John - about the Jäger...

[Dandelion]

John,

My replies bounce, it seems your e-mail is out of order? At any rate, I post the answer here since I know you check in regularly from work. I have changed the numbering of your questions, to fit me better. I bunched some questions together as they sort of had the same answer. Also it looked less intimidating that way But I think you will have no problem following me below.

Generally speaking I understand your confusion here, checking your sources I also became slightly confused. I'll try and deliver a more systematic and hopefully comprehensible explanation.

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1. Jäger Divisions

First unit to appear with the name Jäger was the Jäger-Regiment 141 (Welle 10, summer 1940) but it was converted to a Gebirgsjäger-Rgt. that summer.

In December 1940 (Welle 12) four (sister) infantry divisions (97, 99, 100, 101) were organised and trained for combat in medium mountain terrain (Kampf im Mittelgebirge) and heavy forests (Waldkampf). Organisation (KStN) was identical to Gebirgsjäger, but equipment (KAS) was not. They were designated Leichte (Light) divisions. Of these, the 99th was converted to Gebirgsjäger-Division 7 in the autumn of 1941.

A further three (sister) infantry divisions (5, 8, 28) were converted to light divisions in the winter of 41/42. With the conversion of 99th, there were thus six remaining such (5, 8, 28, 97, 100, 101).

All of them were renamed Jäger-Division on june 28th 1942 (the regiments and battallions changing names from Infanterie to Jäger).

These were reinforced in the autumn of 1942 by the four infantry divisions of Welle 15 doing service in Croatia (ID 704, 714, 717, 718). They were reorganised, renamed and renumbered (JD 104, 114, 117, 118). In the course of this transformation, the manpower of these divisions were "considerably youngered" (erheblich verjüngt), thus replaced by category A-C conscripts, which none of these had had initially.

The 100th was destroyed in Stalingrad and it proved impossible to recreate it in any larger size than regimental combat group, due to lack of correct category personnel. However, it was "replaced" by Reserve-Division 187 which was converted to Jäger-Division 42 in november 1943. It took until late february to complete the transformation, again due to increasing shortage of fit troops.

The Jäger retained the Gebirgsjäger organisation (e.g. they were two regiment divisions) and by and large similar equipment. Training also resembled gebirgsjäger, but had greater emphasis (more weeks spent) on forest combat (Waldkampf) and no high mountain training or equipment at all. Personnel was category A to C, i.e. youngest and fittest selection with evident motivation, but not volounteers or special in any other way, so not really comparable to commandos as your source suggests.

At this point thus 10 divisions plus a rump. It was peak strength and the only regular Jäger units of the army. Of course, there was in addition the normal allotment of A.u.E.Btl., Reserve and Lehr units not attached to the divisions (but to the WK). Most of these served in the Balkans, as they were well adjusted to fighting partisans in the difficult terrain there.

2. Jäger Battallions

The 9th that you mention formed part of a special anti-partisan force, not really related to the other Jäger units.

In the winter 41/42 partisans on the Eastern front became such a problem that a number of WKs (II-IX, XI, XIII, XVII, XVIII) were ordered to immediately create ad hoc Jagd-Kommandos of three companies each, trained and equipped for anti-partisan warfare. They carried numbers 1-9, 11 and 12. They were dissolved the following summer, and replaced with 14 specially raised Jagd-Bataillone (so numbered). These were later renamed Jäger-Bataillone, and your source refers to the 9th of these. All came from WKI.

The term "Jäger" here had another origin. These battalions had no organisational relation with aforementioned Jägers. Equipment and training was resembling military police rather than line infantry. The battalions had five companies, the fifth being PzJg. By tradition, German military police have their own connection to the historical term "Jäger", which I will leave aside here. These guys are not who you are looking for anyway.

3. Skijäger

...were not the same as Jäger, and so it is not surprising you were unable to find them.

In December 1943 a Skijäger-Brigade 1 was created, containing Skijäger-Regiment 1 and 2. Organisation was 9 company regiments. This was expanded in December 1944 to 14 companies per regiment (and the brigade was reinforced with some divisional units and renamed Division (still 1st)). The brigade-division served on the eastern front.

This was the sole regular Skijäger unit of the army. However, during the winter of 41/42 several regular infantry divisions formed Ski-Bataillone . These were irregular units, created ad hoc by assembling personnel from ordinary infantry regiments, all dissolved with the coming of thaw.

4. Luftwaffe Jägers

The "parallel" series 4-21 Jäger divisions that you mention were Luftwaffe units.

The Luftwaffe divisions raised in the winter 42/43 were transfered to the army november 1st 1943 for completion of training to reach acceptable standard. They were supposed to convert to the "Inf.Div. n.A. 44" KStN (organisation) and by and large they did.

Generally speaking they were all renamed "X. Feld-Div. (L)", thus no division was called a Jäger division. Nor were any of them organised or equipped as such. But all regiments were renamed "Jäger-Rgt. (L)", in spite of not a single one using the organisation or equipment of a Jäger unit. Nor were they in any way trained as Jäger.

During the course of the war, all of these units changed designations and names in a most confusing and unagreeable manner. Just look for the (L) and if you see it, write the unit off from your research.

5. Oddballs

Units you have or will encounter, who do not "fit in".

- The Radfahr-Jäger-Brigade 10 of which you ask was formed in january 1945. I know zip about it I'm afraid. Might be just a paper product. I'll check to see if I can find anything on it.

