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Soldbuch to a true Normandy combat veteran, 344.I.D., Battle of Brest 1944

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    #46
    Originally posted by Luft 76 View Post
    344. ID is a very interesting but near unknown unit who arrived in mid august (first elements) in east Normandy, subordinated to 81. Armee Korps (see KTB Pz Armee OK 5), Tagesmeldung von 15.08.44). With the 17. FD (L), the 344. ID where ordered to contain the american offensiv through west, in order to "stop" a new Kessel on the Seine. At that time, 344. ID were in front between L'Aigle and Verneuil sur Avre, also with parts of 331. ID (Anlage 30, KTB AOK 5). On 21 - 22 august, the division fought in Le Neubourg and Evreux sector with 17. FD (L). The 25. 08. the division was subordinated to 74. AK. The days later, the units fought heavily south of the Seine river, south of Rouen. This city were one of the main point of river crossing for german army.
    I try to give you others informations later.

    Luft-

    Thank you very much for posting this info on the 344.I.D. I was unable to find any good, detailed information on the division when I originally researched the Soldbuch, so what you have posted is of great interest to me!

    As you said, wikipedia is not a 100% reliable source for info, and it seems as though many of the other websites that state the 344.I.D. was in Brest at the time of the battle got their info from this wikipedia site! I think we can all agree now that Pickl, and the 344.I.D., were not involved in the Battle for Brest which honestly really isn't important to me as I bought this book for its connection with the Normandy battles in the summer of 1944, and it clearly is a true Normandy vet Soldbuch to a real soldier who saw combat (not to mention with a very nice original portrait photo!)

    Thanks for the help,
    Rob
    Last edited by Rob Johnson; 07-05-2009, 10:29 AM.

    Comment

      #47
      But it is definitly possible that this soldier was separate from his unit and fought in Brest...

      Comment

        #48
        Originally posted by christof View Post
        But it is definitly possible that this soldier was separate from his unit and fought in Brest...
        Near any chance because the division came from north France when Brittany was already in fighting. At mid august, the US troops were indeed in front of Festung Brest.

        You are welcome Rob. I think it is one of the objectiv of a forum... If you want to sell this Sb, write me. Seine fights are my subject (I live here).

        Comment

          #49
          Originally posted by Luft 76 View Post
          You are welcome Rob. I think it is one of the objectiv of a forum... If you want to sell this Sb, write me. Seine fights are my subject (I live here).

          Thanks, but I plan on holding on to this one for a while! If I do ever decide to sell it, you'll be the first to know


          Rob

          Comment

            #50
            This is a very nice soldbuch of a real fighter and with a great picture!

            But i doubt he was in normandy as the 344 ID went to the front line in the west only at the end of august(around the 20-21) after the falaise pocket was closed so the unit was called to cover the retreat of the other units to the Seine in my opinion.

            Very nice piece my friend

            Daniele

            Comment

              #51
              Originally posted by Daniele C View Post
              This is a very nice soldbuch of a real fighter and with a great picture!

              But i doubt he was in normandy as the 344 ID went to the front line in the west only at the end of august(around the 20-21) after the falaise pocket was closed so the unit was called to cover the retreat of the other units to the Seine in my opinion.

              Very nice piece my friend

              Daniele


              Daniele-

              According to the info Luft_76 sent me...
              "The main fights of the 344.ID in Normandy were in Verneuil-sur-Avre - Breteuil-sur-Iton - Conches - Le Neubourg sector (south west of Evreux, south of the Seine) between 20 and 24 August 1944. Gren Regt. 854 fought around Breteuil-sur-Iton during 20-21 August, against troops of 2d US Armoured Div."


              http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...=N&tab=wl&um=1


              http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...=N&tab=wl&um=1


              Last time I checked, that's Normandy.......


              Rob
              Last edited by Rob Johnson; 07-09-2009, 12:59 PM.

              Comment

                #52
                Hi Rob, hi Daniele!

                The 344 ID fough a lot in Normandy.

