Army Group C was on the western border of Germany defending against a potential French attack. This order of battle is for 04:47 on September 1, after which things started to get shuffled.[a]
Oberkommando des Heeres
Oberkommando des Heeres was the High Command of the Heer. It controlled everything related to the Heer: Personnel, Training, Recruitment, Armaments, Transportation, Supplies, Medical Services, etc. An ongoing problem was that each service branch was its own "kingdom" resulting in massive inefficiency.
Chef des Generalstab des Heeres General der Artillerie Franz Halder
Chief of the General Staff of the Army was the head of all of the departments of the Heer except for the armaments section and the replacement army.
Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres General der Artillerie Friedrich "Fritz" Fromm
Chief of Armaments and Commander of the Replacement Army controlled all army procurement and production, and all of the troops within Germany who were replacements for front line units.
Heeresgruppe Nord's initial objectives were to capture the "Polish corridor" (4. Armee) and drive southwards towards Warsaw from East Prussia (3. Armee)[c]
Heeresgruppe C's only duty was to protect the western border of Germany from any French attacks until stronger units could be sent back from the east. It was accomplished by deception. The units were generally under strength, most of the infantry unit were missing their heavy weapons platoons, and some entire battalions. There was almost no mobility, except for horses and bicycles. Some of the units were headquarters only to give the impression of a larger presence.
On August 30 the Polish Navy, realizing what was about to happen, sent three destroyers (Błyskawica, Grom, and Burza) to the UK. The group was spotted the 30th in the southern Baltic Sea by U 31[as] and again, in the Skagerrak, by U 19 on 31 August. Since the war had not started they were unmolested. With the destroyers gone some of the ships deployed to the Baltic were recalled and some sent to the North Sea. The fleet was in the process of shifting its deployment when the war broke out. Later, the submarines Orzeł and Wilk also made it to the UK, while the Sęp, Ryś and Żbik, sought internment in Sweden.
^e.g. Kampfgeschwader 27 of Luftflotte 2, on the west side of Germany, was transferred to Luftflotte 1, on the east side of Germany, by noon of the first day.
^ abOn September 1 Heeresgruppe Nord & Heeresgruppe Süd were named 2. Armee & 12. Armee respectively. They were renamed on September 2. They were later renamed Heeresgruppe B & Heeresgruppe A respectively.
^Führungsstab z.b.V.: (Leadership staff); zur besonderen Verwendung (for special purpose) a Headquarters unit created for a specific purpose
^Kommandostab: (Command Staff) a Headquarters unit
^Command of the Fortifications near Königsberg) an area command of "fortifications"; mostly a concentration of better armed border guards (an over simplification)
^Landwehr: (Defence of the Land) a national guard/militia type unit (older than 35 and younger than 45)
^Grenz-Infanterie: (Border Infantry): better armed and trained "border guards"
^Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 121, 122, 123: redesignated Infanterie-Regiment 121, 122, 123 on 10 November 1939
^Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland: included here due to the confusion with SS-Standard "Deutschland". Großdeutschland was in Berlin/Moabit Barracks being upgraded/expanded from Wach-Bataillon Berlin a ceremonial guard unit.
^Zerstörergeschwader: (Destroyer Squadron) a Heavy Fighter Air Wing and is abbreviated ZG. The twin engine Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters were considered attack planes, at this time.
^Luftgau: (Air District) administrative district within the various military districts (Wehrkreis).
^Jagdgeschwader: (Hunt Squadron) a Fighter Air Wing and is abbreviated JG. The single engine fighters (Ar 68 & Bf 109), were considered defensive weapons, at this time.
^7. Fliegerdivision: later 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division
^Kampfgeschwader z.b.V.: (Combat Squadron for Special Purpose) a Transport Air Wing (Ju 52) and is abbreviated KG z.b.V.
^Luftlande-Infanterie: (Air Landing Infantry) glider troops. The 16. Infanterie-Regiment of the 22. Infaterie-Division was undergoing training as glider troops. Eventually the 22. Infanterie-Division became 22. Luftlande-Infanterie-Division.
^The format of U.##, U-## and U## will be seen in common use but the correct format is U ##.[citation needed]
^Seekriegsleitung: (Sea War Leadership) the Operations Section
^Chef der Flotte / Flottenchef: (Chief of the Fleet) Fleet Commander
^Befehlshaber der Panzerschiffe: (Commander of Armoured Ships) type commander for battleships & panzerships.
