Introduction to German Corps Artillery
When the new army of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundeswehr) was formed in the second half of the 1950s, the operational units of the first line were given priority. Each battle group (later brigade) would have an organic howitzer battalion for immediate fire support, while division artillery would comprise an artillery regiment with two artillery battalions, one howitzer and one rocket, providing general support (with conventional and nuclear capabilities) to the battle groups. Long-range, nuclear-capable rocket artillery of the field army would be provided by the three corps artillery commands and the German element of the LANDJUT Corps (GE/DK). Corps would also provide conventional howitzer battalions in general support to strengthen divisional fires wherever and whenever possible.

But it was clear that the first line battalions and nuclear-capable artillery had to come first. The formation of an army of about 500,000 soldiers within a few years meant that many gaps and deficiencies had to be accepted in the first years. Original plans suffered from many delays and the battle order was not accomplished until the 1970-75 time period.

The German field army consisted of three Corps (I, II and III) with eleven divisions and an additional division plus corps support troops assigned to Allied Corps LANDJUT (GE/DK) north of the River Elbe. Each Corps had a great number of corps troop units from all branches assigned to provide support to the attached divisions. These forces were organized in special corps troop commands for the different branches (i.e. Artillery Command; Engineer Command; etc.). In the LANDJUT area, the Territorial Army in Schleswig-Holstein commanded all German support forces for this combined corps.

The Corps Artillery Command's (Artilleriekommando) primary mission was to prepare for nuclear combat in its defensive sector along the Iron Curtain. Corps artillery commands not only controlle nuclear-capable rocket and howitzer battalions, but also units for special artillery support tasks such as observation, topographical service and special units for the transport and security of nuclear warheads and missiles. Some of the six NBC-battalions that were formed between 1958 and 1971 were also initially assigned to the artillery command (as in the case of I and II Corps). Later these units were reassigned to the respective corps engineer commands with the same mission.

As mentioned earlier, priority was given to forming the heavy nuclear rocket battalions first. Nuclear-capable corps artillery started with three Honest John battalions (Raketenartilleriebataillon: RakArtBtl 140 at Nienburg; RakArtBtl 240 at Ingolstadt; RakArtBtl 340 at Gießen), but these were later transferred to divisional artillery regiments when the training and formation of heavy missile battalions (Sergeant) was begun in the early 1960s (RakArtBtl 150 at Wesel; RakArtBtl 250 at Großengstingen; RakArtBtl 350 at Montabaur; RakArtBtl 650 at Flensburg). The missile battalions remained the backbone of the German corps artillery forces until the end of the Cold War, when the nuclear roles for NATO land forces ended in 1992.

Around 1976, the four missile battalions replaced their Sergeants missiles for the Lance system (RakArtBtl 150 and 350: equipped three batteries with two Lance launchers each; RakArtBtl 250: comprised four batteries with two launchers each; RakArtBtl 650: had two batteries with two launchers each). Each battalion included an infantry company to provide security for the missiles and warheads.

In 1985, a reorganisation brought about the emilination of one firing battery in the 150th, 250th and 350th missile battalion and added a third launcher to each of the remaining batteries. With the disbandment of these missile battalions in 1993/4, the era of corps artillery had come to an end.

A second mission of corps artillery was to provide additional conventional fire support to divisions in combat. The formation of these howitzer battalions (Feldartilleriebataillon) was delayed and suffered from deficiencies in the beginning. Only two howitzer battalions (FArtBtl 210 at Philippsburg, and FArtBtl 310 initailly at Idar-Oberstein, then Kusel) were formed between 1958 and 1963. The 310th howitzer battalion lacked one battery until 1966 and was assigned to training support at the German Artillery School in Idar-Oberstein.

In 1963, the howitzer battalion (FArtBtl 210) of the 2nd Artillery Command (ArtKdo 2) in Southern Germany was formed with two medium howitzer batteries and one heavy howitzer battery. This fire support was urgently needed in the area of the II (GE) Corps because two divisional howitzer battalions (FArtBlt 81 in Kempten and FArtBtl 121, Tauberbischofsheim) would not be formed until the end of the 1960s. Although there is no direct evdience, it would seem consistent with doctrine that FArtBtl 210 at Philippsburg also had a nuclear role. RakArtBtl 122, with its Honest Johns, was also stationed at Philippsburg, to provide additional nuclear fire support (to II Corps Artillery).

In 1968, conventional fire support within corps artillery was augmented with the formation of reserve ("cadre") artillery units. These battalions were equipped with the FH 155mm, M114 and FH 105mm towed howitzers, which were no longer used in first line units. These reserve battalions underwent many reorganisations in the following years. Eventually, some of these corps battalions were transferred to the Territorial Army in the 1980's.

In various yearbooks, the reserve battalions listed for the battle order of the early 1970's are: the 120th, 130th, 140th, 220th, 230th, 240th, 320th, and 330th howitzer battalions. The active howitzer battalions (110th, 210th and 310th) had to support the mobilization process of these reserve battalions during field exercises.

