The invasion that never was..

[UK Cousin]

German Forces Operation Felix: Planned Assault on Gibraltar 31 January 1941


1st Mountain Division: 1 Mountain Division Staff
98th Gebirgsjäger Regiment: 1 Regimental Staff
1 Regimental Staff Company
1 Mountain Signals Platoon
1 Bicycle Platoon
1 Cavalry Reconnaissance Platoon
1 Regimental Band
3 Battalions, each with:
3 Infantry Companies (2 HMGs, 9 LMGs, 3 50mm mortars)
1 Support Company
1 Mortar Platoon (6 80mm mortars)
1 Infantry Gun Platoon (2 75mm leIG)
1 Machine Gun Company
1 Machine Gun Platoon (4 HMGs)
1 Pioneer Platoon (4 LMGs)
Infantry Gun Section: (2 150mm sIG)
(motZ) Mountain Panzerjäger Company: (12-50mm PAK 38 & 4 LMGs)
Bicycle Reconnaisance Company (no heavy weapons)
4/47th (self propelled) Light Flak Battalion: (12 20mm flak guns)
6/54th Mountain Light Supply Column:
Gross Deutschland (mot) Infantry Regiment:
1 Regimental Staff
1 Regimental Band
1 Motorcycle Messenger Platoon
1st-3rd (mot) Schützen Battalions, each with:
3 (mot) Schützen Companies, each with: (18LMGs, 2 HMGs, 3 50mm mortars)
1 (mot) Machine Gun Company (8 HMGs & 6 80mm mortars)
1 (mot) Support Company
1 Flak Platoon (4 20mm flak guns)
1 Panzerjäger Platoon (3 50mm PAK 38 & 1 LMG)
1 Pioneer Platoon (3 LMgs)
4th (mot) Battalion
2 (mot) Heavy Infantry Gun Companies (6 150mm sIG ea)
1 Sturmgeschütz Battery (6 Stugs)
1 (mot) Panzerjäger Platoon (9 50mm PAK 38 & 4 LMGs)
5th (mot) Battalion
1 (mot) Pioneer Company (9 LMGs)
1 Motorcycle Company (9 LMGs, 2 HMGs & 3 80mm mortrs)
1 Armored Car Company (4 50mm guns & 7 LMGs)
1 Self Propelled Flak Company (9 37mm flak guns)
1 (mot) Signals Company
400th (mot) Artillery Battalion
400th (mot) Signals Platoon
1 (mot) Calibration Detachment
1 (mot) Weather Detachment
2 (mot) Batteries (4 105mm leFh 18 & 2 LMGs ea)
1 (mot) Battery (4 150mm sFH 18 & 2 LMGs)
106th ARKO
5th (mot) Observation Battalion: 1 (mot) Signlas Platoon
1 (mot) Weather Platoon
1 (mot) Searchlight Platoon
1 (mot) Sound Ranging Company
1 (mot) Flash Ranging Company
1 (mot) Survey Company Westgruppe
617th (mot) Artillery Regiental Staff
4th (mot) Observation Battalion:
1 (mot) Signlas Platoon
1 (mot) Weather Platoon
1 (mot) Sound Ranging Company
1 (mot) Flash Ranging Company
1 (mot) Survey Company
1/814th (mot) Heavy Artillery Regiment
2 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
817th (mot) Heavy Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
816th (mot) Heavy Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
809th (mot) Heavy Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
606th (mot) Artillery Regiental Staff
631st (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (100mm K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
436th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (100mm K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
2/69th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (100mm K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
2/64th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (100mm K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
785th (mot) Artillery Regiental Staff
641st (mot) Heavy Artillery Battalion
2 Batteries (305mm Czech guns)
1 Battery (M1 350mm guns)
3 (mot) Artillery Supply Columns
777th (mot) Heavy Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
735th (mot) Heavy Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
732nd (mot) Heavy Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
Coast Defense South
786th (mot) Artillery Regimental Staff
2/41st (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (100mm K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
625th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (150mm K 16 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
740th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (150mm K 39 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
740th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (150mm K 39 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
767th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm K 39 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column North Group
32nd Observation Battalion
1 (mot) Signals Platoon
1 (mot) Weather Detachment
1 (mot) Flash Ranging Company
1 (mot) Sound Ranging Company
1 (mot) Survey Company
69th (mot) Regimental Staff
2/109th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
3/109th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
2/115th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
445th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (100 K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
610th (mot) Artillery Regimental Staff
4/251st (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (150mm sFH 18 howitzers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
4/262nd (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (150mm sFH 18 howitzers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
4/268th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (150mm sFH 18 howitzers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
782nd (mot) Artillery Regimental Staff
733rd (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
808th (mot) Artillery Battalion (earlier the 730th)
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
151st (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm Mörsers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
70th (mot) Artillery Regimental
2/58th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (150mm sFH 18 howitzers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
526th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (150mm sFH 18 howitzers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
536th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (150mm sFH 18 howitzers)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
634th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (100mm K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column Coast Defense East
818th (mot) Artillery Regimental Staff
4/253rd (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (100mm K 18 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
1/84th (mot) Artillery Regiment
3 Batteries (210mm K38 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
808th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (210mm K38 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column
768th (mot) Artillery Battalion
3 Batteries (100mm K 39 guns)
1 (mot) Artillery Supply Column Other
102nd (mot) Decontamination (nebelwerfer) Battalion
1 (mot) Signals Platoon
1 (mot) Weather Detahcment
3 (mot) Decontamination Companies
1 (mot) Decontamination Supply Column
2nd (mot) Nebelwerfer Regimen
1st Nebelwerfer Battalion
3 (mot) Nebelwerfer Companies
1 (mot) Nebelwerfer Supply Column
4th Nebelwerfer Battalion
3 (mot) Nebelwerfer Companies
1 (mot) Nebelwerfer Supply Column
602nd (mot) Pioneer Regimental Staff
51st Sturm Pioneer Battalion
3 (mot) Pioneer Comapnies (9 LMGs ea)
1 (mot) Mine Clearing Platoon
1 (mot) Brüko K
1 (mot) Pioneer Supply Column
1 (mot) Assault Boat Detachment
43rd (mot) Poineer Battalion
3 (mot) Pioneer Companies
3/54th (mot) Pioneer Battalion
44th (mot) Poineer Battalion
3 (mot) Pioneer Companies
1 (mot) Pioneer Supply Column


