Herbstnebel vs the AI

[wulfir]

HÖFEN and MONSCHAU - December 16, 1944

LXVII. Armeekorps
Stab
272. Volksgrenadier-Division
326. Volksgrenadier-Division
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 683(mot) - (8,8cm Pak, towed)
Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 394 - (StuG III)
schwere Heeres-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 653 - (Jagd-Tiger/sSfl-Pak)
Volks-Artillerie-Korps 405
Volks-Werfer-Brigade 17 (Rgt 88, 89)
Heeres-Artillerie-Batterie 1100 (three 30,5cm Mörser)

Last minute attachments, on Führer orders:
Sturm-Mörser Kompanie 1000 - (4 Sturm-Tiger)
Sturm-Mörser Kompanie 1001 - (4 Strum-Tiger)
Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 902 - (StuG III/StuH42)


Possible later attachements:
3. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
246. Volksgrenadier-Division


LXVII. Armeekorps objective (Korpsbefehl):

a) Corps form up for attack near SIMMERATH, MONSCHAU-OST, FORSTHAUS WAHLERSCHEID, HARPERSCHEID, DEDENBORN.

b) Breaks through enemy positions on both sides of MONSCHAU.

c) Attacks - with mobile elements in the lead – to the Weser river between EUPEN and LIMBOURG.

d) Establish flank protection for friendly armoured units to the south along the line SIMMERATH – EUPEN – LIMBOURG – LIEGE. Reinforcements with additional divisions necessary for this task.

e) Weser (-Vesdre) line to be defended with greatest possible determination. Here Corps Hauptkampflinie!



Friction of War

By December 15 the entire 272. Volks-Grenadier-Division is bound by American attacks and unavailable for the Corps attack mission, including its artillery regiment.

Strumgeschütz-Brigade 394 has been delayed by allied bombing against German communications and has not reached the area of operations.

Schwere-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 653 with its heavy Jagd-Tigers has not reached the area of operations.

Several battalions of the 326. Volksgrenadier-Division have been attached to hold the line north (supporting 272. Vgren-Div) and south (relieving parts of 277. Vgren-Div) and are unavailable for the Corps attack mission.

Jagdpanzer-Kompanie 1326 (2./PzJgAbt326) is en route from MILOWITZ but has not yet arrived. 1./PzJgAbt 326 (Pak-Kp) - just recently equipped with 7,5cm Pak 40 - has not yet arrived.

In order to bolster the attack strength of LXVII. Corps, especially since it lacks armour, Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 902 (from 15th Army) and Sturm-Mörser-Kompanien 1000 and 1001, are attached on orders from the Führer. StuG-Brigade 902 and St-Mr-Kp 1001 arrive in the Corps area during the afternoon of December 15 – after a daylight transport, a violation of the instructions for Operation Wacht am Rhein/Herbstnebel. St-Mr-Kp 1000 fails to arrive.

I/GR752 not arrived in full strength at its forming up point by start of the offensive.

II/GR752 still in the line South of SIMMERATH, not relived in time.

I/GR753 attached to VGD272 near KASTERNICH, not available for Corps attack mission. II/GR753 in reserve behind I/GR753 – also not available.