Ontario: 5. Kompanie/Fallschirm-Jäger Regiment 5 is founded.

[Karsten Heidt]

Found an absolute treasure trove of info on 3. Fallschirm-Division, of which FJR 5 was a part, scanned from a German language divisional history. Unit leader names, join dates, whether they were killed, wounded, captured, missing, birthplaces, feldpost numbers...this is a dream for researching our Soldbuchs and the like:

http://www.historicalwarmilitariafor...4ger-division/

[Karsten Heidt]

A good overview of 3. FJD, of which FJR 5 was a part, during the Normandy Campaign:

http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=817

[Karsten Heidt]

Some pics from recent events. Kit is progressing, definitely looking for more recruits to fill out the Gruppe.

Blast Off Military Shoot:



Anzio blank fire event, Newville, PA:





Operation Woodsman, last weekend:



Duplicating maps for the operation at the Kompanie Gefechtstand.



Home sweet home.



Our comrade Jäger Dietz from II./FJR 2, Gefreiter Heidt, and Jäger Meiners.



Celebrating my promotion to Gefreiter. 5 more Reichsmarks a month, baby!



And, the slightly less glamorous reality.

Anyone who values history, authenticity, and comradeship is welcome to join us. Our objective is to become the finest FJ reenacting unit in Canada.

[Karsten Heidt]

Working on something neat for the unit. Keeping the lid on it until it's closer to done, but here's a taste:

Fallschirmjäger Platoon Organization, 1944

The Luftwaffe Kriegsstärkenachweisung (unit organization chart) 8121(L) dated 1.5.44 gives the following "on paper" strength of a Fallschirmjäger Zug (platoon):

1 platoon headquarters, with:

1 Leutnant as platoon commander with machine pistol, pistol
1 Senior NCO (probably Unterfeldwebel or Feldwebel) as second in command with rifle
3 Messengers with rifles (when not engaged in delivering messages these acted as security and a personal reserve for the platoon commander)
1 Armourer with pistol

3 Gruppen (Sections), each with:

Section Leader with machine pistol
Assistant section leader with machine pistol
2 Machine gunners with light machine gun, pistol
2 Assistant machine gunners with pistol, MG ammunition
4 riflemen with rifles (1 with telescopic sight and 2 with rifle grenade launchers)

There were also two drivers for the platoon's pair of 3-ton trucks, each with a machine pistol. In total the platoon consisted of 1 officer and 37 men. Total firepower was:

16 rifles (3 with telescopic sights and 6 with rifle grenade launchers)
14 pistols
9 machine pistols
3 Kampfpistole (flare guns that could also fire small grenades)
6 light machine guns

This table represents the official authorized strength, and it would be unusual for units actually in the field to have everything exactly "by the book" due to supply fluctuations and casualties. Still, it can easily be seen that the platoon so organized has a stupendous amount of automatic firepower, double the allocation of regular Heer infantry. This helped to compensate for the lack of artillery and other heavy weapons in the FJ divisions, which by this time were fighting almost exclusively in the conventional infantry role.

[Forever_kaos]

Keep up the good work guys! Been a wonderful season with you folks, here's to many more.

Cheers.

[Karsten Heidt]

At long last, I can announce the official unveiling of FJR 5's own website:

https://sites.google.com/site/ontariofjr5/

Rather than just being another drab and generic "join us, we're awesome, no reasons given" recruitment site, my objective was to create a comprehensive research resource also, with lots of generally useful info for reenactors, much like Der Erste Zug. Please take a look and give your feedback, and direct anyone you think might like to join us to visit also. Many thanks go to Jg. Meiners for doing the vast bulk of the heavy lifting to bring this off the ground.

[recon]

Site looks awesome guys, message with in is full of top notch info. Very impressed.......hope we can entice you up to Muskoka some day for a good old time of WW2 action,,, keep up the good work...

[Boche]

Originally Posted by recon

.....hope we can entice you up to Muskoka some day for a good old time of WW2 action,,,

Host it, and they (and others, including me) will come!

[recon]

IF you have a host I have the property, bring it on lol.....anytime you would like to use the property just get in touch with me. I personally don't do the hosting, but I like building the field up. Leekas and Brian can tell you all about it. All I need are dates and your good to go.......Cheers Recon...

[Boche]

haha, I can't host either, just trying to foster a 'Field of Dreams' vibe!

[JadedKommando]

Originally Posted by Karsten Heidt

Yesterday's event with Kampfgruppe Haase at CFB Borden. Good times.

I have to ask 'cause I'm in CFB Gagetown, do you play force on force Airsoft at CFB Borden? If so could you elaborate?

JK

[Karsten Heidt]

The events we do at Borden are blank fire. I do both that and a/s, love them both, always happy for an opportunity to get out there and use the kit.

[Borealis]

What"s the name of the pouch that you have on your right side?

[Karsten Heidt]

Maschinengewehr Werkzeug Tasche Modell 34, Machine gun tool pouch model of 1934. Every first gunner on an MG 34 or 42 would have one to take care of his piece and remedy common problems.

http://www.mp44.nl/equipment/mg_pouch.htm

[JadedKommando]

Originally Posted by Karsten Heidt

The events we do at Borden are blank fire. I do both that and a/s, love them both, always happy for an opportunity to get out there and use the kit.

Thanks, I'm trying to find people who use any base to play force on force Airsoft so I can communicate with Gagetown here, and tell them it's being done other places, can we do it here?