FJR9 komp 4. Any info?

[oddbod]

Hi. My great uncle Michael schuller -217447/140- was a Jager in komp 4 of FJR9 and was unfortunately k.i.a near st Lo on 12/07/44. I have found some info about komp 1, 2 and 3 but nothing about 4. I believe that it was a heavy company so I assume that he would have been part of a mg crew but, I'm not sure. Does anyone have any info about komp 4? Also my granddad who was a panzerjager in 12./SS Pz Div, 25Rgt. told me that uncle Michael died at a military hospital at Mencon. I can't find Mencon but, could he mean Alencon? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[COTE262]

HI,
it probably comes to the hospital of Alençon (Kriegslazarett 1/612)
I can make you a picture of this hospital that still exists if you like (my apartment is situated in front)
Best Regards
COTE262

[falls1944]

Hello,

You could find some info in the book "Died for st lo" (Not sure about the English title) of Didier lodieu. Here the link for the French version : http://www.histoireetcollections.com...352500346.html
David

[Gerry Cummins]

Mourir pour Saint-Lo is also available in English. The full English title is ... Dying for Saint-Lo: Hedgerow Hell, July 1944 ( ISBN-13: 978-2352500353 ). It is available both in the US at Amazon.com and the UK at Amazon.co.uk.

Dying for Saint-Lo is a day-to-day account primarily of the American units involved in the attack to secure Saint-Lo. The author states that due to the scarcity of German records from the battle he was forced to concentrate mostly on Kampfgruppen Heintz and Kentner along with entries from the Panzer-Lehr Division, Fallschirm-Aufklarungs Abteilung 12, SS-Kampfgruppe Wisliceny, and FJR 6, 9, and 14.

I hope that this information is useful in your search.

Gerry

[Luft 76]

Hello

In a FJR, the 4. Komp. is not only a MG coy but more a heavy coy with two Züge with sMG 42, one Zug. with Granat Werfer 80 and one Zug with LG 1 7,5 weapon.
In my opinion, the best book to learn more informations is not the D. Lodieu book but the original book "Opfergang Deutsch Fallschirmjäger" of Rudi Freihbesser, himself member of FJR 9. It's in german but very interessant. And you can find it on web.

[Lennard]

4/FSRegt 9

Hi Oddbod,

3rd FS Division had FS Regiments 5, 8 and 9

Each Regiment had three battalions, I, II and III.

Each Battalion had four companies, 1,2,3,4 and 5,6,7,8 and 9, 10, 11, 12

Companies 4, 8 and 12 were heavy companies

A typical heavy company of the 3rd FS Division had on 22 May 1944;-

5x heavy MG
9x 8cm mortars
2x Kanone (unknown gun type, but maybe Paks or Infantrie Guns ?)


The 12/SSPzGren Regt 25 was also a heavy company and had on 1st June 44,

6x 8cm mortars
3x heavy Pak , probably 7,5cm pak 40
2x light Infantry Guns, probably 7,5cm iG 18
Some MG's

So both men were in heavy companies.

cheers lennard

[Luft 76]

2x Kanone (unknown gun type, but maybe Paks or Infantrie Guns ?)

If you read my message, you have the answer...

[Gerry Cummins]

In my opinion, the best book to learn more informations is not the D. Lodieu book but the original book "Opfergang Deutsch Fallschirmjäger" of Rudi Freihbesser, himself member of FJR 9. It's in german but very interessant. And you can find it on web.

Excellent suggestion, Luft 76! Thanks!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...allschirmj-ger

Gerry

[Luft 76]

Hi. My great uncle Michael schuller -217447/140- was a Jager in komp 4 of FJR9 and was unfortunately k.i.a near st Lo on 12/07/44.

217 447 is indeed the code of 4./FJR 9. Its Feldpost Nr was L 49235 E.
This Coy was commanded by Hptm. Simon Günther who died later on 3 Sept. 44 near Mons, in Belgium ("Mons Pocket").
Your great uncle is died during the heavy fights for hill 192, north eastern of Saint Lô.
The americans had indeed lauched on 11 07 44 an important attack against this hill who was the main strong point of FJR 9/FJR 5 on the road to Saint Lô. After three days of bombing and close combats, FJR 9 was badly scattered and needed serious help of its neighbors of FJDiv. 3. If 11 07 was a very hard day, 12 07 was not the worst for FJR 9 because he lost only 7 deads and 20 wounded during that day. Your uncle was one of them.
Main source : R. Frühbeisser, "Opfergang deutscher Fallschirmjäger", p. 101-110.

Note that you can also buy the book "Die Vergangenheit von dem Spurr" of Fritz Roppelt, about history of whole 3. Fallsch.Jg. Division. It's a very big book (more than 700 pages), unfortunatly unfinished but hovewer published by his daughter, in the 90's.

[Lennard]

weapons

Hi Luft76,

Only saw your note after I had posted mine, however the 22 May 44 Gliederung of the 3 FS Div, shows for its 4, 8 and 12th companies a Kanone tactical symbol (an arrow pointing upwards) and not an upside down T, which would be an Infantrie Geschutz.

A 7,5cm Infantrie Geschutz is not a Kanone, however a 7,5 iG would be the more correct type of gun to have in these companies, and am sure they did.

So why they show a Kanone symbol is strange.


cheers lennard

[Luft 76]

Gliederung of the 3 FS Div, shows for its 4, 8 and 12th companies a Kanone tactical symbol (an arrow pointing upwards) and not an upside down T, which would be an Infantrie Geschutz.

I think the explanation is simple : these Schwere Komp. used the 7,5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40 who is a special Kanone and not a IG. Not the same thing !

[Lennard]

weapons

Hi Luft76,

Good explanation, but I am surprised that in 1944 they still are using a gun manufacture in 1940-41, and they only made 450 of them.

Does your " 9 FJD history book" actually mention this type of gun being used ?

cheers lennard

[falls1944]

Hi Luft76,

Good explanation, but I am surprised that in 1944 they still are using a gun manufacture in 1940-41, and they only made 450 of them.

Does your " 9 FJD history book" actually mention this type of gun being used ?

cheers lennard

Hi , Lennard

Many of Ammunition Shell and ammunition wood boxes of LG 40 and 42 were found in Normandy. A Friend has found that year near 15 ammunition crates of LG40 and powder boxes near ST LO.

[Lennard]

weapons

Hello fall1944,

Great finds, so I guess that answers the questions for sure. Its very interesting to know that FS units could have such unusual weapons.

many thanks lennard

[Luft 76]

Does your " 9 FJR history book" actually mention this type of gun being used ?

Yes he did when speaking of "Fallschirmjäger Geschütz". But IMO, the big question is : what is that all heavy companies had this special gun ? Not sure !

Great finds David and thanks for showing them.