Operation SONNENSTICH

Operation SONNENSTICH

(Operation Sunstroke)

History

Operation SONNENSTICH was one of four operations (DRAUFGÃ„NGER, FLIEGENFÃ„NGER and ROESLEIN) started by 2nd Panzer Army in July 1944 to prevent grouping of Yugoslav Partisans in eastern Herzegovina and Lim river and their advance into Serbia.

Originally planned to start on 13 July and end on 24 July 1944 under command of general Fritz Neidholdt, commander of 369th Infantry Division, who divided operation into four phases and to clear area of Burmazi - BjelojeviÄ‡i - Gornje Hrasno known as "Red republic". Villages of ZagnjeÅ¾Ä‘e and Udora, some 9 kilometers south-west of Stolac were to be destroyed with male population hanged and women and children interned as reprisal for execution of Joachim Kirschner. Operation was suppose to end with remains of Partisans being pushed into Montenegro pursued by Chetnik detachments reinforced by German grenadiers where they would be eliminated in operation RÃœBEZAHL.

Operation was compromised before it even started with Partisans noticing German regrouping and two days before planned start on 11 July, Germans attempted to push back 11th Brigade from Gacka but failed and was pushed back into 13th Brigade which infiltrated deep into area between Stolac and Blagaj. German 369th Reconnaissance Battalion suffered heavy losses during night on 13 July and retreated to starting position in Blagaj followed by 13th Brigade forcing Germans to postpone operation by one day. During combat on 11 July Partisans claimed 30 soldiers and 2 officers killed, one of which, commander of Replacement Battalion had a copy of divisional order for entire operation (No.10 out of 15 made and given to unit commanders) allowing Partisans to prepare counterattack.

Phase I

From north, from Nevesinje, combat group Doell started its advanced on 18 July, Kampfgroup Doell was made off:

parts of III./370 (Captain Bollman, adjutant lieutenant Sauseng, senior medic dr.Paulig),

parts of other units,

two chetnik brigades.

Second group made of 10. and 11./370 started its advance from coast (Cavtat, north-east of Dubrovnik); both of these companies reunited with its battalion again.

About this operation reports:

2nd Lieutenant Baumann, commander off 11./370 company:
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Phase II

Reinforced with fresh troops new attacks begun lasting from 23 to 29 July.

Phase III

Canceled.

Phase IV

Canceled.

Order of Battle

Axis Order of Battle - around 10000 soldiers (3800 Germans and legionnaires, 3200 Chetniks)

369th Infantry Division

1st Battalion of the 369th Regiment

2nd Battalion of the 370th Regiment (without 9th Company) with one platoon of the 6th Battery from 369th Artillery Regiment

3rd Battalion of the 370th Regiment (without one company) with one platoon of the 8th Battery from 369th Artillery Regiment

369th Reconnaissance Battalion

369th Replacement Battalion, Dinov Company, with one platoon of the 7th Battery from 369th Artillery Regiment

3rd Battalion of the 4th Brandenburg Regiment

Chetnik BileÄ‡a brigade

1st Chetnik Nevesinje brigade

2nd Chetnik Nevesinje brigade

Yugoslav Partisan Order of Battle

29th Herzegovina Division

10th Herzegovina Assault brigade

11th Herzegovina Assault brigade

12th Herzegovina Assault brigade

13th Herzegovina Assault brigade

Casualties

29th Division report from 5 August 1944 claimed 511 killed enemy soldiers "found on battlefield" of which 433 Germans and Ustasha, 78 Chetniks, 35 prisoners and over 800 wounded totaling 1346 casualties while suffering 37 killed and 104 wounded. Captured material:

78 horses (148 killed)

3 mountain guns

4 heavy mortars

3 light mortars

20 light machine-guns

17 submachine-guns

120 rifles

8 radio stations

460 mortar shells

126 shells 75mm

100000 rounds

Prisoners included German solider August Fischer while Ivan Rukavina joined 4th Battalion of 13th Brigade same day he was captured.

NCO Kattein reported entire German platoon of 25 soldiers vanished during night of 29 July and it took several days to find their dead bodies. Platoon was destroyed by Reconnaissance group of the 4th Battalion 13th Brigade lead by Milan Å arenac.

Aftermath

Despite lacking numbers or firepower by use of maneuver and infiltration tactics on difficult terrain Yugoslav Partisans prevented Axis forces from reaching any of its objectives. German 369th Division would be further stretched with garrison duties along coast and threatened communications in the rear. Failure also had consequences for operation RÃœBEZAHL and on desertion rate of Croat and Muslim legionnaires from 369th Division.

Reference

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