Interesting Soldbuch

[Doug Nash]

Just got this Soldbuch in the mail, on speculation. First glance, it looks pretty blah...

[Doug Nash]

Next Page

The next page doesn't excite much either - ok, so he was a Panzerjaeger, but so were about 500,000 other German soldiers.

[Doug Nash]

Next Page 2

OK, here we go - the guy was a Panzerjaeger in a Gebirgs-Regiment - GJR 138, which was part of the 3rd Mountain Division. Now we're talking!

[Doug Nash]

Next Page 3

OK, but still, this is a pretty vanilla Soldbuch. No photo, no awards...but what's this? Tropendiesntfaehig? That's sort of interesting...but lots of soldiers were examined for this possiblity.

[Doug Nash]

Next Page ---

So, he's a Gebirgsjaeger, a Panzerjaeger and deemed fit for service in the tropics - what's this here? Set foot on African soil on 6 January 1943? What?

[Doug Nash]

Now what?

Well, we know that the 3rd Gebirgsjaeger Division never fought in North Africa, but what mountain unit did? Hmmm...I can think of one. What's this? A Feldpostnummber on page 2? 48811E? It's got to be 4.(schw)/Gebirgsjaeger Regiment 756, of the 334th Infantry Division.

[Doug Nash]

Next Question

So many of you by now are probably wondering where the hell I'm going with this. Here's my question: OK, so we know this guys fought in Tunisia with GJR 756 - the question is, why was a Gebirgsjaeger Regiment assigned to a regular Infantry Division destined for North Africa? The 334th also has Grenadier Regiments 754 and 755, so it's not like the number is out of sequence or anything. Does anyone have access to any source documents that state why the decision was made to do this? It's a very interesting exception to the normal rules.

[CWP]

I can't answer your questions but that's a nice Soldbuch.

[Doug Nash]

Africa Gebirgsjaeger Soldbuch

Thanks - I've been able to download Generalmajor Weber's after action report describing his division's combat in Tunisia in January 1943, where GJR 756 distinguished itself, but he doesn't explain why his division had a GJR either. Anyone else know?

[JUNGCO]

I have a Wehrstammbuch and Soldbuch to a man who was with Stabs/Geb.Jag. Rgt 756 who was KIA almost immediately after arriving in Afrika. He had been with 100th and even with all his paperwork, nothing explains why he and the 756 were there.
Jeff

[Doug Nash]

334th Infantry Division Gebirgsjaeger Soldbuch

Jeff,
Wow, that sounds like an interesting one. Maybe (and I'm speculating here) there were enough personnel in the various Gebirgs Training and Replacement units available in November 1942 to build an entirely new regiment quickly so they could send it to Tunisia right away. Weber does say that his division was built so quickly, training did not progress above the squad level. The wonder is that his division performed as well as it did, being formed mostly from newly recruited personnel.

[JUNGCO]

This guy came from Geb. Jag. Ers.Rgt 136 in Innsbruck after being wounded with the 100th.
Jeff

[Doug Nash]

Geb.Jg.Ers.Rgt. 136

Guess he was just a warm body who became available at the wrong time & wrong place - the German Replacement Army was scrambling to get troops for Tunisia anywhere they could find them. All this just as the Stalingrad debacle was taking place.

[Ian Jewison]

I have a few 334 ID related documents...not all I have researched yet! However here is some info I have against a Major with Art.Rgt. 334.

334 Infanterie Division (WK XIII, E 21 Fürth)
Formed 25.11.1942 as “Kreimhilde” Division of Wehrkreis XIII, XVII and XVIII on troop training area Grafenwöhr and destined for Africa:

Gren.Rgt. 754 (from WK XIII)
Gren.Rgt. 755 (from WK XVII)
Geb.Jäg.Rgt. 756 (from WK XVIII)
Art.Rgt. 334 (from WK XIII and XVIII)
Div. units 334

The Division was destroyed May 1943 in Tunisia.

Kommandeurs:
Oberst Friedrich Weber RKT (Generalmajor 1.1.1943) 13.11.1942-15.4.1943
Generalmajor Fritz Krause 15.4.1943-8.5.1943

Stab Division:
Ia:
Major I G Strzemicczny
Hauptmann Lerche
Ib:
Hauptmann Lerche
Oberleutnant Ebertshauser
Ic:
Oberleutnant Dr. Rietschel
IIa:
Hauptmann Reinhardt Major König
Arzt:

334 Infanterie Division was formed 25.11.1942 in Grafenwöhr, its first units were sent to North Africa at the end of December 1942, under the command of Oberst Friedrich Weber. Kommandeur as well as Ia, Ib, Ic and IIa, with the personnel subordinate fly from Naples towards Bizerte on 25.12.1942.
As of its arrival the Division is immediately assigned to Pz. A.O.K.5, its sector is located between Division von Broich and 10 Panzer Division.
While the major units of Division gather in the sector of Tunis - Tebourba, Inf.Rgt 754 takes part in the “Christmas Battles” (20-23.12.1942) like an active element of the 10 Pz.Div. 5.1.1943 Inf.Rgt 755, under the command of Oberst Eder, arrives to Tunisia and it is followed on 15th January by the remainder of Division.
The first principal action of the Division in Africa proceeds during the operation "Eilbote I" (18-28.1.1943), it forms part "of Korpsgruppe Weber". Its mission is to support the principal effort of Von Arnim as a combatant towards Bou Arada (Tunisia).
Division is continuously committed in the North of Tunisia from 26 February until 15 March (always forming part of "Korpsgruppe Weber" which was supported by 14 Tigers) during the operation "Ochsenkopf". The combat is wild and very expensive, by 1.3.1943 Oberst Weber had nothing but six operational tanks.
20/21 April “Gruppe Audorff” (Gren.Rgt.754 - I/Pz.Div. Hermann Goring) of 334 Inf.Div. takes part in an attack against the heights close to Medjez el Bab, but after some initial successes the attack is stopped. In return, the Allies try to conquer the hill 296 which has been between the hands of the Germans for four months. Inf.Rgt.756 holds good in front of the many Allied attacks, but after four days of wild combat, the Regiment evacuates the hill.
The British point their attacks towards Tunis and separate the German units, at the time of these attacks 10 and 15 Pz.
Div. as well as the 334 Inf.Div. are withdrawn from the line and are moved to the north of Medjerda. 7 May 334 Inf.Div. is immobilized close to the master key of Chonigui for lack of fuel. The Division is encircled in the hills between Mateur and Tebourba and fights one more day whole to escape from its surrounding. This attempt is impossible to carry out and on 8 May the remainders of the 334 go into the English captivity.

/Ian

[Doug Nash]

Thanks!

Thanks Ian!