"9th SS Panzer vehicle strength in Normandy" Topic

I have been trying to find vehicle strength returns for 9th SS around the time of their deployment to normandy.

I am particularly intetested in:
1) Which companies of the panzer battalion had what tanks
2) Which regiment, battalion, company of panzer grenadiers actually had half tracks
3) What the recee battalion was equipped with.

Many thanks

Leigh

Niklas Zetterling's book is an excellent reference. There used to be a website with all the data – but I believe it is no longer online.

I second Skarper. I've just had a look at my copy and all the information you need is right there.

Yes, sadly the website is long gone, you need to buy the book.

9th SS is also covered in Mike Reynolds 'Sons of the Reich'.

Briefly,

I/9SSPR had Panthers, 79 in four companies (1-4) plus HQ elements.

II/9SSPR had a mix of Pz IVs and Stugs, 5 and 6 Ko were PIVs, 7 and 8 were Stugs. 41 PzIVs and 38 Stugs (plus various others under repair).

III/20SSPGR (Ko 9-12)was the armoured PG battalion, the rest rode trucks.

Recce Bn had 5 companies, 2 armoured car (1-2), 2 armoured recce (3-4) and heavy (5).

The division didn't have an AT battalion although it did have a Flak battalion.

Thanks all. The book loogs great. Will have to track a copy down.

Leigh

Hi Leigh,

Yes, what Martin said! :)

Just to add: SS-Pz-Gren-Regts 19 & 20 were only at around 75% manning, though they had their full allocation of heavy weapons.

Note that the organisation didn't last long, as the division was greatly depleted first at Rauray and then again around Hill 112. The two panzer-grenadier regiments were therefore amalgamated in mid July to a single regiment, designated SS-Pz-Gren-Regt 'H'.

Thanks, I will go with the pre reorganisation as I bet they didn't renumber the vehicles, but is still good to know. I have ordered the Zetterling book, looking forward to getting it,

Leigh

No they probably wouldn't have bothered renumbering in Normandy. SSPGR-H is quite an interesting organisation as it still had both regiments heavy weapons, so iirc no less than 12 SP 150mm guns.

Absolutely, I'm quite sure that they didn't worry about such things.

Yes, as Martin says, the condensed units retained masses of heavy weapons. The same thing happened in 10th SS at around the same time – two regiments condensed into a single, four-battalion regiment with stacks of heavy weapons.