                I write some actions with relative days:

                on august 4, 1944, was sent to Barentin and St.Pierre-de-Varengeville to relief the 49 and the 348 ID and some days later began defensive operations.
                On august 8 and following days was in movement for other defensive operations in Bernay, Laigle, Verneuil, Breteuil, Conches, Le Neubourg and here covered the retreat of the 5 Panzer Army attacked by large elements of the US 1 Army.
                The 344 suffered heavy casualities and was combined with the battered Panzer Lehr. After this at Barentin on august 25 there was the assembly of division remnants.
                On august 27 and following days the 344 was in Serqueux, Amiens, Autheux, Fruges, Beaumetz, Aire, Hazebrouck in France; and after again in Dixmuiden, Bruges, Lembeke, Overpelt in Belgium for withdrawal and defensive operations.

                Hope this help!

                My books:

                - THE WEHRPAß & SOLDBUCH OF THE WH
                - THE SS TK RING
                - THE ITALIAN-GERMAN MEDAL
                - THE ANTI PARTISAN BADGE
                - THE AWARDS OF THE LW

                and more!

                sigpic

                Comment

                  #53
                  Rob,

                  Sorry,i meant to say another thing, looking at the few maps i have of that unit i thought that the division didnt fight in normandy as in before the falaise pocket (that i consider the end of the normandy campaign) but i guess i was wrong!I think my friend anthony here above can find probably more infos about this unit!!!

                  Comment

                    #54
                    To give some more infos the 334 was a "small division" because was "under number": the 854 and the 855 regiments were composed only by 2 battalions each and the 344 Art.Rgt. had also 2 battalions. So this is the reason why was reinforced in 1943 with the 624 and 629 Cossack battalions + 1 of artillery and a signal battalion.
                    When the US 1 Army attacked during the days of the Falaise gap, the division "just melted away" (to quote the US Army's Official History), i think this is due to the miscellaneous composition of the division: with cadres of the 15, 17, 327, 333, 335 Infanterie Divisionen (and i suppose a lot of soldiers were as this, wounded or tired from the eastern front).

                    My books:

                    - THE WEHRPAß & SOLDBUCH OF THE WH
                    - THE SS TK RING
                    - THE ITALIAN-GERMAN MEDAL
                    - THE ANTI PARTISAN BADGE
                    - THE AWARDS OF THE LW

                    and more!

                    sigpic

                    Comment

                      #55
                      SS Marked marbles

                      Originally posted by Hundestaffel View Post
                      Man, I just can't compete with the likes of you !!!

                      I might as well give up and collect Marbles and Teaspoons !!!

                      Once again (and as always), a great piece Robert...

                      "Hundestaffel"
                      Herr Hundestaffel,

                      I have some SS marked marbles you can put your paws on!!!

                      Comment

                        #56
                        Originally posted by Bill Hughes View Post
                        Herr Hundestaffel,

                        I have some SS marked marbles you can put your paws on!!!
                        Doktor, I wouldn't touch your MarbleSS with a ten foot pole !!!!

                        *** All giggles aside, great Soldbuch Robert.....

                        "Hundestaffel"

                        Comment

                          #57
                          Originally posted by Panzer Rob View Post
                          ....


                          What I find most appealing about this Soldbuch is that it originally belonged to a true Ostfront combat veteran who won the EKII and IAB in bronze fighting the Russians on the eastern front during the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa in 1941 and early 1942. So many of the Normandy KIA or POW Soldbücher you see pop up are to young, inexperienced enlisted men who’s only real combat experiences were what they witnessed post-06 June 1944, (or REMF personnel who didn't see any actual "combat" in Normandy)... ....


                          Here come the pictures. Enjoy.
                          Rob
                          yes, lots of Normandy soldbuch Wehrmacht or SS, just a blank soldbuch, nothing special, got nothing, better is wounds badge or KvK2, the best is only EK2 or PAB. they are not my taste.
                          for the soldier who got nothing, i don't if he fighted or not, or just suffered the allied air attacks there !

                          Comment

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