Dan H. wrote:
Quote:
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On 1 March 1943 Luftgaukommando Rostov in the southern USSR had 8 Flaktransportbatterien, with a serviceability rating in both the vehicle (Kraftfahrzeugmäßig) and tactical (Taktisch) categories rated as 'voll' - fully serviceable. The same command had 15 batteries of 8,8 cm guns, of which 9 had a vehicle (Kraftfahrzeugmäßig) serviceability rating 'voll'. The other batteries had no rating in this category, niether 'bedingt' - limited serviceability, nor 'nicht' - unserviceable. The material (Materiell) serviceability ratings were 8 batteries 'voll' and the remaining 7 'bedingt'. Therefore all 15 batteries had at least some guns, and 9 of these batteries had a full complement of vehicles. This suggests to me that some flak batteries were provided with organic prime movers, while others, perhaps those further from the frontline, had to rely on the Flaktransportbatterien. It is also possible that a battery's complement of vehicles did not render it fully mobile without additional transport support from a Flaktransportbatterie, but I think that is less likely, since some batteries would have been expected to closely follow the movements of front-line units.
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Ummm.............I think where we have to be cautious is in how the Wehrmacht defined and applied the term subordination. There were 4 levels of subordination: (1) administrative; (2) tactical; (3) disciplinary; and, (4) economic (i.e., for supplies, accommodations, messing, etc.). Since this can get complicated when the levels of subordination are rarely given each time a particular unit is mention in the primary and secondary source material, I usually try to get around this by using the word "attached" and let the reader form his/her own opinion. The opposite of "attached" in this context would be "belonged to" or "organic to".
So, Flaktransportbatterien could and did organically belong to Luftgau- and Feldluftgaukommandos, the Gen.Kdo. of a Flakkorps and, to a somewhat lesser extent, to a Flakdivision, but never to a Flakregiment. As the tactical situation dictated, the Flaktransportbatterien were frequently detached and reattached from one command level to another so they could perform their task.
Example:
Flak-Trsp.Battr. 96/VIII
16 May 42: (schwere) Sarabus/Crimea
under Luftgaukdo. Rostow. (TsAMO 500/12476/Akte 2)
11 Jul 42: being allocated to 10. Flak-Div. (TsAMO 500/12476/Akte 13)
18 Apr 44:
attached to 17. Flak-Div. in W Ukraine - ordered disbanded this date. (TsAMO 500/12476/Akte 3)
24 Aug 44: S Poland assigned to I. Flakkorps. (TsAMO 500/12476/Akte 70)
L.