Pz Jg Kp 1342 or Pz Kp 1342 Soldbuch

[Lee Luke]

Hi

I have a soldbuch to a man who was with pz jg abt 328, 349 and then 342. He was with pz jg kp 1342 at the end of the war. Was this a stug kp?

Also what type of home leave pass is this? It says what for on the pass and in the soldbuch but I am not sure what it reads.

On the pass, Pz Kp 1342, typo or what? I found a thread about Pz Kp 1342 on Axis History Forum and it was up for debate about a panzer kompanie added to Kgf 342 at the end of the war.

[Lee Luke]

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[Lee Luke]

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[Lee Luke]

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[Admiraal]

Probably a typo, but.. it could be that that kompanie had Stug´s or something.
Maybe thats why they called it a Pz.Kp. on the leave paper.
It happend often that they used multiple names for a unit.

This guy got the 10 day leave for brave fighting.
Nice grouping

[Gerdan]

#2

" 10 Tage Sonderurlaub für hervorragende Tapferkeitstaten" - 10 days special leave for outstanding

bravery"

Gerdan

[Lee Luke]

Quick response for the leave question! I wonder if he made it back to his unit in the Halbe area.

[Panzer Rob]

Probably a typo, but.. it could be that that kompanie had Stug´s or something.
Maybe thats why they called it a Pz.Kp. on the leave paper.
It happend often that they used multiple names for a unit.

No, not a type-o. The "1" in front of "1342" actually denotes the 2.Kompanie, Pz.Jäg.-Abt.342.

In October 1944, all Sturmgeschütz Abteilungen within Infanterie /Volks-Grenadier-Divisions were renamed to "Panzerjäger-Kompanie xxxx"

From here on out to the end of the war the structure of a Pz.-Jg.Abt. within a Infanterie/VG Division was:

1.Kompanie: towed PaK (i.e PaK.40)
2.Kompanie: Panzerjäger-Kompanie, designated "Pz.-Jäg.Kp.1xxx"
3.Kompanie: towed / self-propelled Flak

So, Panzerjäger-Kompanie 1342 is the 2./Panzerjäger-Abteilung 342, 342.Infanterie-Division and 'should' have been equipped with self-propelled Panzerjägers, ie. StuG.III (or StuG IV, Hetzers, Jagdpanzer IV, etc.)

I believe this particular unit was outfitted with StuG.III, however considering the date of issue of the GAB there's no telling what AFVs - if any - the unit had left. It could have been StuGs, towed PaKs, Bicycles... or they could have been fighting on foot with panzerfausts. Regardless, he would have received the GAB. The 342.I.D. was destroyed in the Halbe pocket in April 1945.

Lee, is there a photo inside the front cover? Can you post the awards page?

Rob

[Lee Luke]

photo

I don't believe it is a typo but why omit jag. or jg?

Also, why wasn't he awarded an iron cross but given 10 days special leave for special bravery? The 10 days would have been much more valuable especially in April 45'.

No photo Rob.


The below is from Axis History Forum-

the mysterious / possible Panzer component of 342. Inf.Div.

What's secure is the DKiG for Tannert with the Füs.Btl. :
Tannert, Wilhelm, 24.04.1944, Leutnant, 3./Div.Füs.Btl. 342

What would be very unusual - and no facts found yet for that - is that 342. ID had a pure Panzer element.

What's ordinary is that the division had a StuG component in the Pz.Jäg.Abt., that is Stug.Abt. 1342 = 2.(Stug)/Pz.Jg.Abt. 342.
Evidence for that, with the "long variant" of designation -> Pz.Jg.Stu.Gesch.Abt. 1342
http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic.php?t=7289

What's interesting and irritating is that the Bundesarchiv catalogue in the category of Panzerjäger units has listed , RH 10/242 :
"Panzer-Abteilung 342 (342. Inf.Div.)"
http://www.bundesarchiv.de/foxpublic...=k-4_oben.html
As all others in that category are Pz.Jg. I take it this is a typo.

What's secure is that 342. ID lost its divisional structure in/after the Baranow bridgehead fightings and was split off into Kampfgruppen and remnants fighting back in direction to Silesia.

So, Pz.Begl.Kp. 342 could be an ad-hoc unit indeed formed out of the Füs.Btl. or formed out of remnants and used to move (and cover) along with the remaining Stugs.

Until final results are available I tend to list Tannert with the division. After all this is the very probable assignment ; I see no other headquarter.

[Hank C.]

That's a great little grouping.

Hank

[Admiraal]

No, not a type-o. The "1" in front of "1342" actually denotes the 2.Kompanie, Pz.Jäg.-Abt.342.

In October 1944, all Sturmgeschütz Abteilungen within Infanterie /Volks-Grenadier-Divisions were renamed to "Panzerjäger-Kompanie xxxx"

From here on out to the end of the war the structure of a Pz.-Jg.Abt. within a Infanterie/VG Division was:

1.Kompanie: towed PaK (i.e PaK.40)
2.Kompanie: Panzerjäger-Kompanie, designated "Pz.-Jäg.Kp.1xxx"
3.Kompanie: towed / self-propelled Flak

So, Panzerjäger-Kompanie 1342 is the 2./Panzerjäger-Abteilung 342, 342.Infanterie-Division and 'should' have been equipped with self-propelled Panzerjägers, ie. StuG.III (or StuG IV, Hetzers, Jagdpanzer IV, etc.)

I believe this particular unit was outfitted with StuG.III, however considering the date of issue of the GAB there's no telling what AFVs - if any - the unit had left. It could have been StuGs, towed PaKs, Bicycles... or they could have been fighting on foot with panzerfausts. Regardless, he would have received the GAB. The 342.I.D. was destroyed in the Halbe pocket in April 1945.

Lee, is there a photo inside the front cover? Can you post the awards page?

Rob

Great info

[JUNGCO]

Rob, great info and Lee, nice soldbuch.
Jeff

[Panzer Rob]

No problem, guys! Glad I could help

Rob

[Lee Luke]

Yes, Thanks Rob.

Good STUG info within the structure of a late war Inf. Div.