The last of the active corps howitzer battalion was not formed until 1970, when FArtBtl 110 was established at Dülmen (105mm howitzers). Four years later it was used to fill a gap in the organization of the 20th Armoured Brigade. In 1980, only one active battery remained in the 110th howitzer battalion. The same story repeated itself with the 310th howitzer battalion at Kusel, when it was assigned to the 34th Armoured Brigade and only A Battery, 310th howitzer battalion, remained with corps artillery. Only the 210th howitzer battalion remained intact as an active subordinate unit of corps artillery until 1985. In 1979, the battalion the heaviest active howitzer battalion of the German army when its obsolete M114's were replaced by the M107.

The seven corps howitzer battalions (110th, 120th, 210th, 220th, 310th, 320th, and 640th) were equipped with 18 M107 self-propelled howitzers each. These were upgraded with 203 mm barrels in 1982 (M110A2). Only the A Batteries of the 110th, 310th and 210th battalions were active units.

In 1986, all howitzer battalions of corps artillery disbanded and their M110A's were divided among the eleven divisional artillery regiments with the strength of each howitzer battalion (11 through 121) increasing to 18 new FH 155-1's (GE/UK/IT) and 18 M110A2's.

Jürgen also included detailed unit histories of the ArtKdo, ArtRgt, RakArtBtl, and FArtBtl units, as well as Sonderwaffen Nachschub (special weapons ordnance) battalions. I will be adding that information to the respective Corps Artillery and Divisional Artillery sections (below) in the next few days.

EXAMPLE UNIT DESIGNATIONS:
RakArtBtl 250 - Raketenartilleriebataillon 250 - 250th Rocket Artillery Battalion
NschKp Sw 611 - Nachschubkompanie Sonderwaffen 611 - 611th Special Weapons Supply Company

Begleitbatterie 3 - Wechselvolle Geschichte einer Batterie

Die Begleitbatterie 3 wurde als 5. Batterie des Raketenartilleriebataillons 32 (5./32) im April 1961 in Beetenbrück nahe Walsrode aufgestellt. Ungewöhnlich der Auftrag: Bewachung und Sicherung eines speziellen Munitionslagers in enger Zusammenarbeit mit einer amerikanischen Einheit. Damit war und ist die Begleitbatterie 3 eine der wenigen Einheiten im Heer, die ihren "Ernstfall" bereits im Frieden hat.

Die Soldaten der Batterie dienen dem friedenssichernden Abschreckungskonzept des Nordatlantischen Bündnisses unmittelbar. Ungewöhnlich auch die Personalstärke der Batterie: Über 300 Soldaten und 7 Zivilbedienstete, darunter 5 Diensthundeführer; damit übertrifft sie personell ein Panzerbataillon und hat die 5-fache Stärke einer normalen Artilleriebatterie.

Im Dezember 1971 zog die Batterie nach Dörverden-Barme in die Niedersachsen-Kaserne um; der Auftrag blieb - nur an anderer Stelle. Auch das 25th US Field Artillery Detachement wurde in der Niedersachsen-Kaserne untergebracht. Mitte 1980 gliederte das Raketenartilleriebataillon 32 um: die Kurzstreckenrakete Honest John wurde ausgemustert, die schießenden Batterien auf zwei verringert. Die "Vier" war nun nicht mehr besetzt" kurzerhand benannte man daher die "Fünfte in Vierte" um.

Die einschneidenste Veränderung vollzog sich zum 1. 10. 1987. In einem feierlichen Appell wurde die Batterie aus dem Raketenartilleriebataillon 32 verabschiedet und der nächst höheren Kommandobehörde, dem Artillerieregiment 3 unmittelbar unterstellt. Damit einhergehend war die Selbständigkeit der Batterie und Umbenennung zur Begleitbatterie 3.

Trotz ungenügender Infrastruktur und mancher Stolpersteine ist die Batterie aus dem Schatten des Raketenartilleriebataillons herausgetreten, und hat sich als selbständige Einheit in der Niedersachsenkaserne etabliert. Das Batteriewappen der Begleitbatterie 3 ist eine gelungene Mischung aus dem Wahrzeichen von Dörverden und Niedersachsen, dem des Raketenartilleriebataillons 32 mit der aufsteigenden Rakete sowie den gekreuzten Gewehren, Eichenlaub und der Kanonenkugel - den Symbolen der ehemals 5./32 mit unmittelbaren Bezug zum Auftrag der Batterie. Ihren Sicherungs- und Wachauftrag nimmt die Batterie inzwischen an anderer Stelle wahr.

Das I. Korps hat der Batterie ab Mitte diesen Jahres einen zusätzlichen ständigen Grundausbildungsauftrag im Rahmen eines Ausbildungsverbundes gegeben. Auch wenn die Begleitbatterie 3 offiziell nach Unterstellung immer zur Kampfunterstützungstruppe Artillerie gezählt wird, ist sie in Wahrheit eine "grüne" Einheit. Die Soldaten kommen vorwiegend als Jäger, Grenadiere und Fliegerabwehrkanonensoldaten; die schwerste Waffe ist die Feldkanone 20 mm. Erst im Einsatz, wenn der Batterie die - im Frieden beim Feldartilleriebataillon 31 Diensttuenden - Artilleriespezialzüge unterstellt werden, tragen die Soldaten der Batterie ihre rote Waffenfarbe zu Recht.