‘Hohenstaufen’ 9th SS-Division

SS-Scharfuhrer, SS-Werfer-Abteilung 9., SS-Panzer Division ‘‘Hohenstaufen’’:

The 8cm RAKETENWERFER auf SOMUA MCL S303(f) or Nebelwerfer Raken-Vielfachwerfer was a copy of Russian ‘Katyusha’ or ‘Stain’s Organ’ system of rockets mounted on a captured French Army’s Somua Halftracks. The Vielachwerfer had 12 rails fitted in a top and bottom of a launch mount with each rail mounting a top and bottom giving a total of 48 rockets per launch cycle.

The Rocket itself was 78mm in diameter using tail fins to secure stability in-flight without rotation, and the employment of a novel fuse arming device. When the rocket was fired, the heat of the propellant gases melted a ring of metal, permitting the detonator magazine to approach the striker to a space that armed the projectile.

The 9th SS Panzer Division ‘Hohenstaufen’ saw action on both the Eastern and WesternFronts. The division was activated on the 31st of December 1942. The mem of the division were German conscripts aged 18, with a cadre of experienced staff from the 1st SS-Panzer-Division, Liebstandarte SS Adolf Hitler’.

Their first action was in March 1944 in Poland; they were moved to Normandy in June of that year. Following the brutal Battle of Normandy and retreat East they were moved to Arnhem in September 1944, to rest and refit. Unknown to the Allied planners of Operation Market Garden in spite of increased reports of german plenty of armor in the area by Dutch Resistance, the Airborne carpet of US., British and Polish paratroopers dropped on top of the Germans which held critical Bridge at Arnhem. The Allies paid a big price for their denial of enemy presence.

Their next action was the German Ardennes Offensive or the Battle of the Bulge. After initial advances towards the Meuse River and Hitler’s goal of splitting the Allied Forces in Belgium, the allies regained the momentum and ‘Hohenstaufen’ again began a fighting retreat to Germany and rebuilt a final time was sent to Hungary, where it took part in the fighting to the west of Budapest in February and March. Falling back into Austria, the division surrendered to the advancing United States Army on 5 May 1945, at Steyr.

The Waffen-SS forces had depended on the NNeibelwerfer Regiments for their heavy assault rocket firepower. By 1943 Hitler had given the green light on more development of the Panzerwofer 43. This branch was supplied with launching units mounted on armored vehicles, trucks, and portable stands, and in the way of rocket units they had 3-4 different type rockets, and at this point in time supply defiantly could not keep up with the demand, there was never enough rockets to make these units overly effective, as the Russian rockets were devastating on the German defenses.

Never one to be behind any Heer development Reichsminister and commander of the Waffen-SS ordered the creation of independent DD Werfer batteries that would be attached to SS-Panzer Divisions. As always the SS worked to make use of captured equipment and technology to move forward in the most frugal manner using captured French vehicles and copying French vehicles and copying successful Russian rocket technology. The first of the Nebelwerfer Raken-Vielfachwerfer or ‘Himmlers Organ’ as they were called and crews arrived in Normandy just prior to the June invasion. SS Werfer-Abteilung 9 became part of ‘Hohenstaufens’ artillery and remained so until the final defeat.

The SS-Scharfuhrer wears the standard SS cut armored uniform in Feldgrau. He may, like his Heer counterparts, wear the HBT for his uniform as well. The dark wine-red Waffenfarben piping on his very rare shoulder boards. With the uniform, he wears the final pattern Einheitsfeldmutz or M43 cap, boots, cartridge belt with a holstered sidearm. From his ribbons, it can be deduced that he soldiers since at least 1941 as he was in desperate fighting during the First Winter in Russia. He has earned the Eiserns Kreuze II. Klasse for his combat leadership as well as the Allgemeine Sturmabzeichen.