German 125 Infantry Regiment Help Please

[tigre]

125th Infantry Regiment..........

Hello to all ; thanks for your kind words enorepap . Now more follows........................

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

Brief description of the defensive line.

The numbers of the Panzer Armee Afrika were as follows:

15. Pz D: 3,940 men.
21. Pz D: 3,972 men.
90. Le ID: 2,827 men.
164 Le ID: 6,343 men (2).
Br FJ: 3,376 men (Brig. Ramcke).
Other troops: 2,331 men (army and Corps formations, artillery, etc..)
LWD 19: 4,384 men (flak).

Total: 24,173 men (effective fighting force).

Pz: 230 tanks

XX Corps (Italian): 300 tanks.

Supplies: 7 days of fuel and 3.8 days of ammunition.
Out of the 12,194 vehicles (including motorcycles) of the DAK, 4081 were captured from the enemy and out of the 3189 Italian vehicles, 113 were British.

(2) 164 Le. ID Afrika: Generalmajor Karl Lungerhausen; Ia: Oberstleutnant Markert .

Pz GR 125: Maj. Nobel (Oberst Graf Hardenberg previously killed by a mine)
Pz GR 382: Oberst Hirsch.
Pz GR 433: Oberstleutnant v. Neindorf.
AR 220: Oberst Becker.


Opposing forces on Oct 23, 1942...................

Source: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows........................

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

Brief description of the defensive line.

About ships and tonnage. (Situation of supplies).

During the month of August 1942, the situation was as follows: between the 1st and 20th, the Italians had received more than 15,000 tons; the Luftwaffe 3,216 and the Pz Army only 5,271 (2,854 of fuel and 482 of ammunition). The calculated daily ratio of consumption was of 490 tonnes for what it had been needed some 9,800 for the aforementioned period.

On September 2, 1942 finally it had been possible to disembark 2,610 tons of fuel and 443 tons of ammunition; but in this month were sunk 22 ships carrying around 22,000 tonnes of supplies.

Health situation.

This aspect was also problematic because the experience showed that young people were more susceptible to diseases and blondes were more than the brown people. Thus for example the Ramcke brigade which had been transferred to Africa without acclimate properly its troops and during the period of more heat (the average ages varied between 17 and 20 years old) had by October 9, 1942, 97 men killed in combat, 214 wounded in combat and 15 missing but also 525 men interned in hospitals; on average it always had 12% of its combat troops unable to fight.

The same thing happened to the 164 le. ID, coming from Crete in the stronger of the summer. All regimental commanders had abandoned the front during a certain period of time and several companies were commanded by NCOs.

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein

Hello to all ; more follows........................

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive.

23 to 24 October 1942.

At 20:40 hours it was unleashed a powerful artillery fire of preparation across the front. When the artillery barrage ceased, began the enemy attack with infantry and tanks between Bir Quusur el Atash and Bir Abu Sifai. Immediately our own artillery unleashed its defensive barrages. Due to enemy artillery fire the telephone liaison were lost and the radio links failed also. The communications were unreliable and the outposts were overwhelmed.

At 22:00 hours the II. / IR 62 (It) left its positions. Shortly afterwards the same thing happened with the mass of the III. / IR 62 (It) and the I. / IR 62 (It). The enemy infantry attack (without tanks) was halted before the positions of the Pz GR 125; however the enemy tanks pressed against the central defensive deployment of the Pz GR 382, rolling over the II. / Pz GR 382 and the I. / Pz GR 382.

The hostile tanks, worn out by the struggles against the II. / Pz GR 382 advanced on the sector of the I. / AR 220 and the II. / Pz GR 433 but were stopped at dawn by intense defensive fire; before the II. / Pz GR 433 it was established an antitank position with two 88mm guns that destroyed a hostile armored concentration.

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hello to all ; more follows........................

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. Situation till October 30, 1942.

October 24, 1942.

On October 24, 1942 at 07:00 hours, part of the 15. Pz counterattacked the two penetrations achieved by the British. Until noon the counterattack gained but little ground. Towards evening was received the news about the withdrawal of the hostile tanks. The I. / PR 8 under Hauptmann Stiefelmeyer fought against the New Zealanders and the 9. Armoured Brigade before minefield L, 27 enemy tanks were destroyed there; another 35 had blown up into the minefields.

