The History
The Marine-Stoßtrupp-Kompanie was formed in March 1938. It initially consisted of two infantry platoons, one engineer platoon and one weapons platoon with a total strength about 250 men. It was regarded as an elite formation.
On 23 March 1939 Marineartillerieabteilung III from Swinemunde provided a landing force to occupy the port area of Memel when it was taken from Lithuania.
The 1st Minesweeper Flottila transported the unit (consisting of 225 men) from Memel to Danzig on about 25 August 1939. They were transferred secretly to the waiting German WWI era Battleship Schleswig-Holstein and attacked the Westerplatte on 1 September 1939. This was the first battle in the invasion of Poland. It involved an attack on the port and a surprise attack on a defended and partly fortified army depot.
In 1940 the unit was expanded to six companies as Marine-Stoßtrupp-Abteilung. The formation participated in the attack on Norway, and the occupation of Normandy.
It was readied for the assault on the Channel Islands 30 June 1940 but since they were taken without fighting it was stood down. A section was airlanded on one of the islands though. It was later rename Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung 531.
The unit later fought near St. Petersburg at the Oranienbaum pocket 1941-1944, at NARVA in 1944, in Operation "Tanne Ost" in 1944, the defence of the Island of Oesel 1944, and finally in 1945 in Gotenhafen and the peninsula of Hela.