"Eclipse Dump" Meppen 1945

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by ltdan, Sep 15, 2020.

  1. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    post-war 1945 a major collecting point for German military vehicles was established near MEPPEN. I only know it under the name "Eclipse Dump".
    Does anybody here in the forum have further information about this or where I can find such (archives or similar)?
    regards
    Olli
    picture below shows a JaPa of Panzer-Einsatz-Abt. 20, transferred from Oldenburg to Meppen
    Meppen.jpg
     
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  2. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    same Beast at Oldenburg, Donnerschwee-Kaserne, 10 May 1945
    M0.jpg

    impressions from Meppen:
    most armor from sHPzJAbt 655, PzEinsAbt 20 and PzGren ErsBrig "Grossdeutschland"
    M1.png

    M2.jpg
    M3.jpg
     
  3. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

  4. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Well one can see what maybe behind the pamphlet. . Back , after 1st Cambrai, in November 1917 the German army recovered so many British tanks from the battlefield that they reckoned that with overhauls, the upgrading of the transmission systems to one man working etc etc they would be able to put a three figure technically superior tank strike force into the 1918 offensive. In the event so much got pilfered/looted by their own troops that they were unable to get more than about 30 back into service. Perhaps someone had learnt a lesson of history?
     
  5. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    What I know so far: After Canadian troops took Oldenburg, they collected German military equipment and vehicles in the "Donnerschwee-Kaserne" (a.k.a. Crerar Barracks)
    Sometime after that the vehicles were brought to a main collection point in the Meppen area.
    There is a lot of picture material in "Panzerwrecks 6".
    Why my interest? The administrative anarchy in the Wehrmacht in NW Germany during the last weeks of the war is absolutely indescribable, and it is almost impossible to get reliable figures on the number of armored vehicles in service. I do have the complete official assignment lists of armored vehicles to the troops until April '45, but what actually arrived in the hullabaloo shortly before the "Endsieg" is absolutely unknown: Complete tank destroyer units appear in divisions which, according to their records, do not even exist. On the other hand, there are tank companies that were listed in the strength records but are physically nowhere to be found. Of all the scattered splinter groups that were on their own, I don't even want to begin.
    And in Meppen, too, tanks are appearing that are simply nowhere mentioned. At least I would like to know how many vehicles were collected.
    The depicted JaPa is also a fine eample: In April ´45 no less than 50(!) of them were in active front line service between Hannover and Oldenburg.
    So far I was able to trace the fates of the most of them. But for this I have proof of JaPa´s, of which I simply do not know to which unit they used to belong....
     
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  6. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    Last bit I have:

    REPORT NO. 56 HISTORICAL SECTION (G.S.) ARMY HEADQUARTERS, 18 Apr 1958

    pg 94 – 96:


    Reorganization, Reallocation and Demobilisation. (W.D., A. &Q./"ECLIPSE"/First Cdn Army, 4-10 May 45)

    The Problems

    (a) Large tracts of country, particularly in Eastern Holland, had been liberated and contained quantities of German War Material.

    (b) War Material Recce Teams were reporting in detail much of this material.

    (c) Troops were NOT available to guard war materials when found.

    (d) There was NO transport available for collection.

    (e) The inhabitants were looting eagerly and in Holland the Netherlands Administration was appropriating war material at will.

    (f) Even if materials were collected there were NO control teams to supervise dumps.

    (g) It was often difficult to distinguish between Salvage and ECLIPSE commitments.


    The Solution

    (a) The problem was considered jointly between ECLIPSE and Salvage and each service helped the other with its resources, with a large credit balance to Salvage.

    (b) Four centres were selected for the concentration of war material:

    (i) Richtersbleek Factory, Enschede Map Reference P1 412013

    (ii) Sugar Factory, Groningen Map Reference L1 196136

    (iii) Harskaamp Map Reference 2 648937

    (iv) Oldenburg (Artillery and Flak Barracks) Map Reference M2 3106


    (c) These four depots were thrown open to the results of both War Material Recce and Salvage Recce and, in effect, the surrounding areas have been swept into these depots.

