FMP - Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 303 1944

Full strength:
17 officers + 3 military officials + 152 NCOs+ 264 men (= 446 men)
22x StuG III Ausf. G or a few Ausf. F/8 and 9x StuH III Ausf. G
9x motorcycle, 23x personnel car (incl. Schwimmwagen, Kübelwagen), 62x truck,
18x trailer, 8x half-track (incl. Sd.Kfz. 9)
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Commander
44 6.-7.44	Hauptmann Hauptmann	Friedrich Scherer Hans-Wilhelm Cardeneo (acting)

Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 303 was established on 23 October 1943. It fought at the beginning of 1944 in northern sector of East Front in Pleskau-Ostrow and Narva areas. It was renamed as StuG.Brig. 303 on 25 February. In June 1944 brigade was at rest when the transfer to Finland was ordered.

Brigade was not full in Finland. For example a few StuGs sank when a transport ship Marsk Stig fell in the Helsinki harbour. Vehicles were lifted from the water immediately and sent to Germany for overhaul.
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Organization of StuG.Brig. 303 (summer 1944)

Stab
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Stabsbatterie [StuG III Ausf. F/8 or G] (8 + 3 + 30 + 102 = 143 men)

1. Sturmgeschütz-Batterie (Hauptmann Lüttike)
[StuG III Ausf. F/8 or G] (3 + 44 + 54 = 101 men)
----- I - II Zug [3x StuG III Ausf. G each]
----- III Zug [3x StuH III Ausf. G]
----- Muni-Staffel
----- Kfz-J-Gruppe
----- Batterie-Tross

2. Sturmgeschütz-Batterie (Oberleutnant Baldauf)
(similar to 1.StuG-Batt.)

3. Sturmgeschütz-Batterie (Leutnant Petrick)
(similar to 1.StuG-Batt.)

Markings and Painting

On 26 June 1944 brigade had 27 operational StuGs and StuHs of which most were equipped with Schtürzen (protective side armour plates) and coated with Zimmerit paste. Many assault guns without Schtürzen were reinforced with logs (sides) and concrete (upper front hull). Finnish Assault Gun Battalion later adopted both of these methods for reinforcing their fighting vehicles.

All assault guns were painted with dark yellow base colour. Many of them were additionally camouflaged with dark green and foliages.

The brigade emblem was three horse heads in a ring encircled with a wide circle. The colours of the sign are not known. It was painted only on a few motor vehicles (for example on VW Schwimmwagen).
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StuG Brig.303 Emblem

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On photos two different kind of numbering styles are visible:
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Thin, angular white or yellow two digit number (44) on a straight rear upper hull plate next to typical Balkenkreutz (on the right). The size of the numbers was almost the height of the rear plate.
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Three digit number (223, probably red with white outline and 131, probably red or black with white outline) on a Schtürzen plate.

A small emblem of former StuG.Batt.742 was on some vehicles painted next to Notek light on drivers side. On a photo one StuG had white W. (W dot) marking on the left front fender but it is not known if it was painted on any other vehicles.
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Sources: KUUKA1, KÄKER2, WIKOL11
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