StuG.III Ausf.G used by the Romanian Royal Army, the units who used them in summer 1944

Hallo to you,
because the Sturmgeschütz III G was one of the most effective vehicles in World War II, and because, in theory, was in the greater number present in our army inventory (more than the Pz.IVH tanks) I was curious to reconstruct the actual equipment of the armored units with the Sturmgeschütz III G. So I discovered that the number of vehicles delivered (108) was much higher than the number of vehicles actually present in the armored units (53?-73?) Ok, some were in the country, with the 1st Armored (training) Division, let's say 15-20, but even so some 15 -20 are missing...
Then, the question is: are the numbers correct or not?
Wait for your answers...

Andreas, What about losses ? Could they account for the difference in numbers ?

Hallo Alan,
this idea doesn't seem very likely since the delivery of this armored vehicles took place between end 1943 and summer 1944 and the romanian armored troops did not see too much action during that time. My theory is that the missing vehicles were seized by the Germans after August 23, 1944, and used in the battles... Or maybe the vehicles never arrived in romanian hands, even if they were sent from Germany to equip the Romanian troops?

The missing TAs T-IIIG or StuG-IIIG were probably lost in the Battle of Podu Iloaiei (april 1944) where our 1st Armoured Division was fighting the soviet armoured units for one day.

The 1st Armored Division was not involved in fighting in April 1944. It was just beginning to form as a unit in that period.

Thanks Victor!
I thought so too, because I read in an older Magazin Istoric about this battle and that the Mixt Armoured Group "Cantemir" (who had in his inventory T-IV tanks and TAs T-III assault guns) prepared for a intervention, didn't took part in it (in this battle). So the mystery remains standing...

The 1st Tank Regiment had 40 TAs in July 1944, out of which 22 were on the front with the 1st Armored Division and the rest of 18 were either training at Dadilov to form a new TAs battery, either detached to the CIMM or under repairs (2 TAs).

On 17 August, there was a mention of the fact that the Division was supposed to receive back a number of TAs which it had detached to Group Kirchner (57th Panzer Corps), following a petition forwarded by the division HQ to the 4th Army HQ. Wether these were received or not by 20 August I do not know.

The 1st Armored Division also had under its command the German Major Brausch Detachment, which consisted in a StuG company (10) and a motorized infantry battalion. These machines could also have been part of those destined to equip the Romanian troops, but due to lack of sufficient trained personnel, they were manned by
Germans, just like the Rapid Detachment was in April 1944.

My guess is that the missing StuGs were manned by Germans in different detachments or in transit. Effectively, in August 1944, the Romanian Army had 22 StuGs with the 1st Armored Division in Moldavia and 18 more in training centers or repairs. The rest were in theory Romanian property, but were employed by the German "instructors".

Thank you very much Victor!
Very interesting informations you gave me! Greatly appreciate them!
My assumption related to a possible takeover by Germans of "romanian" armored vehicles (tanks, assault guns, a.o.) was based on the takeover of the armored materiel of the 8th Cavalry Division (I guess some 30 T-IV tanks and 21 TAs T-III assault guns) by the German 13. Panzer Division (Major i.G. Kurt Braun commanding officer of this division) on 20.08.1944, if I remember well!