Letter to home

[argan]

Hi all,

I recentely found some documents of a german soldier who died near Frosinone, Italy, in 20.11.1943.

It is a small calendar full of handwritten names, addresses, army units names.. and a letter to his wife to inform about his death "fuer die Freiheit des Vaterlandes".........
The letter to home was signed by Lt. Stahl, "Lt. u Komp Fuehr." of M.Btl. 15/ 1,2. Kp.

I need your help trying to find info about this unit..!

Thank you!

[Simon O.]

It doesn't make sense to me. I thought of MG Btl.15, but it was disbanded in 1940. Could you post a scan?

[argan]

Hallo!

Here are the picts.
According to the feldpostnummer 59169 A written at the lower part of the paper, it belongs to the Feldersartz Btl 33, stabskomp.
The units was attached from november 1943 to the 15 PzGren Division in Italy.

Now: what does "M.Btl 15/ 1,2 komp" mean? why 2 different battallions?

The line of the front during november 1943 was near S.Apollinare, where the soldier died in november 1943. So, might be he died during the fightings before the famous battle for Montecassino.

Your opinion?

Thank you!

[argan]

...

[Gerdan]

The Feldpostnummer gives this unit:

Feldpostnummer 59169

(8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 19.11.1943 Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Feldersatz-Bataillon 33,
(8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 10.12.1943 Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Feldersatz-Bataillon 33
und Kampfschullehrgang 15. Panzergrenadier-Division,
am 28.4.1944 Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Feldersatz-Bataillon 33.


Gerdan

[argan]

Thank you,

Yes, the unit is correct.
But why 2 different units? what is M.Btl 15 /1,2 komp" ?

[F L Clemens]

M Batl would usually be a Marsch-Bataillon, a unit used to move a hundred or more soldiers from their training unit in the Reich to a field unit at the front. The cadre for the battalion would come from the training unit and stay with the unit to make repeat trips, dumping off soldiers at the front.

Although I haven't noticed it before, it appears the division had a standing Marsch-Bataillon (numbered same as the division) to move soldiers in groups from the Feldersatz-Bataillon after training to their frontline units. Although this was a much shorter trip than from the Reich, they may have found it more necessary later in the war to prevent desertions, especially in Italy!