Soldbuch Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung 129 - 29.Panzergrenadier Division "Falke" RUSS

[Daniele C]

Unteroffizier Ewald Gross Fought and started the war with the Reconnaissance Abteilung of the 29.Infanterie Division (Mot.) where he partecipated in the Polish Campaign fighting around Warsaw and in the French 1940 Campaign in the fights around Dunkirk.

He will then Fight in Russia where the 29.I.D. will fight on the southern front and He will get wounded during the Advance to Stalingrad (SEE MAP ATTACHED) in July 1942.

Initially sent to a hospital in Kharkhow he will then be transferred to Posen leaving that last hospital while his old comrades were getting trapped in the Stalingrad Pocket in November 1942.

He will then Spend almost 2 years in a Reserve unit before being sent at the end of the summer 1944 on the Gothic Line to Rejoin his old Division that after Stalingrad was reformed and renamed 29.Panzergrenadier Division, first in the Feld Ersatz Bataillon 129 and then to the Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung 129.

He will Fight in the Rimini front first then in November they re moved south of Bologna. After the Extensive fights there the 29.PGD will be moved near Venice for a short period then back to the Front line in the last couple of months to fight and retreats through the Venetian countryside before surrendering to the Allies.

He will earn:

01.11.1939: Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
28.07.1941: EK2
11.11.1941: Panzerkampfabzeichen in Bronze
11.09.1942: Wound Badge in Black
30.04.1943: Ostmedaillle

The photo on the Soldbuch shows all of the Awards being worn.

[Daniele C]

1

[Daniele C]

2

[Daniele C]

3

[Daniele C]

4

[Daniele C]

the Maps showing where he got wounded in July 1942 and of the Situation in Italy when he rejoined the Division

[brooksbz]

Sweet!

[Archi]

Hello Daniele !

Nice Soldbuch of a very interesting unit and well presented !
Thanks for sharing !

Best regards,

Archi

[mufasa]

I reconfirm Daniele: very nice and interesting soldbuch of the 29 Pz:Gren.Div.!!!
with a special photo with the panzerkamfabzeichen ....

A couple of certificates of the same Unit (the 2. / Pz. Aufkl. Abt. 129, where your Untenoffizier arrives in October / November 1944) that I had posted here with some news on this interesting Abteilung

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...gibonsi&page=3


and then a special photo (from Gemmano, The Cassino of the Adiatic by Amedeo Montemaggi 1998) dated 6 September: the vanguards of the Pz. Aufkl Abt. 129 (Haupt. Shiepple just arrived, reconquest Croce di Montecolombo ross (Coriano ridge) but they are practically decimated (130 men among fallen, wounded and prisoners on 230 effective)

[Daniele C]

Thanks guys, Thanks Oriano, that s very interesting indeed!

[brooksbz]

It looks like he served in 2 Kompanie AA29? Was this motorcycles or armored cars? I think 1 Kompanie was armored cars but i am not sure.

[mufasa]

It looks like he served in 2 Kompanie AA29? Was this motorcycles or armored cars? I think 1 Kompanie was armored cars but i am not sure.

seems 2nd Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 129 not of the 29 ID (in Russia) but the new 29 Panzer Grenadier Division (in Italy)

[brooksbz]

AA29 and K29 started off the war in Russia as two seperate units in the same division. In early 1942 they wer combined as K29. After Stalingrad when the division was rebuilt, it was renamed as AA29. This was a bit confusing. Most of the other Motorized Infantry and Panzer Division had the same metamorphisis during this same time. I get confused on how each company was organized.

[Floris]

I have an grouping of an member from the same unit.
He was with 2./Pz.A.A. 129 and 4./Pz. A.A. 129.
Made it to Unteruffizier and won both the EK 2 and EK 1 but these medals and promotions haven’t been written in the Soldbuch.
Most probarly because of his woundings.

[mtdr]

Interesting reunion of documents gentlemen!