Thursday, April 30, 2020

KG Klink OOB - Greece 1941

Here is the Table of Organization for KG Klink for the Campaign in Greece, April 1941.

The patriarch, founding father, patron saint, original member, and Lieutenant Colonel of Panzer troops commanding the kampfgruppe, now sporting the Iron Cross 2nd Class for his combat leadership during the campaign in Poland:

                                                                Lieutenant Colonel Klink

Date/Location: Greece, April 1941

Legend: IAB: Infantry Assault Badge
              PAB: Panzer Assault Badge
              TKB: Tank Killer Badge
              Orange Highlight ("Poland"): Sort of a campaign ribbon to show where he's fought.
              Red Highlight (with number): Shows the number of tanks knocked out by that Panzer crew.
              Green Highlight ("IC1" and IC2)" Iron Cross holder, either 1st or 2nd Class.

Commanding Officer: Colonel Klink (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece, KC, IC1 and 2)
Executive Officer: Major Bohm (PAB, WB (2), Poland, France, Greece) (2nd Recce)

Panzer Company - KNOCKED OUT

1st Panzer Platoon - Officer Cadet Kleiber (PAB, WB (1), Poland, Greece) (Pz Ib) (2nd Recce)
Vehicle Two - KNOCKED OUT
Vehicle Three - Cpl Neuer (WB (1), Greece) (Pz II) (1st Recce)
Vehicle Four - Cpl Leno (Greece) (Pz II) (2nd Recce)
Vehicle Five -   KNOCKED OUT

2nd Panzer Platoon - Officer Cadet Fahrmann (PAB, Poland, Greece), (2 TK) (Pz IIIF)
Vehicle Two - Sgt Fittzbaum (PAB, WB (2), Poland, France, GreeceIC2)  (3 TK) (Pz IIIF) 
Vehicle Three - Sgt Mayer (PAB, Poland, France, Greece(1 TK) (Pz IIIF)
Vehicle Four - KNOCKED OUT 
Vehicle Five - KNOCKED OUT

3rd Panzer Platoon - Sgt 1st Class Friessler (PAB, WB (3), Poland, France, Greece) (4 TK) (Pz IIIF)
Vehicle Two - Sgt Jurgens (PAB, WB (2), Poland, France, Greece) (Pz IIIE)
Vehicle Three - Sgt Zedler (PAB, WB (2), Poland, France, Greece) (Pz IIIE)
Vehicle Four - Sgt Harms (PAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece (Pz IIIF)
Vehicle Five - Cpl Geiger ( France, Greece(1 TK) (Pz IIIE)

4th Panzer Platoon - SSgt Mangold (PAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece) (2 TK) (Pz IVC) 
Vehicle Two -   KNOCKED OUT 
Vehicle Three - Sgt Graebner (PAB, Poland, France, GreeceIC1 and 2(4 TK) (Pz IVD)  
Vehicle Four -  Sgt Kapp (Poland, France, Greece(Pz IVC) 
Vehicle Five - Cpl Progen ( France, Greece) (Pz IVC)


Schutzen Company - Major Freitag (IAB, WB (2), PolandFrance, Greece, IC1 and 2)  (1st Schutzen)

1st Grenadier Platoon - 1st Lt Tausch (IAB, Poland, France, GreeceIC1 and 2)
1st Rifle Squad - LCpl Kroner, (Greece)
2nd Rifle Squad - SSgt Aust (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece)
3rd Rifle Squad - Sgt Lutz (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece)
4th Rifle Squad - LCpl Steinmetz, (Greece)

2nd Grenadier Platoon - 1st Lt Klugmann (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, GreeceIC1 and 2)
1st Rifle Squad - Cpl Reiswitz, (France, Greece)
2nd Rifle Squad - Cpl Junker, (France, Greece)
3rd Rifle Squad - Sgt Lehmkuhl (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece)
4th Rifle Squad - Cpl Orel (IAB, WB (1), France, Greece)

3rd Grenadier Platoon - 1st Lt Ost (IAB, WB (2), Poland, France, GreeceIC2) 
1st Rifle Squad - Sgt Nader (IAB, Poland, France, Greece)
2nd Rifle Squad - Sgt Arndt (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece, IC2)
3rd Rifle Squad - Cpl Coulver ( France, Greece)
4th Rifle Squad - Cpl Rishel (IAB, WB (1),  France, Greece)

4th Grenadier Platoon - Officer Cadet Haas (IAB, Poland, GreeceIC2) 
1st Rifle Squad - Sgt Kandler (IAB, Poland, France, GreeceIC2)
2nd Rifle Squad - Sgt Imhofe (IAB, Poland, France, GreeceIC2)
3rd Rifle Squad - Sgt Axthelm (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece)
4th Rifle Squad - Cpl Hackl (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece)

Schwere Company - 1st Lt Ginter (GreeceIC2)   (2nd Schutzen)
MG Platoon - Sgt Creuzburg (IAB, Poland, France, Greece (1st Schutzen)
                   - Cpl Steinkamp (IAB, Poland, France, Greece(MG34) (1st Schutzen)
                   - LCpl Moen (Greece(MG34) (1st Schutzen)
                   - LCpl Jorgensen (Greece(MG34) (2nd Schutzen)
                   - LCpl Grun (Greece(MG34) (2nd Schutzen)
Mortar Platoon - Sgt Osswald (IAB, Poland, France, Greece(2nd Schutzen)
                       - Cpl Vigerte ( France, Greece) (80mm mortar) (2nd Schutzen)
                       - LCpl Sondland (Greece(80mm mortar) (2nd Schutzen)
                       - LCpl Hager (Greece(80mm mortar) (1st Schutzen)
                       - LCpl Schiff (Greece(80mm mortar) (1st Schutzen)
Infantry Gun Platoon - Sgt Oberlander (IAB, Poland, France, Greece, IC2) (2 TK) (1st Recce)
                              - Cpl Kallmeyer (IAB, Poland, France, Greece(75mm gun) (2nd Recce)
                              - LCpl Nans (Greece(75mm gun(2nd Recce)
                              - LCpl Groen (Greece(75mm gun(1st Recce)
                              - LCpl Graehme (Greece(75mm gun) (1st Recce)
Anti-Tank Gun Platoon - Sgt Kallenbach (IAB, WB (2), Poland, France, Greece, IC2) (2 TK) (2nd Recce)
                                       - Cpl Drexler (IAB, Poland, France, Greece, IC2) (2 TK) (PaK-36 37mm ATG) (1st Recce)
                                       - LCpl Boxleitner (Greece(PaK-36 37mm ATG) (1st Recce)
                                       - LCpl Saucen (Greece(PaK-36 37mm ATG(2nd Recce)
                                       - LCpl Gerdt (Greece(PaK-36 37mm ATG(2nd Recce)


Reconnaissance Company - 1st Lt Wehner (IAB, TKB (1), WB (2), Poland, France , GreeceIC2) (1st Recce)

Armored Reconnaissance Platoon - 2nd Lt Weider (IAB, Poland, France, Greece, IC2) (3 TK) (Sdkfz 231(1st Recce)
2nd Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle - Sgt Keck, (PAB, WB (2), Poland, France, Greece, IC2) (1 AC) (Pz II) (1st Recce)
3rd Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle - Sgt Pichler (PAB, WB (2), Poland, France, GreeceIC2) (Sdkfz 222) (1st Recce)
4th Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle - Cpl Fasbender (PAB, France, Greece) (Sdkfz 222) (2nd Recce)
5th Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle - Cpl Edst  (France ,Greece, IC2) (Sdkfz 222) (2nd Recce)

1st Motorcycle Platoon - Officer Cadet Distler (Arm Rec Plt, PAB, Poland, Greece) (2nd Recce)
1st Motorcycle Squad - SSgt Dorn (IAB, Poland, France, Greece)
2nd Motorcycle Squad - Sgt Wilhelm (IAB, Poland, France, Greece, IC2)
3rd Motorcycle Squad - Cpl Visner (IAB, WB (1), France, GreeceIC2)
4th Motorcycle Squad - Cpl Wallon ( France, Greece)

2nd Motorcycle Platoon - SSgt Behrendt (IAB, TKB (1), Poland, France, Greece, IC1 and 2) (1st Recce)
1st Motorcycle Squad - Cpl Rau ( France, Greece)
2nd Motorcycle Squad - Cpl Everestt (Greece)
3rd Motorcycle Squad - Cpl Obst (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece)
4th Motorcycle Squad - Cpl Klostermann (TKB (1), Greece, IC2)

Assault Engineer Platoon - 2nd Lt Orstens (Poland France, Greece)
1st Engineer Squad - Sgt Barkstrom (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece, IC2)
2nd Engineer Squad - Cpl Schieffen (Greece)
3rd Engineer Squad - Sgt Hafl (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece, IC1 and 2)
4th Engineer Squad - Cpl Dilbertt (IAB, TKB (1), Poland, France, Greece, IC2)

Assault Gun Platoon - Officer Cadet Hinkle (IAB, WB (1), Poland, Greece) (1 TK) (Stug III)
2nd Assault Gun - Cpl Holdtstaat, (France, Greece)
3rd Assault GunSgt Wagner (WB (1), (France, Greece) (1 TK) (Stug III)

Panzerjaeger Platoon -Sgt Dittrich (France, Greece, IC2) (2 TK) (PzJgr I)
2nd Anti-Tank Vehicle - Cpl Hamburg (France, Greece) (PzJgr I)
3rd Anti-Tank Vehicle - Cpl Halstenburg (Greece) (1 TK) (PzJgr I)

Casualties:
SSgt Janke, 1/1/Schutzen (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece, IC2)  KIA 
Cpl Lipniki, 4/1/Schutzen ( France, Greece)   KIA 
Cpl Benzinger, 4/1/Schutzen (France, Greece)   KIA 
SSgt Sachs, 2/2/Schutzen (IAB, WB (2), Poland, France, Greece)   KIA 
SSgt Mader 1/2/Schutzen (IAB, TKB (1), WB (1), PolandFrance, Greece, IC2) CAMPAIGN
Sgt Kulle V2/Stug Plt (France, Greece) (Stug III) CAMPAIGN
Cpl Rausch V2/4/Pz ( France, Greece) (Repl, F4) (Pz IVD) CAMPAIGN 
Cpl Stegan, V5/1/Pz (Greece) (Pz Ib)   KIA 
Cpl Salz, 1/1/Schutzen (WB (1), France, Greece) CAMPAIGN
Sgt Eisen, 2/2MC Plt/Recce (IAB, Poland, France, Greece)   KIA 
SSgt Gradl, 2MC PC, Recce (IAB, WB (3), Poland, France, GreeceIC1 and 2) CAMPAIGN
Cpl Gruden, V2/1/Pz Co ( France, Greece) CAMPAIGN
Cpl Peske V4/2nd Pz (WB (1),  France, Greece KIA 
Sgt Mettner (Poland, France, Greece) (1 TK)  KIA 
1st Lt Loeb Pz Co Cmdr (PAB, WB (3), Poland, France, Greece, IC1 and 2(5 TK) CAMPAIGN
Sgt Klivens 2/Eng (IAB, WB (1), Poland, France, Greece)  KIA 

Supernumeries


Left Out of Battle:
LtCol Schultz (IAB, WB (2), PolandFrance, IC2) - Promoted and transferred after France

Notes: 

(1) Casualties:
German losses: 20 casualties, 1 Stug immobilized but repaired in time for the next fight
Commonwealth losses: 20 casualties, 30 captured

Characters:
SSgt Janke, Iron Cross 2nd Class winner and veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, KIA
Cpl Lipnicki, veteran of France and Greece, KIA
SSgt Mader WIA and out of the remainder of the campaign

Awards:
1st Lt Klugmann, Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class winner and veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, mentioned in dispatches
*Probably would have won him the Iron Cross 1st Class if he didn't already have it, but not enough to get him the Knight's Cross.