^Befehlshaber der Aufklärungsstreitkräfte: (Commander of Reconnaissance Forces) type commander of cruisers
^Führer der Torpedoboote: (Leader of Torpedo Boats) this includes both torpedoboats and destroyers
^Panzerschiff: ("armoured ship!) later reclassified as a heavy cruiser
^Troßschiff: (Supply Ship) a replenishment ship with fuel, food, ammunition, etc.
^The entire Flotilla (for the Map Grids see: https://uboat.net/maps/grid.html): Unterseebootsflottille "Salzwedel" - Korvettenkapitän Hans Ibbeken: U 26 [Type IA] - Nordsee, Grid AN43; U 27 [Type VIIA] - North Atlantic, Grid AM19; U 28 [Type VIIA] - North Atlantic, Grid AM75; U 29 [Type VIIA] - North Atlantic, Grid AL66; U 30 [Type VIIA] - North Atlantic, Grid AL28; U 31 [Type VIIA] - Ostsee, Grid AO77; U 32 [Type VIIA] - Ostsee, returning to Kiel; U 33 [Type VIIA] - North Atlantic, Grid BE26; U 34 [Type VIIA] - North Atlantic, Grid BE35; U 35 [Type VIIA] - Ostsee, returning to Kiel
^The entire Flotilla (for the Map Grids see: https://uboat.net/maps/grid.html): Unterseebootsflottille "Hundius" - Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartmann: U 37 [Type IXA] - North Atlantic, Grid CF31; U 38 [Type IXA] - North Atlantic, Grid CF62; U 39 [Type IXA] - North Atlantic, Grid AM16; U 40 [Type IXA] - North Atlantic, Grid CF67; U 41 [Type IXA] - North Atlantic, Grid CF67; U 42 [Type IXA] - training at Bremen; U 43 [Type IXA] - training at Bremen
^The entire Flotilla (for the Map Grids see: https://uboat.net/maps/grid.html): Unterseebootsflottille "Wegener" - Korvettenkapitän Ernst Andreas Sobe: U 45 [Type VIIB] - North Atlantic, Grid AL77; U 46 [Type VIIB] - North Atlantic, Grid BE24; U 47 [Type VIIB] - North Atlantic, Grid BF48; U 48 [Type VIIB] - North Atlantic, Grid BE59; U 49 [Type VIIB] - training at Kiel; U 51 [Type VIIB] - refitting at Kiel; U 52 [Type VIIB] - North Atlantic, Grid BE74; U 53 [Type VIIB] - training at Kiel
^Marinegruppenkommando (Marine/Navy Group Command) in charge of all naval assets in a defined area
^ abcdThese four cruisers were being redeployed and were transiting the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal from the Baltic to the North Sea
^The entire Flotilla (for the Map Grids see: https://uboat.net/maps/grid.html): Unterseebootsflottille "Weddingen" - Kapitänleutnant Hans Eckermann, m.F.b.: U 9 [Type IIB] - North Sea,, Grid AN47; U 13 [Type IIB] - rearming at Keil / departs September 2 (Nordsee); U 15 [Type IIB] - North Sea, Grid AN83; U 17 [Type IIB] - North Sea,, Grid AN82; U 19 [Type IIB] - North Sea,, Grid AN59; U 21 [Type IIB] - North Sea,, Grid AN85; U 23 [Type IIB] - Nordsee, Grid AN82
^The entire Flotilla (for the Map Grids see: https://uboat.net/maps/grid.html): Unterseebootsflottille "Lohs" - Kapitänleutnant Hans Eckermann: U 12 [Type IIB] - North Sea,, Grid AN61; U 14 [Type IIB] - Ostsee, Grid AO94; U 16 [Type IIB] - rearming at Wilhelmshaven / North Sea, 2 September; U 18 [Type IIB] - North Sea,, Grid AO94; U 20 [Type IIB] - rearming at Wilhelmshaven / North Sea, 1 September; U 22 [Type IIB] - Baltic, Grid AO91; U 24 [Type IIB] - rearming at Wilhelmshaven / departs September 2 (North Sea)