Records of Headquarters, German Army High Command, national Archives Microcopy No. T-78, Roll T-319, American Historical Association Committee for the Study of War Documents, Washington, DC., 1960

[UK Cousin]

I would invite you to look at the number of artillery pieces being brought to bare on an area only 2.6 square miles

[BrodieBartfast]

I've always found these theoretical battles interesting, as one can spend hours wondering how they would have turned out. Although it wouldn't have been a death knell for us Brits, loss of the Strait of Gibraltar would have had a significant impact on future naval operations in the Mediterranean theatre, most notably the evacuation of troops from Crete later that year. It may even have hampered or even halted the invasion of Italy. We are certainly lucky that Franco remained 'on the fence' for the war's duration.

B.B.

[Kohima]

I imagine a lot of that would have later been sited in a defensive role...

As you say, a staggering amount of equipment for a relatively small (though heavily defended) area. Until viewing such Orders of Battle, it’s easy to forget just how ‘big’ the war was!

Bob

[UK Cousin]

I agree with your entire statement. I'm currently looking for the numbers of troops garrisoned on Gibralter in a similar format.

[UK Cousin]

I imagine a lot of that would have later been sited in a defensive role...

As you say, a staggering amount of equipment for a relatively small (though heavily defended) area. Until viewing such Orders of Battle, it’s easy to forget just how ‘big’ the war was!

Bob

And especially preparation for the British naval response as coastal artillery is mentioned.