16th battalion, 16th battalion history

[bobby1974]

I would like to know more about the history of mountain troops of 16th battalion of the 2nd Mountain Division on eastern front.
I'm interested especially in 1940 -1941 period.
The soldiers of 16th batt is mentioned in books, journals, memories?

Did they have important victories?
....... hardest losses?


Many thanks Sir

[Montbrun]

The 16th Mountain Battalion ("Batalion 16 Vanatori de Munte") was part of the 5th Mountain Group ("Grup 5 Vanatori de Munte") of the 2nd Mountain Brigade / Division (Brigada 2 Mixte Munte / Divizia 2 Munte). The Mountain Brigades were renamed to "Divisions" on March 15, 1942.

The 2nd Mountain Brigade was mobilized on March 15, 1939. From November 15, 1939, until August, 1940, the 2nd Mountain Brigade was stationed in Northern Transylvania, on the border with Hungary. The division was then stationed near Sighisoara. On June 21, 1941, the division moved to Bucovina, and was placed in the Mountain Corps ("Corp Munte") reserve, in preparation for Barbarossa. On July 3, 1941, the division entered the Soviet Union, and participated in the push to Odessa. The 3rd Army (which the Mountain Corps was attached to) continued pushing East with the German Army, to the Dniepr Bend and Azov Sea. On November 5, 1941, the division was relieved, and began it's march back to Rumania, arriving at it's peacetime garrison on December 7, 1941.

Organization:

Brigada 2.Mixta Munte / Divizia 2.Munte – 03/15/39 to 06/45
--Grup 4.Vanatori de Munte
----Batalion 7.Vanatori de Munte
----Batalion 8.Vanatori de Munte
----Batalion 15.Vanatori de Munte
--Grup 5.Vanatori de Munte
----Batalion 9.Vanatori de Munte
----Batalion 10.Vanatori de Munte
----Batalion 16.Vanatori de Munte
--Grup 2.Artilerie Munte
----Divizion 2.Obuziere Munte
----Divizion 4.Tunuri Munte
----Divizion 5.Tunuri Munte
--Divisional Units
----Escadron 2.Vanatori Calare
----Baterie 38.Anticare
----Baterie 138.Anticare (From 10/42)
----Companie 38.Antiaeriane
----Companie 38.Politie
----Batalion 2.Pioneri Munte
----Companie 38.Transmisiuni
----Grup 38.Servicii

Any corrections are welcome. Please forgive my Rumanian - I'm still working out the proper military terms.

Hope this helps,

Montbrun

This post has been edited by Montbrun on May 20, 2010 03:32 pm

[bobby1974]

Thank you Montbrun....
Some of those figures I didn't know....is better to know the history of 16th Battalion.

I hope that sometimes, some day, somebody post some photos, testimonials.....
It' s hard to believe that one of the brave battalions of 2nd WW in Eastern front isn't revealed by photos, testimonials..."et caetera".
In order to this, maybe i just started someday with a scanned letter (of course in romanian language) from my grandpa (by the way, he died in '41 in Ucraine at Malaya Belozorka - he was Slt. in 16th Batt ) to his wife (my grandmother)....letter wrote in '41 under the fire of russian artillery.

Anyway, thank you a lot.... and best wishes....

...and don't bother with your "romanian" ...your utterance is 99 % good