Fallschirm Regiment 7

[grndevil44]

Hello

What are the chances, my Dad phoned and told me that he got talking to a lad he works with and it turns out his Grandfather was a member of Fallschirm Regiment 7

He was taken prisoner near Arnhem, ended up in a POW camp at Thorney, then after the war married an English girl and settled down

I have asked my Dad if there is any chance he might be able to go and meet the fellow, I have the surname of the Gentleman which is Liebsche

I done a quick search on the forum here and also my dad checked his books, but is there any specific book that might be good to read on this late FJ RGT?

off to search the forum again, any info would be greatly appreciated

John

[paulmfjr2]

Fallschirm-Jäger-Lehr-Regiment 21
Kommandeure:
Obstlt Harry Herrmann, 2.44 - 1.45
?
Formed 2.44 in Nevers from I./ Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 7 as the Fallschirm-Jäger-Lehr-Regiment.
On 6.44 renamed Fallschirm-Jäger-Lehr-Regiment 21 in Nantes.
Rebuilt 11.2.45 after heavy losses, and was renamed 210 on 28.3.45.
Saw action at Arnhem (10.44) and Roermund (2.45).


I believe most of Fjr7 was captured after the fall of Brest, so with him being captured at Arnhem the above unit could be an option?

Paul

[grndevil44]

thanks for the info, we hope to be able to meet him, I would be very interested to hear of what equipment he had, smock etc

anyone else able to point me in the direction of some more history about regiment 7

Thanks

John

[Nick_C]

More information about FJ Regiment 7.

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...enter/FJR7.htm

Maybe he knows this man, of my document

[grndevil44]

Hello Nick

Thanks for the link to Lexicon and for posting this document, I just finished reading Martin Poppels book and thats why I wondered if there were any accounts like this,

Sorry if it seemed like a silly question, because of my move abroad, all the reference books my father and I collected over the years are to far away for me to take a look at.

But I hope my father is able to meet the chap

Thanks

John

[grndevil44]

2.Fallschrim-Jäger-Division

Lineage Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 2
2.Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment

Campaigns South France/Italy 1943

Eastern Front 1943-1944

France 1944

Destroyed Festung Brest 1944

Reformed Holland 1944

Western Front 1945


History Formed 2.43 in Western France (Vannes/Bretagne area) under the 7.Armee. The division was formed from Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 2 and the II./Fallschirm-Artillerie-Regiment 1. The two new regiments of the division, FJR.6 and FJR.7, were formed from various other units such as Luftwaffen-Feld-Bataillon 100, IV./Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1 and the Lehr-Bataillon/Fliegerkorps XI.

In late May 1943 the division moved to Ales and Nimes, and became subordinated to Fliegerkorps XI/Heeresgruppe D as a strategic reserve, together with the 1.Fallschirm-Jäger-Division. A month later the division was ordered to Italy, and took up station guarding the coast between the Tiber estuary and Tarquinia, now directly under Oberbefehlshaber Süd. On 9.9.43 the unit moved into Rome, to disarm its garrison. The only major resistance was encountered at Monterotondo, which was dealt with by II./FJR.6. Three days later, the 1st company of FJR.7, participated in the rescue of Mussolini, at Gran Sasso d'Italia. In the next two months, the division remained stationed near Rome, but part of the division participated in two major actions: 9.17.43 II./FJR.7 at Elba and 11.12.43 I./FJR.2 at Leros. The rest of the division remained in reserve, subordinated directly to OB Süd.

In late November 1943 the division transferred to ****omir in Russia, now under XXXXII.AK/Pz.AOK 4. Part of the division remained in Italy however, and was used to form the 4.Fallschirm-Jäger-Division. The units were I./FJR.2, II./FJR.6 and I./FJR.7. The whole FJR.6 was now disbanded, with I./FJR.6 becoming the new I. /FJR.7. Thus the division arrived in Russia with only two regiments.

In May 1944 the depleted division moved to Köln-Wahn for a period of rest and rebuilding. In less than a month the division was on the move again, this time to Normandy, now under XXV.AK/AOK.7 (Div. HQ: Concarneau). There it was joined by the new FJR.6, however this was to be shortlived, on D-Day the regiment again became independent. The division saw only little combat in June 1944, and in July was in reserve, under AOK.7, in the Quimper - Landerneau area. In August and September the division participated in the defence of Brest (XXV.AK, directly under Heeresgruppe D). When Brest fell on 9.19.44, the division surrendered (except FJR.6 and I./FJR.2, which escaped encirclement at Brest).

