15th Panzergrenadier division

[Floris]

Hello,


This week-end a new soldbuch arrived of an officer of the 15th Panzergrenadierdivision.
Together with the soldbuch came his driverslicense en 2 papers about his captivity.
On 2 papers is writen that he was captured on 30-10-1944 in St. Die (Vogezen)
The 15th Pzgrd. where by my knowledge involved in a battle in Holland.
Probarly better known as the attack on Meijel together with the 9th Panzer Division.

Wasn't the complete 15th involved in this battle in Holland or are the writtings in his soldbuch wrong?

[Eric JB]

Hi Floris,

The 15th Pz.Gren.Div. was Aug. - Sept. 1944 in France, I think that your man was captured during the retreat.
(Jan. - Febr. 1945 the Div. was in The Netherlands).

yours friendly

Eric-Jan

[Floris]

Hello Eric-Jan,


Thanks for your reply.
Yes, that could be possible that he was captured during the rethreat.
But I thought that the division was already gathering for this attack in Holland at that moment. In the begin of 1945 they returned to Holland to the Arnhem region. Strange anyway. Some other people any sugestions?

Regards,

Floris

[Der Reiter]

In August 1944 the Division was transfered from Italy to Southern France, fought in Lothringen, Eifel and the Vogesen. It was transfered to the Netherlands area after "Wacht am Rhein" failed.
Unit history:

Der Weg der 15. Panzer-Grenadier-Division von Sizilien nach Wesermünde: Teil 1: Sizilien - Florenz 1943 - 1944; Teil 2: Frankreich - Wesermünde 1944 - 1945; Kurt Albert Rust, Selbstverlag.

Horrido!

Nicole

[Richard Hedrick]

Hi Floris,

Just wanted to confirm your belief that the 15.Pz.Gren.Div. was in fact in Holland at the end of October 1944.

To relieve some of the pressure on the 15 Armee an attack was planned with the XXXXVII.Pz.Korps from the area west of Venlo moving west towards Meijel, as you indicated.

The attach started as planned at 06:15 on October 27 with the 9.Pz.Div and the 15.Pz.Gren.Div. A diversionary attack was launched north of the main attack with parts of the 15.Pz.Gren.Div. and by the morning of October 28 they reported being 3 Km. southeast of Liesel.

I believe the attack was called of on the 29th and units went on the defensive, it seems likely it would have taken a few days for the 15.Pz.Gren.Div. to disengage so they may have been in the area through the end of October.

Of course I cannot say if the entire 15.Pz.Gren.Div. was attached to the XXXXVII.Pz.Korps and participated in this attack.

Hope this was useful
Richard


Source: KTB of H.Gr.D(Ob.West) for October 1944 (75144/27)

[Floris]

Hello,


Thanks for your replies
I decided to send the Soldbuch back due some misunderstandings about it.
If someone's interessted in this piece I can send you a link to the website.

In two dutch written books this attack in Holland is written:
- Slag in de schaduw
- Einddoel Maas

I think that the first one mentioned was translated to English.

[Eric Mill]

Indeed in Holland. As you can see units (parts) from Pz. Gren 115 saw action in Southern Holland at the end of 1944.

Source: http://www.oorlogsslachtoffers.nl



Josef Strieder

<table border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="125">Naam</td><td width="350">: Strieder</td><td style="text-align: left;" rowspan="5"></td></tr> <tr><td>Voornamen</td><td>: Josef</td></tr> <tr><td>Roepnaam</td><td>: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Geboortedatum</td><td>: 27-04-1912</td></tr> <tr><td>Geboorteplaats</td><td>: Essen</td></tr> <tr><td>Wonende</td><td colspan="2">: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Rang / Beroep</td><td colspan="2">: Unteroffizier</td></tr> <tr><td>Identiteitsplaatje</td><td colspan="2">:</td></tr> <tr><td>Eenheid</td><td colspan="2">: 6. Kompanie Panzergrenadier-Regiment 115 (neu)</td></tr> <tr><td>Overlijdensdatum</td><td colspan="2">: vermist sinds 00-09-1944 (MIA since 00-09-1944)
</td></tr> <tr><td>Overlijdensplaats</td><td colspan="2">: vermist omgeving Liessel (MIA near LIESSEL)
</td></tr> <tr><td>Doodsoorzaak</td><td colspan="2">: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Begraafplaats</td><td colspan="2">: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Gedenkplaats</td><td>: -</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Eric Mill]

Indeed in Holland

Paul Kieffer

<table border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="125">Naam</td><td width="350">: Kieffer</td><td style="text-align: left;" rowspan="5"></td></tr> <tr><td>Voornamen</td><td>: Paul</td></tr> <tr><td>Roepnaam</td><td>: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Geboortedatum</td><td>: 23-11-1923</td></tr> <tr><td>Geboorteplaats</td><td>: Pirmasens</td></tr> <tr><td>Wonende</td><td colspan="2">: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Rang / Beroep</td><td colspan="2">: Unteroffizier</td></tr> <tr><td>Identiteitsplaatje</td><td colspan="2">:</td></tr> <tr><td>Eenheid</td><td colspan="2">: 10. Kompanie Panzergrenadier-Regiment 115 (neu)</td></tr> <tr><td>Overlijdensdatum</td><td colspan="2">: vermist sinds 00-11-1944 (MIA since 00-11-1944)
</td></tr> <tr><td>Overlijdensplaats</td><td colspan="2">: vermist omgeving Neerkant (MIA near Neerkant)
</td></tr> <tr><td>Doodsoorzaak</td><td colspan="2">: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Begraafplaats</td><td colspan="2">: -</td></tr> <tr><td>Gedenkplaats</td><td>: -</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Floris]

Hello Eric,

Is there a better proof than this!?
Thanks for the info, the website is new for me.

[Simon O.]

Floris

Which part of the division was your man in?