- Same goes for the apparently independent Reserve-Jäger-Regiment 1, later Jäger-Regiment 20, which served in the Balkans, hunting partisans. If this was a real Jäger unit or a MP-type unit I don't know.

- In march 1945 the division "Alpen" was created, containing Jäger-Regiment "Alpen" 1 and 2. I severely doubt this unit was ever beyond paper.

- Freijäger-Regiment 16 was a pure antipartisan unit, consisting of russian troops, not German. Belonged to the Osttruppen. There were no other "Freijäger" units.

- Küstenjäger-Abt. 800 was a military intelligence unit, belonging to the foreign ministry, not the army. But it served as a commando-type force in the Brandenburg division. They were not Jägers in the sense you research.

6 Traditions

Like most armies, the German had a system with units carrying the traditions of historical ancestral units. All German battalions in existence in 1938 carried the traditions of one or more such historical regiments. In some cases, the historical units were Jäger units. You already have a good picture of the historical development of this term. Here it can suffice to say, that some battalions were called "Jäger" in spite of not being such, because of these traditions.

These are not who you are looking for and fortunately they are easily sorted out. Any battalion called Jäger, forming part of a regiment not called Jäger, carried a tradition name.

The sole exeptions, with entire regiments carrying tradition "Jäger" names, were Jäger-Regiment 1 and 2, serving in the Brandenburg division, but actually belonging to the Panzerwaffe, not the Jäger.

7. Africa

The "Leicht" divisions serving in africa had no relation to those converted to Jäger. The German army had a flexible concept of the term "Leicht", it could mean light anything. Light infantry, light motor, light armour etc.

No, the "Gebirgs-Jäger Rgt 756" was not the only gebirgsjäger unit in Africa. It was merely the only unit named Gebirgsjäger in Africa. But the regiment was an abnormity, and actually there were no Gebirgsjäger troops in Africa.

The story was that in november 1942 three divisions were formed under the covername "Kriemhilde", and all regiments and divisions thus formed were referred to as "Kriemhilde" formations (thus ID 326, 334 and 338, not only the 334th, as your source seems to suggest). Eight regiments were involved, and these ranged from fortress units manning the atlantic wall to Ersatz troops of varying quality. The 756th was one of these. It was raised in WK XVIII mainly from Ersatz personnel from the Gebirgsjäger. Organisation was however ordinary Grenadier (Welle 1.). The regiment formed part of division 334, which was an ordinary Grenadier division. It was destroyed in Tunis, and when recreated in France the 756th no longer carried the "Gebirgsjäger" name. It was all an administration hickup really.

So, much ado about nothing there.

8. Hochalpenkorps

Actually all four independent Gebirgsjäger-Bataillonen created in 1942 and 1943 were renamed Hochgebirgsjäger-Bataillone 1-4. Number 2 was then renamed Gebirgsjäger-Bataillon 54. Can't seem to find out why, but it was. The "korps" was not an organisation but a reference to the WK training cadre and a collective term for the personnel of the four battalions. You know, like the Marine Corps is not formally the size of a US Corps, but still a corps

They were not the same as the Heeres-Gebirgsjäger-Bataillone. There were only two of the latter, numbered 201 and 202.

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There you go. I somehow feel certain you will return with those other "minor" questions on the Gebirgsjäger formations within short

Cheerioops

Dandy

[Dandelion]

John,

Found some more during the day here.

On the Hochgebirgs-Jäger-Btl.1-4

No. 2 of these raised questions. Checked it up. It started life july 20th 1942, created from a cadre coming from II.Ausb.Btl. of the Hochgebirgstruppen in Innsbruck (WKVII). I found the reason for renaming it. It was in the Kuban bridgehead and melted away, was merged with the Felders.Btl.54 and the amalgated unit was known from february 12th as Geb.Jäger-Btl.54.

Having checked that up, I felt compelled to check the others as well.

- No 1 is born on july 20th 1942 as well, but with cadre from the I.Ausb.Btl. of the Hochgebirgstruppen in Berchtesgaden. It serves rather brielfy until dissolved in the winter 42/43, the remaining men being reposted to Geb.Div.1.

- No 3 and 4 both started life in november 20th 1943, both created from a cadre taken from I./Geb.Jg.Rgt.98 then serving in Dalmatia. These had a mtn artillery battery attached(!). Anyway, in december 1944 No 3 is adopted as III./Geb.Jg-Rgt.296 and so rejoins the ordinary Geb.Jg. ranks. No 4 remains as is.

on the Jäger-Bataillon 1-14

Checked them up to find a connection with other Jäger units. There actually is one, of sorts, with the Skijäger brigade. When No:s 2, 4, 5, 9, 11 and 12 were disbanded (in the winter of 43/44), they donated all remaining personnel to the Skijäger brigade. No:s 3, 6 and 7 were never disbanded.. No:s 1, 8, 10, 13 and 14 were disbanded with the men going to infantry divisions 252, 292, 137, 292 and 253 respectively.

On 10. Radfahrer-Jäger-Brigade

Found some on it. It was created in january 1945 consisting of Radf.Jäger-Btl.I., II. and III./10, all with five companies. The men were cadre from St.Pz.Gren.Brigade 18 and Aufkl.-Lehr-Abt.I. It fought in Ostpreussen (Braunsberg) for all of its brief lifespan (i.e. february 1945).

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Cheerio

Dandelion