I am seeking information about the operations of the Brandenburg Division in N.W. Europe. The 7th/9th Royal Scots in late November 1944 whilst at Vlijem some three miles from the River Maas had the task of patrolling to the river on a front of six thousand yards. On one patrol we detained three ‘civilians’ suspected of having just crossed the Maas. Questioned by Battalion Intelligence and interrogated at Division they admitted they had been left behind as saboteurs and were identified as members of the Brandenburg Division, the first to be captured by the 21st Army Group. They disclosed the details of the light signals to be sent when they required a boat to take them back across the Maas, so we provided a fighting patrol to escort the Divisional Intelligence Officer to the pick-up point. When the signal was given a boat approached and a German actually stepped ashore but he became suspicious and quickly dived back into the boat. We opened with our Brens and a report was received the next day of an upturned boat some distance down the Maas. Later we heard from prisoners they did not get back. I would be very interested to know if anyone has knowledge or information about any other encounters with the Brandenburg Division in N.W. Europe?
Joe Sorry, can't help with this particular query, but just wanted to welcome you aboard. Best regards Ron
By 1944 the Brandenburgers had in the main been transferred to the Waffen SS under Otto Skorzeny, there they formed various Jagd-Kommandos or Jagd-Einsatz - the Skorzeny Organization was strange in that he always had a Brandenburg Officer as his Chief of Staff - and that officer had the same Knights Cross that Skorzeny had won rescuing Mussolini. Many of the Brandenburgers who had transferred in-voluntarily to the Waffen SS continued to consider themselves Brandenburgers. The OKW retained a rump Brandenburger presence in the Kurfurst Regiment that was used mainly for paramilitary style commando ops in support of the Abwehr rump.
My thanks to Ron and Tom for their kind welcome. I share Tom's pride in being one of five brothers that served during WW2. On 1st September I reported to my local Drill Hall aged 18 to be mobilised into the same infantry regiment and local battalion that Father had served during 1914-18. Three other older Brothers joined their battery in the nearby Gun Shed that same day. Pity my poor Mother . . . Later, my eldest Brother joined the RASC. I am pleased we all survived; my three Gunner Brothers were at Dunkirk; only myself wounded at Heinsberg (Operation Blackcock) on 25 January 1945. Still trying to find the way to operate the site and to add my contribution to what is undoudtedly the best WW2 website as it deserves to be supported as an archive for future generations. Joe Brown, The Royal Scots.