^The entire Flotilla (for the Map Grids see: https://uboat.net/maps/grid.html): Unterseebootsschulflottille - Kapitänleutnant Heinz Beduhn: U 1 [Type IIA] - Neustad; U 2 [Type IIA] - refitting at Keil; U 3 [Type IIA] - Neustad; U 4 [Type IIA] - Neustad; U 5 [Type IIA] - Ostsee, Grid AO48; U 6 [Type IIA] - Ostsee, Grid AO48; U 7 [Type IIB] - Ostsee, Grid AO48; U 8 [Type IIB] - refitting at Keil; U 10 [Type IIB] - refitting at Keil; U 11 [Type IIB] - refitting at Neustad ? (with the Communications Experimental Department); U 25 [Type IA] - refitting at Wilhelmshaven; U 36 [Type VIIA] - Nordsee, Grid AN31
^The entire Flotilla (for the Map Grids see: https://uboat.net/maps/grid.html): Unterseebootsflottille "Emsmann" - Korvettenkapitän Hans Rösing: U 56 [Type IIC] - Nordsee, Grid AN37; U 57 [Type IIC] - Ostsee, Grid AO96; U 58 [Type IIC] - Nordsee, Grid AN37; U 59 [Type IIC] - Nordsee, Grid AN61; U 60 [Type IIC] - training at Kiel; U 61 [Type IIC] - training at Kiel
^The entire Destroyer Flotilla: 2. Zerstörerflottille - Kapitän zur See Friedrich Bonte at Wilhelmshaven: Leberecht Maas (Z 1) [Type 1934] (Führerboot) at Pillau; Paul Jakobi (Z 5) [Type 1934A] refitting at Wilhelmshaven (Flag 2. Zerstörerflottille); Theodor Riedel (Z 6) [Type 1934A] at Wilhelmshaven; Hermann Schoemann (Z 7) [Type 1934A] at Wilhelmshaven; Karl Galster (Z 20) [Type 1936] at Wilhelmshaven; Wilhelm Heidkamp (Z 21) [Type 1936] outfitting at Kiel
^he entire Destroyer Flotilla: 4. Zerstörer-Flottille - Fregattenkapitän Erich Bey at Wilhelmshaven: Bruno Heinemann (Z 8) [Type 1934A] at Swinemünde; Wolfgang Zenker (Z 9) [Type 1934A] at Danzig; Hans Lody (Z 10) [Type 1934A] at Wilhelmshaven (Flag 4. Zerstörerflottille); Bernd von Arnim (Z 11) [Type 1934A] at Danzig; Erich Giese (Z 12) [Type 1934A] at Hamburg; Erich Koellner (Z 13) [Type 1934A] outfitting at Kiel
^The entire Destroyer Division: 5. Zerstörer-Division - Fregattenkapitän Hans Hartmann at Wilhelmshaven: Dieter von Roeder (Z 17) [Type 1936] at Wilhelmshaven; Hans Lüdemann (Z 18) [Type 1936] at Wilhelmshaven (Flag 5. Zerstörerdivision); Hermann Künne (Z 19) [Type 1936] at Kiel
^The entire Flotilla: 6. Torpedobootsflottille - Korvettenkapitän Georg Waue at Wilhelmshaven: Iltis [[[Type 24 torpedo boat|Type 1924]]] at Wilhelmshaven; Jaguar [Type 1924] at Wilhelmshaven; Leopard [Type 1924] at Wilhelmshaven (Flag 6. Torpedobootsflottille); Luchs [Type 1924] at Wilhelmshaven; Seeadler [Type 1923] at Wilhelmshaven; Wolf [Type 1924] at Wilhelmshaven
^The entire Flotilla: 5. Torpedobootsflottille - Fregattenkapitän Rudolf Heyke at Kiel: Albatros [Type 1923] at Kiel; Falke [Type 1923] at Kiel; Greif [Type 1923] at Kiel; Kondor [Type 1923] at Kiel; Möwe [Type 1923] at Kiel; (Tiger [Type 1924] - Kapitänleutnant Helmut Neuss, lost in collision with Max Schulz (Z 3) August 27)
^Unterseebootsschulflottille: "U-boat School Flotilla" the hands on training equipment of the Unterseebootsschule (U-boat School)
^The entire destroyer flotilla: 1. Zerstörerflottille - Kapitän zur See Wilhelm Meisel in Ostsee: Georg Thiele (Z 2)Type 1934 in Ostsee; Max Schulz (Z 3) [Type 1934] at Stettin (repairing after collision with Torpedoboote Tiger August 27); Richard Beitzen (Z 4) [Type 1934] in Ostsee (Flag 1. Zerstörerflottille); Friedrich Ihn (Z 14) Type 1934A at Swinemünde; Erich Steinbrinck (Z 15) [Type 1934A] in Ostsee; Friedrich Eckoldt (Z 16) [Type 1934A] at Pillau
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