The LXV Armeekorps z.b.V. was formed during the last days of November 1943 in France. Per an order by OB West (Oberkommando HGr. D) – Ia Nr. 715/43 g.Kdos.Ch. – from 1 December 1943, the main task of the Korps was described as evaluating the factual situation to carry out rocket missions and especially to choose targets for the entire (planned) operations for all new wide range weapons (“76 , A4/V2 , Fernkampf-Artillerie”). This was to be done in closest cooperation with Luftflotte 3.
During the year 1944 the staff was busy with calculations and organisational considerations about how many wide range weapons could be fired and within which time. The cdr., General Heinemann, a lifetime artillery officer (service in WW1, cdr. of Artillerie-Schießschule Jüterbog in the 1930s) was one of the experts in these matters.
When the planning reached the stage of becoming reality during summer and autumn 1944 - first A 4 starts directed to Paris and London on 7 September 44 - the Korps staff formally held control over the missions, but in fact was an administrative headquarter only and more and more lost the command. The Korps was divided into a Luftwaffe and a Heer staff on 12 September 1944. While the Lw staff was supervising the V 1 missions, the Heer staff was engaged in the exploration of firing bases and technical investigations of terrain for the frontline ready V 2. On 24 October 1944 these two staffs merged again and for a short time were redesignated XXX. AK z.b.V. . Finally the Korps was releaved from organisation and control of the rocket missions and it was disbanded per 15 Nov 1944. General Heinemann was posted to the Führerreserve and a part of the staff personnel was used to serve with the new staff of 5. Flak-Division (W). Control of the V2 mission were taken over by the Waffen-SS and Division z.V.

The V-weapons are technically unsound, strategically a failure - and morally a challenge, I admit. They served no useful military purpose whatsoever, merely revenge. I never believed in their use. (2)

(Generalmajor Fritz Bayerlein in June 1945)

Commanders

General der Artillerie z.V. Erich Heinemann (28 Nov 1943 – 15 Nov 1944) (m.d.F.b.) (1)

Chief of Staff

Oberst i.G. Eugen Walter (28 Nov 1943 – 15 Nov 1944)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Oberstleutnant i.G. Heinrich Niemeyer (1944)

Area of operations

France / Western Front (Nov 1943 – Nov 1944)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the German Cross in Gold (1)
- Walter, Eugen, 01.01.1945 [Lw-Vobl.], Oberst i.G., Chef d. St./LXV. AK z.b.V. (V-Waffen)
Holders of the German Cross in Silver (1)
- Niemeyer, Heinrich, 05.11.1944, Oberstleutnant i.G., Ia LXV. AK z.b.V.
Holders of the Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords (1)
- Heinemann, Erich, 23.10.1944, General der Artillerie z.V., K.G. LXV. AK z.b.V.

Footnotes

1. Erich Heinemann was appointed Kommandierender General on 1 January 1944.
2. "Thanks God that's gone to the butcher 2000 quotes from Hitler's 1000-year Reich" by French L. MacLean, page 21.

Sources used

Research by Bernd R
BA-MA files
French L. MacLean - "Thanks God that's gone to the butcher" 2000 quotes from Hitler's 1000-year Reich
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Steven J Zaloga - V-2 Ballistic Missile 1942-52

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -