heeresgruppe b
History
Army Group B first took part in the Battle of France in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The second formation of Army Group B was established when Army Group South was divided for the summer offensive of 1942 on the Eastern Front. Army Group B was given the task of protecting the northern flank of Army Group A, and included the 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad. In February 1943, Army Group B and Army Group Don were combined to create a new Army Group South.
A new Army Group B was formed in northern Italy under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in July 1943. Its task was to secure Northern Italy after the Overthrow of Mussolini and to disarm the Italian Army there as part of Operation Achse.
After the stabilisation of the front on the Winter Line south of Rome by Kesselring's Army Group C, and the creation of the Salo Republic in Northern Italy, Army Group B was moved to Northern France on 26 November 1943. Army Group B participated in the Battle of Normandy. On 19 July 1944, Field Marshal Günther von Kluge took command from the injured Rommel and on 17 August, Field Marshal Walter Model replaced Kluge in the aftermath of the failed coup d'etat of 20 July 1944.
Moving to the Low Countries, Model with his HQ located at Osterbeek close to Arnhem, was surprised on the 17 September by the start of Operation Market Garden. The army group also participated in the Battle of the Bulge. The Army Group was isolated in the Ruhr Pocket in northern Germany, and after being divided up into smaller and smaller sections, the final section surrendered to the Allies on 21 April 1945.
Bridge over the Orne River
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Commanders (Oberbefehlshaber)
12/10/1939-06/1941: Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock
15/07/1942-09/02/1943: Generaloberst later Generalfeldmarschall Maximilian Freiherr von Weichs
19/07/1943-26/11/1943: Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel
19/07-17/08/1944: Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge
17/08/1944-17/04/1945: Generaloberst later Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model
Order of Battle (Heeresgruppen-Truppen)
1939
Heeresgruppen-Nachrichten-Regiment 537
1942
Heeresgruppen-Nachrichten-Regiment 605
Battles
12/10/1939: It was created changing denomination to Heeresgruppe Nord , recently transferred form Poland to the western border.
05/1940: It took part to the Western Campaign (Fall Gelb - Case Yellow) as the most northern Heeresgruppe with support of II. Flak Korps, and attacked Netherlands and Belgium.
06/1940: In the second part of the Western Campaign it took command of the most western part of the German front from the Channel Coast (Kanalküste) to the Somme and advanced to Paris and the Atlamntic beyond.
16/08/1940: It was transferred to East Prussia.
22/06/1941: At the beginning of the Russian Campaign it became Heeresgruppe Mitte.
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09/07/1942: On the southern border of the Eastern Front, Heeresegruppe Süd was divided in Heeresgruppe A and Heeresgruppe B for the Summer Offensive of 1942. Heeresgruppe B took command of the northern part of the front and his task was to control the forces advancing to Stalingrad and Volga River.
21/11/1942: His front crumbled undr the Soviet offensive and its 6. Armee and 4. rumänische Armee became isolated in the Staligrad Pocket.
14/01/1943: His front had to suffer further breakthroughs by the Red Army.
09/02/1943: It was extracted from the front and its remains were divided between Heeresgruppe Mitte and Heeresgruppe Süd.
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19/07/1943: A third Heeresgruppe B was created at Munich (München) in the South of Germany, put under Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, and charged to deal with the probable disarming of the Italian Army. In view of Operation Achse, the Heeresgruppe was moved to Northern Italy.
08/09/1943: It took part in the disarming of the Italian armed forces in Northern Italy.
18/11/1943: It was in Northern Italy and took command of 14. Armee.
26/11/1943: It was used to build the Stab OB Süd (Heeresgruppe Süd).
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26/11/1943: In the same day it was reconstituted to organise the defense of the Channel Coast (Kanalküste).
06/1944: After the D-Day Landings it took command of the whole northern part of the Western Front.
09/1944: It fought against the Allies on the Seine and Somme Rivers, nel settore di AIX.
10/1944: It was on the Roer River and was supported by III. Flak Korps.
12/1944: During the Ardennes offensive it was under Ob. West and controlled the central part of the Western Front.
17/04/1945: It capitulated it the Ruhr Pocket.
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Equipment
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