The III. / Pz GR 433, till then acting as reserve, moved forwards in order to occupy the former positions of the II. / IR 62 (Italian). The gap between the II. and III. / Pz GR 382 was monitored throughout the day, but it could not be closed.

Between the north wing of the 15. Pz and the west wing of the Pz GR 125 remained a gap in which the opponent occupied the old positions of the I. / IR 62 (Italian). Two companies of the Pz GR 125 fought there in order to restore the liaison with the troops of the 15. Pz. On the evening of October 24, 1942, the attack did not achieve any success.


http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/rec...-vol3-ch14.pdf

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo!!

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hello to all ; more follows........................

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. Situation till October 30, 1942.

October 25, 1942.

On October 25, 1942 the enemy carried out a strong armoured attack against positions of the worn out II. / Pz. GR 382; After a hard battle and suffering serious losses and losing its last anti-tank gun, the remnants of the battalion were destroyed and the enemy attack continued towards the positions of the III. / RI 61 (Ital) which fled almost without a fight. After gathering new forces the enemy advanced against the II. / Pz. GR 433.

The counter-attack launched in the West Wing of the Pz. GR 125 during the previous afternoon gained ground with strong artillery support and through the Height 28, at 16: 20 hours achieved the first goal: the AP 410. The hard-won positions were reinforced by the third company which marched behind.

But this success did not last long because at 21: 45 hours the enemy attacked with tanks after a heavy artillery barrage, destroying a company and forced the rest of the troops to retreat.

The opponent was entrenched in the gap opened between the Pz. GR 125 and the 15. Pz; a counterattack carried out the next day in order to expel the hostile troops, did not succeed.

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo - Szczęśliwego nowego roku!!

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hello to all ; more follows........................

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. Situation till October 30, 1942.

October 26, 1942.

During the night from 25 to 26 October 1942, the sector of the II. / Pz. GR 382 was occupied again by the remnants of that battalion and two companies of the Pz. GR 433. On the afternoon of October 26, 1942 the enemy continued its attempt on the open flank of the III. / Pz. GR 382 and at 17:00 hours a strong armored attack struck at the level of minefield AP 453 and a company was overrun (11. / Pz. GR 382).

October 27, 1942.

On this day the enemy began to exploit the breakthrough obtained in the sector of the II. / Pz. GR 382. Jumping out from the minefield AP 453 with strong forces of infantry and armored, the front was overrun southwards. With strong support from artillery fire, were conquered the positions north and east of the III. / Pz. GR 382, hence reaching parts of the II. / Pz. GR 115 located west and rear of the flank of the III. / Pz. GR 433.

This battalion managed to destroy 24 hostile tanks and by mean a strong artillery support managed to repel the enemy to the north and northeast.

In the afternoon an attack was carried out, with artillery support, towards the Point 28, where the enemy had been reinforced. At 16:00 hours the attackers (German troops) came under heavy defensive fire.

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hello to all ; more follows........................

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. Situation till October 30, 1942.

October 28, 1942.

Due to the uncertain situation in the sector of the III. / 61 RI (Italian), the 164. le ID sent a patrol there. A Platoon of the II. / Pz. GR 433 moved into the depth between the II. / Pz. GR 382 and the II. / Pz. GR 433 protected by the fog. The position reached was improved in the following nights.

An attack, carried out by the 90 le. ID (Mot) reinforced and with aerial support of Stukas, towards Point 28 was not as successful as expected.

The enemy, with strong forces, intense artillery support and massive armored employment went on the attack during the night against the positions of II. / Pz. GR 125. Although the HQ of the battalion and its 7. Company held its positions until the next evening, they received the order to withdraw towards the I. / Pz. GR 125 with the arrival of the darkness.

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

[90th Light]

And the momentos of Pz. Gr 125 from continue to surface in New Zealand to this day.

Wehrpass and white piped tropical EM shoulder board both taken from newly arrived members of JR 125 in Afrika September/ October 1942.

The Wehrpass is to a 12 year volunteer from 2/Nov/37 to 4/Nov/49. This confirms srevice in every major front from September 1939 that JR 125 fought on including fighting in Greece and garrison duty on Kreta before being sent to Afrika.

Interesting to note that they were still wearing JR white piping during September 1942. They were being upgraded to Pz. Grenadier & green piping at that time.

Very interesting thread,

Chris

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hallo to all ; thanks for sharing the Wehrpass and the shoulder board with us Chris . Interesting complement indeed. More follows...........

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. Situation till October 30, 1942.

October 29, 1942.

The sector became a responsibility of the 90 Le. ID (Mot) and the Pz. GR 125 was subordinate to that division. In the central and southern areas, around the vicinity of the AP 453, the infantry fighting had decreased. In the northern sector the enemy had assembled the mass of its forces and the penetration could not be sealed. However it had been halted in its northern flank , around Point 28.

October 31, 1942.

The division has managed to establish a limit with the 15. Pz in Tell el Aqqaqir.

November 01, 1942.

The Divisional CP had been moved towards AP 427.


Progress of the British offensive from 23 till 30 October 1942.............

Cheers. Raúl M

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hallo to all ; more follows...........

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. The breakthrough and breaking contact with the enemy.

02 November 1942.

The CP of the Division moved towards AP 419. In order to confuse and deceive the enemy, the division carried out mocked attacks in the sectors of the Pz. GR 433 and Pz. GR 382 during the night from 02 to 03 of November 1942. The enemy counterattacked in the sector of the 15. Pz and managed to penetrate into the German defensive deployment, the magnitude of the gap still has not been able to be determined. The location of the previous CP was overran.

The Division supported the anguished neighbor (15. Pz) with artillery fire throughout the day with targets in the northern flank, towards the TP 32. Between 18: 00 and 19: 00 hours the division received the order to break contact with the enemy. As the unit no longer owns vehicles, it must use trucks belonging to the 15. Pz and the 21. Pz. Rearguard, under orders of the Commander of the division himself, will remain in the current positions.


Supercharge......................

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hallo to all ; more follows...........

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. The breakthrough and breaking contact with the enemy.

November 3, 1942.

At 04:00 hours the transport had not arrived yet so the commander of the 164 le. ID postponed the withdrawal for the following night. Meanwhile several Italians battalions, which were fighting mixed with German troops, began their withdrawal.

The enemy of course took advantage of this weakness, but not in the sector of the division. The enemy tanks and infantry pressed in the sector of the neighbor division (Bologna), threatening the withdrawal of the I. / Pz. GR 433; by means of artillery barrages and actions of the threatened battalion itself, the enemy progress could be contained by nightfall.

The vehicles promised had not appeared yet, so at 17:00 hours the division ordered the troops to start its withdrawal on foot or motorized, first assigned line to reach: the track-Ariete. The rearguard would stand against the enemy till 19:00 hours and then would follow.

The troops of the 164th le. ID began the ordered movement at 17:00 hours, undetected by enemy which continued bombing the abandoned positions until dark.

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

164. Le. ID in El Alamein.

Hallo to all ; the end...........

The fighting of the 164th Le. ID in El Alamein - October and November of 1942.

The British offensive. The breakthrough and breaking contact with the enemy.

November 4, 1942.

The withdrawal of the troops (infantry and artillery) of the 164. Le. ID during the night from November 3 to November 4, 1942 was carried out successfully. Even at night the Division Commander ordered the battle groups, after reaching the Ariete track, should continue the march to Deir el Murra (northern sector). This movement should start no later than 04:00 hours.

Between 04:00 and 05:00 hours, during the execution of the movement, there was an enemy armored attack which caused casualties and confusion. But the bulk of the division reached the area northwest of Deir el Murra and was subordinated there to the 15. Pz and later was attached to the 21. Pz.

Since then there was not a centralized command at division level with respect to the 164. Le. ID and those various battle groups that were organized were subordinated to other commands.

At 16:00 hours another order was received specifying a new retreat about 80 kms due west; the embarkation in trucks of the troops on foot from the 164. Le. ID, with their weapons and equipment, was partially achieved. The Command of the 164. Le. ID, marched with the 15. Pz, during the night movement there were casualties and the troops were dispersed and no one had news about its fate since then.

November 5, 1942.

At dusk was reached the area south of Fuka.

Sources: Ein weiter weg. Aus der Chronik des Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125
Deutsches Afrika-Korps View topic - Kämpfe der 164_ le_ Afrika Division. http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...asc&highlight=
“Memorias del Mariscal Rommel”. Tomo II. B.H. Lidell Hart. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1955.
“Rommel y el Afrika Korps”. H.G. von Esebeck. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Abril 1955.
“El Ejército Alemán bajo Hitler”. S. Westphal. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires. Marzo 1953.

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .