the 31st Infantry Regiment lost at Bataan was not reformed during the war, nor were the independent Parachute Regiments decimated during the Ardennes. But apart from the Philippines and Cisterna did not lose many entire units. The US Army did not have quite the same regional traditions and links in WW2. Nor was the 10th Panzer Division lost in Tunisia, or seven of the German formations lost outside the Stalingrad pocket. The 22 Panzer Division, held responsible for the collapse of the Rumanian army north of Stalingrad was not reformed. The 9th 11th and 116th Panzer divisions in France in 1944 were reconstituted from training units with a sprinkling of veterans returning after wounds. Thus the Afrika Korps core units 15th, 21st Panzer and 90th Light were reformed as were the 6th army units lost in Stalingrad. So formations suffering huge losses or captured would usually be reconstituted. When a division was "lost" there would usually be a core that survived - sick wounded or temporarily detached. The Germans believed in the propaganda value of tradition.
German formations were regional, usually recruited from a single area, with some of the considerations that the British applied to the local regiment. 90% losses at various times from 1941 onwards. Germany - Whole formations lost in Stalingrad Tunisia and France. Thus the 53rd (Worcestershire Hussars) Anti tank Regiment, (86th Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment and (147th Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment, the divisional artillery of 42nd Armoured Division were selected to play leading roles on D Day a year after the division disappeared from the order of battle. Disband the local yeomanry (reserve cavalry) and no one from the Army Board would ever fish, hunt or shoot in that county again. These were more than military units, but something of the fabric of the town or county. #2 Many British regular and reserve units had strong regional connections. Thus after the 2nd Battalion the Cameron Highlanders was captured in Tobruk, the 4th battalion (itself reformed after St Valery) was re-designated the 2nd Battalion and served with the reformed 11th Indian Brigade in Italy. If the parent unit went into the bag it was far easier to redesignate some higher numbered battalion - maybe pick the most efficient. It was possible to wind up a Regiment but it was a PIA - when I last checked the Charities commission still had an open file for the HMS Hood ship's fund. These might own property worth millions of pounds including pictures, silver, band instruments, priceless looted artifacts -and those intangible assets "traditions and precedence". Every British unit had at least a half dozen associated charities for the Regimental funds, officers mess, sergeants mess JNCOs Mess, Company/squadron./batteries etc. #1 They had a separate financial and charitable existence. (Who cared if 191 field regiment, No 62 Commando or the 11th battalion the blankshires ceased to exist) But there were complications with units with a peacetime past. There was no problem disbanding some high numbered wartime raised unit, especially if they were some temporary special unit. The British had to be more careful about individual units - especially regular or territorial (Reserve). They also redesignated the 6th (regular) Infantry division as the 70th Division, and disbanded the 44th 50th and 59th infantry divisions. The 1st, 2nd, 8th,10th and 42nd Armoured divisions were all disbanded during the war, before the formation of the 79th. The British were happy to raise and disband armoured divisions too. 18th (Eastern Counties) infantry, 8th Australian and 11th Indian divisions lost in Singapore and 2nd South African Infantry Division lost at Tobruk were not reformed during the war. Most other formations lost were not reconstituted.
The British were not usually sentimental about formations Many British formations had regional links and antecedents and traditions from the First World War.The 9th Scottish Division was renamed 51st Highland to replace the 51 lost at St Valery - even though the 9th Scottish's WW1 heritage was every bit as significant as the 51 HD. Units 90% losses in North Africa, France Greece and Crete. There was a difference between disbanding a unit which may be recruited from particular location and whose removal will have political consequences removing a label from the organisation structure that was never more than nebulous.Įvery army was faced with the problem of what to do about units which no longer had any combat value.īritain - whole formations lost in Singapore and Tobruk. Possibly even enough of a topic a for a war studies masters or PhD thesis This is a really complicated subject - but quite interesting.
0 kommentar(er)
