The Ramcke Parachute Brigade was a Luftwaffe airborne forces(''Fallschirmjäger'') brigade that specialized in airborne operations, anti-tank warfare, counter-battery fire, desert warfare, maneuver warfare, raiding with small unit tactics, reconnaissance, and trench warfare, which saw action in the Mediterranean Theatre during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Operational history

The brigade was formed in 1942 and sent to join the

Afrika Korps The German Africa Corps (, ; DAK), commonly known as Afrika Korps, was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its Africa ...

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

. Ramcke's unit fought during the Afrika Korps's airborne assault towards the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...

, fighting alongside the

Italian 25 Infantry Division Bologna Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

before British opposition solidified near the town of

El Alamein El Alamein (, ) is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. The town is located on the site of the ancient city Antiphrai which was built by th ...

. The British action resulted in the separation of the Brigade rommel took all transport off the fallshirmjagers thats why they had no motorized transport, unable to move as fast as the battle lines. Taking heavy losses (about 450) fighting surrounded on all sides, they captured a British supply convoy carrying food and fuel, about which Ramcke later remarked the most welcome surprise was the tobacco and luxury goods. Using those trucks, about 600 survivors returned to German lines. The brigade was then engaged in the retreat into Tunisia. Ramcke was transferred back to Germany where he was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, and command passed to Major

Hans Kroh __NOTOC__ Hans Kroh (13 May 1907 – 18 July 1967) was a German paratroop general in the Wehrmacht and ''Bundeswehr'' and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany. Kroh started his military ...

. The remaining brigade was part of the capitulation of German Panzer Army Afrika in May 1943.

Organization

Structure of the brigade in October of 1942: * Headquarters under

Generalmajor is the Germanic languages, Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central Europe, Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and R ...

Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (24 January 1889 – 4 July 1968) was a German general of paratroop forces during World War II. He led units in Crete, North Africa, Italy, the Soviet Union and France, and was captured by American forces at the conc ...

** 1st Battalion, 2nd Parachute Regiment ** 1st Battalion, 3rd Parachute Regiment ** 2nd Battalion, 5th Parachute Regiment ** 4th Parachute Training Battalion ** 2nd Battalion, 7th Parachute Artillery Regiment ** A Company, 7th Tank Destroyer Battalion ** 2nd Company, Parachute Pioneer Battalion ** A Parachute Signal Platoon ** A Medical Company

Commanders

* ''Generalleutnant (later General der Fallschirmtruppen)''

(1 April 1942 - 18 November 1942) * ''Oberstleutnant''

(18 November 1942 - 18 February 1943)

References

{{Reflist German units in Africa Airborne units and formations of Germany Military units and formations of the Luftwaffe Parachuting in Germany Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations disestablished in 1943