1./Pz.Aufkl.Abt.33 ?

[theinglebaby23]

I found an award doc with the soldier in this unit: 1./Pz.Aufkl.Abt.33. I tried doing some research; the 1PZ wasn't in Africa (it's for an Afrika cufftitle), and there's no 33rd PZ....

Am I reading it wrong? Any further info on the unit? Thanks for any help!

Rich

[Simon O.]

I found an award doc with the soldier in this unit: 1./Pz.Aufkl.Abt.33. I tried doing some research; the 1PZ wasn't in Africa (it's for an Afrika cufftitle), and there's no 33rd PZ....

Am I reading it wrong? Any further info on the unit? Thanks for any help!

Rich

Yep, you're reading it wrong.

It refers to the 1st company of panzer aufklärungs abteilung 33. It was the recce battallion of the 15 Pz.Division though i was under the impression that it was called Aufklärungs abteilung (mot) 33 until April 43 when it became panzer aufklärungs abteilung 15, just before the end in Africa.

[theinglebaby23]

Thanks, but how did you get PD 15 out of that?

I can't even figure out how to read the American ones, don't know why I'm trying to figure out the German!

[Simon O.]

Because i have or have access to various reference works dealing with OOBs (orders of Battle) for the German armed forces.

The most often used online resource for that is the German language Lexikon der Wehrmacht
http://www.lexikonderwehrmacht.de/

Even if you don't understand German it's possible to navigate around and in most cases find what you're after though it helps with a basic knowledge of how military units are structured.

Another popular site is Feldgrau.com
http://www.feldgrau.com/

It's not as good and it's a long long way from being complete but it's in English.

The first thing though is to learn a little about how the German armed forces were built up, some of the various terms often encountered that sort of thing.
Like this for a start http://www.feldgrau.com/org.html

[theinglebaby23]

Right on, thanks Simon. Thanks for your help with the docs too, I appreciate it.

Rich

[theinglebaby23]

Right on, thanks Simon. Thanks for your help with the docs too, I appreciate it.

Rich

[theinglebaby23]

Right on, thanks Simon. Thanks for your help with the docs too, I appreciate it.

Rich

[theinglebaby23]

Why that posted three times, I have no idea