Comments on: Niwi: Nine Men http://www.historynet.com/niwi-nine-men.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Sat, 18 May 2013 07:15:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Rob Citino http://www.historynet.com/niwi-nine-men.htm#comment-824543 Rob Citino Fri, 16 Nov 2012 02:38:13 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13687229#comment-824543 You're absolutely correct, Iron Duke. Thanks! You're absolutely correct, Iron Duke. Thanks!

]]> By: IronDuke http://www.historynet.com/niwi-nine-men.htm#comment-824515 IronDuke Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:40:46 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13687229#comment-824515 Sir, An excellent example. One very minor point. I believe the men undertaking this mission were not paratroopers but were from the 3rd Battalion, the GrossDeutschland Infantry Regiment. Some Assault engineers were also attached. The 11th Company (Hauptmann Kruger) was to land at Nives, whilst the 3rd Battalion Commander (OberstLeutnant Garski) lead the 11th Company to Witry. Garski had only nine men between 0600 when the landings occurred and 0800 when the second wave arrived. At 13.00 he was further reinforced by Hauptmann Kruger who had completely missed his landing zone (as you point out) and actually landed closer to Witry than Nives. He joined Garski and the augmented force attacked into the rear of the Belgian fortifications at Bodange, linking up with troops from 1st Panzer. The northern objective was only taken by the second wave, two platoons under Leutnant Obermeier. They held a crossroads against several counterattacks until late in the day when French Armour forced them to withdraw. However, the French Armour promptly withdrew as darkness fell and 2nd Panzer passed through the following morning. Maybe It's symptomatic of the lead the Germans had at this point in terms of combat efficiency. You see it again at the Meuse. Rubarth and his dozen men open up a breach in the French lines through independent action but to all intents and purposes, the assault they were originally a part of had utterly failed. Regards, ID Sir,
An excellent example. One very minor point. I believe the men undertaking this mission were not paratroopers but were from the 3rd Battalion, the GrossDeutschland Infantry Regiment. Some Assault engineers were also attached. The 11th Company (Hauptmann Kruger) was to land at Nives, whilst the 3rd Battalion Commander (OberstLeutnant Garski) lead the 11th Company to Witry. Garski had only nine men between 0600 when the landings occurred and 0800 when the second wave arrived. At 13.00 he was further reinforced by Hauptmann Kruger who had completely missed his landing zone (as you point out) and actually landed closer to Witry than Nives. He joined Garski and the augmented force attacked into the rear of the Belgian fortifications at Bodange, linking up with troops from 1st Panzer.

The northern objective was only taken by the second wave, two platoons under Leutnant Obermeier. They held a crossroads against several counterattacks until late in the day when French Armour forced them to withdraw. However, the French Armour promptly withdrew as darkness fell and 2nd Panzer passed through the following morning.

Maybe It's symptomatic of the lead the Germans had at this point in terms of combat efficiency. You see it again at the Meuse. Rubarth and his dozen men open up a breach in the French lines through independent action but to all intents and purposes, the assault they were originally a part of had utterly failed.

Regards,
ID

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