To what extent did German planning for their 1918 offensives include an air defence component? (i.e. a ground-based anti-aircraft defence component). I'd be grateful for any pointers.

I have seen explicit planning for the re-allocation of AA capabilities. Will try and look out the references when I get back from travelling.

Robert

Seen something but only for post Amiens when some AA assets were re allocated for anti tank work

Last 2 Volumes of Der Weltkrieg. I'll have a route around in the next two days, one of the aims of the two volumes was to explain the planning for the offensive.

Fritz Nagel wrote about his experience with a truck-mounted AA gun during the end stages of Operation Michael. He was based near Amiens. Infantry called in his gun team's services to knock out MGs in a house, IIRC.

Robert

See Kriegswissenschaftliche Abteilung der der Luftwaffe: "Entwicklung und Einsatz der deutschen Flakwaffe und des Luftschutzes im Weltkriege" (1938), especially pages 126 to 144 with table on page 133. Additional information (incl. tables) in "La Flak 1914-1918", 2 volumes.

Chris, I had thought that Zabecki covered this in his book on the German 1918 Offensives. Nothing though. Sorry about that.

Robert