(2) Casualties:
German losses: 35 casualties, 1 Stug immobilized but repaired in time for the next fight (yes, again, very lucky dice rolls)
Commonwealth losses: 25 casualties, 30 captured

Characters:
SSgt Sachs, veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, wounded twice previously, KIA
Cpl Benzinger, veteran of France and Greece, replacement squad leader, KIA
Sgt Kulle, a veteran of France and Greece, WIA and out for the remainder of the campaign.

Awards:
None.

(3) Casualties:
German losses: 25 casualties, 1 Pz IV knocked out
Commonwealth losses: 35 casualties, 20 captured

Characters:
Cpl Rausch, a veteran of France and Greece, WIA and out for the remainder of the campaign

Awards:
1st Lt Ginter, the Battlegroup Commander, is awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, for gallantry and leadership under fire.
1st Lt Ost, 3rd Grenadier Platoon Commander, is awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, for valor in leading the assault on Hill 218.

(4) Casualties:
German losses: 30 casualties, 1 Panzer I and two Sdfkz 222s knocked out.  The Panzer I is out of action permanently, but both armored cars are back in the fight.
Commonwealth losses: 35 casualties, 20 captured

Characters:
Cpl Stegan, seeing his first combat, was KIA
Cpl Fasbender was lightly wounded and is back in action

Awards:
None

(5) Casualties:
German losses: 10 casualties (yeah, that's it, ten casualties, all from the 1st Grenadier Platoon, mostly from the one squad that was knocked out)
Commonwealth losses: 45 casualties, 10 captured, two armored cars destroyed and one captured, two tanks captured

Characters:
Cpl Salz was badly wounded and is out for the remainder of the campaign in Greece

Awards:
None

(6) Casualties:
German losses: 35 casualties and 3 Panzer IIs, two armored cars, one 7.5cm infantry gun, and one 3.7cm anti-tank gun knocked out.  Both guns and one Panzer II were completely destroyed.
Commonwealth losses: 30 casualties, 15 captured, and two Matilda Is and one A10 Cruiser destroyed

Characters:
Sgt Eisen, veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, KIA
SSgt Gradl, veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, receives his 3rd Wound Badge as he is injured badly enough to require evacuation and will miss the remainder of the campaign in Greece
Cpl Gruden, veteran of France and Greece, was wounded and is out for the remainder of the campaign
Cpl Neuer was lightly wounded
Sgt Pichler received his 2nd Wound Badge when he was lightly wounded
Sgt Keck received his 2nd Wound Badge when he was lightly wounded

Awards:
2nd Lt Weider was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for disabling two tanks, his second and third of the war.  I foresee a transfer to the panzers in his future.
SSgt Behrendt was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class and Tank Killer Badge for saving the 2nd Motorcycle Platoon by knocking out a British tank
Cpl Klostermann was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and Tank Killer Badge for knocking out a British tank that had single-handedly eliminated a platoon of panzers

(7) Casualties:
German losses: 10 casualties and 2 Panzer IIIs damaged, though both were able to be salvaged
Commonwealth losses: 45 casualties, 40 captured, with two Matilda Is, one A10 Cruiser, one Matilda II, two Vickers Mk VIs, and three Universal carriers destroyed and three more Universal Carriers captured

Characters:
Sgt 1st Class Friessler received his 2nd Wound Badge when he was lightly wounded

