From late 1944 and early 1945 the Kriegsmarine had a surplus of thousands of submariners without operational U-boats,Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz He ordered the formation of naval infantry divisions (Marine-Infanterie-Divisionen) under the command of the Kriegsmarine to prevent them from falling under the command of the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS. Having a large number of personnel on leave due to the lack of U-boats
By April 1945, the city of Hamburg was key due to its shipyards for U-boats, its main port, and its escape route for Operation Hannibal, commanded by Grand Admiral Dönitz which sought to evacuate civilians and soldiers from East Prussia due to the collapse under the Soviets from the east,
U-boat aces like Korvettenkapitän Robert Gysae were assigned to the newly formed Kriegsmarine squadron of sailors to defend naval bases.Marine-Panzerjagd-Regiment 1 he faced the British XII Corps with the 7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats) at the forefront, which attacked from the south and west towards Hamburg With 1700-2000 Sailors
The 1st Naval Anti-Tank Regiment (formed by former U-boat crewmen) operated with StuG III,In the fighting around Harburg in the southern suburbs and port areas, these StuGs ambushed and destroyed British Sherman, Cromwell, and Comet tanks. German sources claim up to 24 tanks Destroyed,The fighting was intense, with marines battling with Panzerfausts, Panzerschrecks, MG42s, and rifles, supported by StuGs, in elevated positions or in narrow streets.
The sailors of the Kriegsmarine fought with a Ferocity, Fanaticism,Tenacity,Determination,A strong discipline and to fight "to the last man"With loyalty to Dönitz to carry out the evacuation of Operation Hannibal due to the danger of the “Red Sea” in the East, where they gave their lives without hesitation to evacuate civilians and SoldiersAlso, having fought in their blue uniforms, they earned the nickname “Blue SS” from the British by virtue of their kinship with the Waffen SS
The idea is to give a Kriegsmarine U-boat squadron a late-era StuG III G that they used to defend Hamburg.
Since this newly formed squadron did not have its own insignia, I will propose the insignia used by the Marines who operated the STUG IIIs.
•Main uniform: Many retained parts of the standard Kriegsmarine naval uniform (navy blue or adapted Feldbluse M43/M44),M43 or M44 Feldbluse jackets
•Schiffchen (side cap) or Einheitsfeldmütze (M43/M42) in navy blue, with the eagle and the cockade of the Kriegsmarine
- Yes
- No