    (d)10 Canadian Salvage Unit was made available from 15 Canadian ArmyRoad Head and one section was placed in each of the four depots: officers were provided from various sources, including the ECLIPSE staff at Headquarters.

    (e) Local labour was employed.

    (f) Workshops supervised by Royal Canadian Electrical and MechanicalEngineers were set up to inspect and service vehicles, as recovered, so that they could be put to stock, as far as possible in a running condition.

    (g) Transport from Army reserves and drivers from various sources were made available by the staff.

    2 Canadian Corps in Germany were to order the Germans to arrange concentration areas for the troops in Germany and from Holland, in the area North of the Ems - Jade Canal.


    Primary Disarmament

    Primary Disarmament dumps were set up in Wilhelmshaven, Emden, Oldenburg and Meppen (artillery equipment only). In the first three dumps it is noticeable that small arms are abundant, but there is great shortage of other forms of equipment.

    Recce and Clearance

    It was early found that the delay between discovery of material by War Material Recce Teams and collection often meant that the materialwas lost. This difficulty was solved as follows:

    (a) The part of 2 Canadian Corps area South of the Ems - Jade Canal wasdivided into two from North to South.

    (b) One War Material Recce Team was placed in charge of each area withunder command of each:


    10 Salvage Recce Officers

    A pool of Ammunition Examiners

    Royal Canadian Engineer Adviso

    Detachment Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

    One Pioneer Company

    One Transport Platoon

    Three Inspecting Ordnance Officers were available to advise either team.

    (c) Each War Material Recce Team divided its area into 10 sub-areas.

    (d) Materials were cleared into the ECLIPSE Depot at Oldenburg and into anewly formed depot at Leer

    (…)

    This was known as Operation SALVAGE.

    ((H.S.) 215C1.009 (D11): "ECLIPSE" Progress Report (Ordnance), 9 Jun 45


    FULL TEXT: http://www.euhausen-klaus.de/report56.pdf
     
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  7. Don Juan

    Don Juan Well-Known Member

    ltdan - check your PM's!
     
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  8. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    Thanks a lot!
     
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  9. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    From memory I think our Canadienne brothers were responsible for the Allied equivalent at Deelen in the Netherlands (amongst other places).

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.
     
  10. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    OLDENBURG, Donnerschwee-Kaserne/Crerar Barracks
    remnants of schwere Heeres Panzerjäger Abteilung 655, JaPa no "59" from Panzer Einsatz Abteilung 20

    oldenburg.jpg oldenburg 2.jpg 5e11848a4d4f2.jpg

    FLAK GALORE
    5e11848c96a5a.jpg

    THE REAL WHAMMO
    5e11848c00df8.jpg
     
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  11. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Itdan - Very interesting pictures! Thank you for posting them.

    The 655 (a mix of Jagdpanthers and Panzerjäger IV's) fought at Cleve in Feb 45.
    See: VERITABLE 1945: 15th Scottish & 43rd Wessex Divisions in the Reichswald battle

    Still looking for a KTB of this unit.
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
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  12. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    I know it has been preserved. Not entirely sure, but I believe it´s included here:
    Schwarzwälder, Herbert: Bremen und Nordwestdeutschland am Kriegsende 1945,Veröffentlichungen zur Zeitgeschichte, Band 1 - 3, Bremen 1974.

    I could at most try to revive an "ancient" contact, which certainly has it. But that was so damn long ago...
     
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  13. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    That would be great ... I'm specifically interested in the time frame of Jan/Feb/March 45. A period that probably will not be described in the Bremen books.

    The latter are for sale on here: Bremen Und Nordwestdeutschland Am Kriegsende 1945 - AbeBooks

    Are they any good?

    I'm also still looking for the KTB of the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division (and sub-units) Feb/March 45.
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
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