"Protecting a Supply Line" Topic

France 1944. What sort of protection/ patrolling did the Germans use on their supply lines? I'm thinking close to the front, where an Allied breakthrough could all of a sudden threaten it. Some sort of a screening force (made up of what kind of troops), or an amoured car patrol or?

My uneducated guess, would be very little. The German defences could be deep (12km?) in places. Mixed in or behind them would be the service troops. Few troops could probably be spared for patrolling as they were required manning the defences.

If the weather was good, no movement of supplies. If the weather was bad or it was night, some movement.

There are stories of Germans having to walk back to where the supplies were, and pick up a couple of boxes of ammo or large rounds or jerry can etc and then have to walk back to their unit. And that was the last link of their supply system.

Mind you, having supplies was a problem. 100 trains were needed per day to maintain the German army in France. In May, 32 were getting through. And it only got worse in June.

Steve

For example,

"SOUTHERN FRANCE

LOCATION: France south of the Loire River.

TIME PERIODS: First six months of 1944; July-August 1944.

GENERAL TACTICAL SITUATION: Having occupied France since the armistice of 1940, the Germans had prepared fortified positions along the coasts to guard against Allied invasion. French insurgency had been increasing rapidly through 1943 and the first half of 1944 and was a serious problem over the entire country, despite the presence in all of France of some 160,000 German police. After Allied landings in Normandy in June, 1944, an army of insurgents estimated at about 70,000 men continued to operate in the region south of the Loire until German withdrawal from southern France in the last half of August.

TYPE OF LINE OF COMMUNICATIONS: The main road and rail route ran south from Dijon down the valley of the Rhone River for about 350 airline miles through territory infested with insurgents amid a populace hostile to the Germans. Another critical line was the road and rail route across southwestern France from Bordeaux to Carcassonne, the Carcassonne Gap, route of contact between German forces in southwestern France and those along the southern coast.

NUMBER OF COMBAT TROOPS IN THEATER OR SECTOR: Until June, approximately 220,000; after the end of June, about 150,000.

NUMBER OF COMBAT TROOPS DEPLOYED TO PROTECT LoC: Until Allied landings in Normandy on 6 June, two divisions (one of which was only at about half strength) were always held out for general security tasks. There was in addition a group of separate battalions making up a so-called Ost Legion, which all together represented approximately division strength. And a "reserve" corps of about one division strength was assigned permanently to keeping open the Carcassonne Gap. Thus, about 31 divisions out of the line at all times on security tasks, about 30,000 men. After the Allied landings in Normandy, the Germans in southern France lost the equivalent of 5 divisions to the northern front, including one of the divisions that had been on security duty; but from time to time additional units were pulled out of the line for security assignments, so that the average employed on this task probably remained at about 30,000.

PERCENTAGE OF COMBAT TROOPS EMPLOYED TO PROTECT LoC: Until June, approximately 13 percent; after the end of June, about 20 percent.

DEGREE OF SUCCESS IN PROTECTING LoC: The Germans were never able to make their lines of communications secure. All convoys and rail movements had to be protected by armed escorts. By the time of Allied landings in southern France on 15 August, no rail routes to the south were open. As the Germans fell back from southern France, they were constantly harassed and attacked by insurgent groups. Retreating columns as large as 20,000 men were kept under almost constant harassment and attack.

Charles B. MacDonald"

More can be found here,

Use of Troops for Rear Area Security. Russia,France.North Africa
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Here is a good article on the Eastern Front,
German Rear-area Security in WWII
By Arvo L. Vercamer
feldgrau.com/reararea.html

I read somewhere (don't remember the source) that panzer divisions often used their aufklaurungs detachments, or parts of them, for road security and guarding supply lines. Their armored cars and light halftracks (or kubelwagens) would be well suited to such duties and of limited use in the front lines.

While I bow to the knowlege and wisdom of Kaoschallenged and donlowry, I can't help but feel that one should add that any 'front line' troops that were at hand would be used. By this I mean elements of the units to whom the supplies are going. Such as what Don said. Only not restricted to the recon elements. Or even replacement troops on their way forward. A little bit like French Napoleonic march columns.
I have no direct historical evidence for this, but it seems so sensible I can't believe the Germans wouldn't have done it.

Here is a couple more that might be helpful,

DAPAM 20-243 1954 : German antiguerrilla operations in the Balkans (1941-1944).

"The purpose of this study is to briefly describe the German campaign against the guerrillas in the Balkans during the period of the European Axis occupation, from the end of hostilities against Greece and Yugoslavia in April 1941 to the capture of Belgrade by the Soviet forces and the Partisans in October 1944. Contents include the Balkan area and people, occupation of the Balkans and the rise of the guerrilla movement (1941-42), and the guerrilla movement in Greece, Yugoslavia and Albania (1943-44)."

PDF link

DAPAM 20-240 1951 (OBSOLETE): Historical study, rear area security in Russia.

"Studies the problem of rear area security based on German experiences during the Russian campaign. Striking examples have been selected which show most clearly the type of disturbances created by the Russians, the German countermeasures taken against them, and lessons learned from experience. Looks at the variety of security measures that became necessary and the many new experiences gathered in this unique situation. "

PDF link
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Robert

The French security apparatus included very large numbers of French 'Milice', who outnumbered the active members of the FFI by a very wide margin (until the Allies liberated them, of course, then they were all 'FFI'). The Germans also had large numbers of 'Sicherungs' units scattered around France, but mainly concentrated on the LoC. These included some AFVs, such as redundant French tanks and some obsolete German AFVs such as the Pzkpfw I C. The Germans also used mounted Cossacks for security duties in France.

Ersatz battalions might have been useful for guarding the rear areas. Just a supposition, though, as I haven't ever seen it mentioned.

There were also the security units used to protect the rail trains using Beutepanzers. Robert

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