The order for reformation was issued on 9.24.44 (to be completed 11.01.44), and all remnants of the old division were united in Amersfoort, Holland. The new division was combat ready in early December 1944, with three new regiments: FJR.2, FJR.7 and FJR.23. The new troops were provided from Oldenburg, Halle and the Berlin area. The Division went into combat in January 1945. It ended the war in the Ruhr Pocket in April 1945.

Organization General Composition
Divisionsstab
Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 2
Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 6
Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 7
Fallschirm-Artillerie-Regiment 2
Fallschirm-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 2
Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 2
Luftnachrichten-Abteilung der Fallschirm-Jäger-Division 2
Fallschirm-Sanitäts-Abteilung


Added later were the following:

Fallschirm-MG-Bataillon 2
Fallschirm-Flak-Abteilung 2
Fallschirm-Granatwerfer-Bataillon 2 (added 5.44)


Commanders Gen. Bernhard Ramcke 2.13.43 - 9.08.43
ObLt. Meder-Eggebert (acting) 9.08.43 - 9.09.43
GenMaj. Walter Barenthin 9.13.43 - 11.14.43
GenLt. Gustav Wilke 11.14.43 - 3.17.44
GenMaj. Hans Kroh 3.17.44 - 6.01.44
Gen. Bernhard Ramcke 6.01.44 - 8.11.44
GenMaj. Hans Kroh 8.11.44 - 9.18.44
GenLt. Walter Lackner 11.15.44 - 4.45

[Nick_C]

No problem John, I hope it helps
And it was not a silly question at all.

Good luck!

Nick

Hello Nick

Thanks for the link to Lexicon and for posting this document, I just finished reading Martin Poppels book and thats why I wondered if there were any accounts like this,

Sorry if it seemed like a silly question, because of my move abroad, all the reference books my father and I collected over the years are to far away for me to take a look at.

But I hope my father is able to meet the chap

Thanks

John

[H BABERT]

More information about FJ Regiment 7.

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...enter/FJR7.htm

Maybe he knows this man, of my document

Hello,
for this soldier, he was in Festung Brest...
Herlé

[Brian R]

Bringing this post back up...

Why would a member of FJR 7 receive an EK document on June 30, 1944? I've been under the impression that the only part of 2. FJD that saw major action in Normandy was FJR 6; basically because it was already in the area at the time the Allies landed. The remainder of the division was moving towards Brittany and the Brest area in case of an Allied attack in the area. So, FJR 6 was committed independent of the rest of the division. The rest of 2. FJD, including FJR 7, was generally held in reserve once it reached the area after a delayed move through France from the Cologne area. Were some elements of the regiment committed to the Normandy fighting on a temporay basis while waiting for the rest of the regiment to arrive?

I have no doubts about the EK doc shown above. I have one just like it and am curious about them both.

[H BABERT]

Bringing this post back up...

Why would a member of FJR 7 receive an EK document on June 30, 1944? I've been under the impression that the only part of 2. FJD that saw major action in Normandy was FJR 6; basically because it was already in the area at the time the Allies landed. The remainder of the division was moving towards Brittany and the Brest area in case of an Allied attack in the area. So, FJR 6 was committed independent of the rest of the division. The rest of 2. FJD, including FJR 7, was generally held in reserve once it reached the area after a delayed move through France from the Cologne area. Were some elements of the regiment committed to the Normandy fighting on a temporay basis while waiting for the rest of the regiment to arrive?

I have no doubts about the EK doc shown above. I have one just like it and am curious about them both.

Hello,
last elements of FJR7 reached Brest area (Landivisiau, small town about 35 Km at the east of Brest) on 26 of june 1944.
Units "update" all documents (soldbuch, awards...) because they had time , and the area was "quiet" so a large numbers of awards were made at the end of june for action in Russia...
Herlé

[Brian R]

Herlé - Thanks for the response.

I was thinking the same thing, that these awards could actually be related to the fighting in Russia. But, I figured that this type of catch-up work would have been done in the Cologne area while they were licking their wounds from the previous months' fighting on the Eastern Front. So, I had dismissed this possiblity.

The other thing I was thinking of was that there could have been some engagments with the French Resistance on the way to the Brest area. I have read that the division was delayed considerably on their journey across France

On a side note, I think it is interesting that these docs just list the recipeints as FJR 7 members but don't actually include a company number.

Thanks again,
Brian

[Mike Yokum]

Concerning "engagements with French resistance" do we know of any FJ's being awarded a Bandenkampfabzeichen?

[H BABERT]

Hello Mike,
about 2nd fj division...nobody...
Herlé

[Mike Yokum]

Thank you Herle.
I wonder about any other FJ's and the BKA.