Awards:
None

(8) Casualties:
German losses: 20 casualties and 3 tanks knocked out (two Panzer IIIs and one Panzer IV, though one Panzer III was immobilized and able to be salvaged
Commonwealth losses: 30 casualties, 100 captured, with four Universal Carriers destroyed and two more captured

Characters:
1st Lt Loeb, Panzer Company Commander, was badly wounded and will miss the remainder of the campaign in Greece.  He receives his third Wound Badge, and now has one for Poland, France, and Greece
Sergeant Mettner, tank commander with one tank kill to his credit and veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, was killed in action
Cpl Peske, tank commander and veteran of France and Greece, was killed in action

Awards:
Lt Colonel Klink, Kampfgruppe Commander, was awarded the Iron Cross, 1st Class, for intrepid gallantry in personally braving intense enemy fire to rally members of 2nd Panzer Platoon and Engineer Platoon, then advance them in a daring envelopment that cut off and destroyed the Australian 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment
Sergeant Fittzbaum, commander of Panzer 2, 2nd Panzer Platoon, was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, for close assaulting the deadly enemy anti-tank position that cost the battlegroup four tanks, knocking out both guns and capturing the enemy commander

(9) Casualties:
German losses:  5 casualties 
Commonwealth losses: 35 casualties, 60 captured, one Cruiser A10 destroyed

Characters:
None

Awards:
None, though Officer Cadet Hinkle got his first tank kill of the war

(10) Casualties:
German losses: 20 casualties and 2 tanks knocked out (two Panzer IIIs, though both were able to be salvaged
Commonwealth losses: 55 casualties and 100 men captured

Characters:
Sergeant Klivens, squad leader for 2nd Squad, Engineer Platoon, veteran Poland, France, and Greece, was killed in action
Sergeant First Class Friessler, platoon commander of 3rd Panzer Platoon, was lightly wounded when his tank was knocked out, earning his third Wound Badge, one each for Poland, France, and Greece

Awards:
-Lt Colonel Klink, Kampfgruppe Commander, was meritoriously promoted to Colonel and awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross for personal gallantry in the face of the enemy, continuously exposing himself to enemy fire in order to rally his troops and lead them into close combat, and for intrepid leadership that saw his battlegroup defeat a numerically superior enemy force and seize his campaign objective ahead of schedule, precipitating the overall victory in Greece

-Sergeant Hafl, squad leader for 3rd Squad, Engineer Platoon, received the Iron Cross 1st Class for leading his squad into hand to hand combat with an Allied rifle platoon, defeating them, then charging in to evict another enemy rifle platoon from the village to secure the objective

-Corporal Dilbertt, squad leader for 4th Squad, Engineer Platoon, received the Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading his squad into close combat with Allied infantry and aiding in securing the objective

And there's one more, but this one is a bit different.  He didn't fight in this battle, but I feel like he did a great job during the campaign, a real rock who's solid leadership really set the tone and was the foundation for everything else that happened, so he's getting an end of tour award:

-Captain Freitag, commander of Schutzen Company, is meritoriously promoted to Major and awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class for intrepid leadership and gallantry in the face of the enemy.  Battlegroup Freitag fought four of the Kampfgruppe's ten fights, winning every single one of them in decisive fashion, creating the initial penetration of the enemy's line, drawing in reserves and defending against counterattacks, destroying two enemy battlegroups in the process, so that the Kampfgruppe's mechanized elements could outflank the Allied defensive line and unhinge the defense, storming onto the Kampfgruppe's campaign objective ahead of schedule, precipitating the overall victory in Greece


4 comments:

  1. Excellent! Freitag promoted to Major and awarded an Iron Cross.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah man, he did very well. But I've got bad news: they're heading to the Eastern Front!

      V/R,
      Jack

      Delete
    2. I think that spirit will become necessary on the East Front! ;)

      V/R,
      Jack

      Delete