heavy fighting and harsh weather endured
by the Fallschirmjäger. Fighting took place around the Soviet beachhead
at Petruschino, where the Soviets had taken advantage of the marshy
woodlands that dominated the terrain between Petruschino and the Neva
River to established strong positions re-enforced by bunkers and
entrenched positions. |
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Combat Units Deployed on the Leningrad Front
September to December 1941
Regimental HQ, I., and III. Battalions of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1
Regimental HQ, I., II., and III. Battalions of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 3
1. and 2. Companies of Fallschirmjäger Pioneer Battalion 7
1. and 3. Batteries of Fallschirmjäger Artillery Battalion 7
2. Company of Fallschirmjäger Panzerjäger Battalion 7
2. Company of Fallschirmjäger Machine-gun Battalion 7
II. battalion of the Luftlandesturmregiment
In January they were withdrawn from the front to rest and re-equip, but after redeployment some units returned to the sector.
March to July 1942
Fallschirmjäger Regiment 2
1. Company of Fallschirmjäger Panzerjäger-Abteilung 7
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Moscow Front
Like
their comrades near Leningrad the Fallschirmjager of the 7.
Fliegerdivision deployed to the Moscow front also saw intense fighting.
Combat Units Deployed to the Moscow Front
7. Company of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 2
Regimental HQ, and I. Battalion of the Luftlandesturmregiment
Fallschirmjäger Machine-gun Battalion 7
7.
Fliegerdivision was withdrawn from the Eastern Front in January 1942,
but after training and rest in France it soon returned to the front.
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Smolensk and Rzhev
The 7. Fliegerdivision returned to the Russian front in October 1942 to serve in the area around Smolensk. They then fought in the Rzhev pocket where they held off Marshall Zhukhov’s Operation Mars offensive in November and December. Some Fallschirmjäger units fought on in the salient until April 1943.
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Combat Units Deployed in the Rzhev Pocket
Regimental HQ, I., II., and III. Battalions of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1
Regimental HQ, II., and IV. Battalions of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 3
Regimental HQ and I. Battalion of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 4
Fallschirmjäger Pioneer Battalion 7
Regimental HQ, and I. Battalion of the Luftlandesturmregiment (later renamed FJR 5)
Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1
Fallschirmjäger Panzerjäger Battalion 7
Fallschirmjäger Machine-gun Battalion 7
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Stalino
In the southeastern most portion of the Ukraine stands the modern city
of Donetsk, it was once known as Stalino and stands on the path to
Stalingrad. On October 21, 1941 the German 6. Armee (under von
Reichenau) captured Stalino on their move east into southern Russia.
With the arrival of winter Fallschirmjäger units were sent to Stalino
and fought in this sector between November 1941 and March 1942. |
Combat Units Deployed near Stalino
November 1941 to March 1942
I. and II. Battalions of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 2
IV. Battalion of Luftlandesturmregiment
1. Company of Fallschirmjäger Panzerjäger Battalion 7
Fallschirmjäger Machine-gun Battalion 7
I hope this brief outline of Fallschirmjäger operations on the Eastern front is of some help to those of you looking to field the Diving Eagles against the Soviets.
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