Battle of Nancy US KIA

[Lee Luke]

Hi I am looking for what German units fought at Nancy and Metz, September 15-30 1944. Especially between Leyr and Fresnes east of the Meurthe river. The more specific the better.

I am trying to find out who my mother's cousin faced in this area.

Arthur Kettel, C company 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, KIA on September 29, 1944 buried at Lorraine American Cemetery.

Thanks

[Admiraal]

Hi I am looking for what German units fought at Nancy and Metz, September 15-30 1944. Especially between Leyr and Fresnes east of the Meurthe river. The more specific the better.

I am trying to find out who my mother's cousin faced in this area.

Arthur Kettel, C company 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, KIA on September 29, 1944 buried at Lorraine American Cemetery.

Thanks

As far as i know these units fought at the Nancy area. Might not be complete.
* 553 VGD
* 3.Pz.Gr.Div.
* FJ-Ers.u.Ausb.Rgt. 3
* Parts of 15.Pz.Gr.Div.
* Flieger-Regiment 92

[Lee Luke]

Thanks, any good sources that could narrow down to regimental level and specific locations?

[H.W Plainview]

Hello

It s all detailed here, a long and interesting story

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA...orraine-5.html

And here are several photos of your mother s cousin war mates, who knows...

http://www.coulthart.com/134/photo_index.htm#unit

[Archi]

Hello !

That is certainly an interesting timeframe with a lot of combat going on.
In addition to the units mentioned by Rick Admiraal, Sturmbtl. AOK 1 and Fsjg. Art.Rgt. 12
were also committed in that area (and certainly there are more ...).

The complications to find precise info arise, because the frontlines were moving a lot and especially,
almost every attack was answered by a counterattack. For that, the Germans threw their
more mobile forces from one end of the front to the other, to close gaps or to field counterattacks.
(I'll attach a map with the movements of Pz.Brig. 106 for that time, which shows that very well.)
What adds to the problem, is that the Germans very often formed battlegroups, composed
of a mixture of units (see an an example below).

The link from Plainview with the photos, also has a lot of After Action Reports from the 35. ID
and its different elements. While that one for 314th IR is rather poor, some of the others have
much more detailed informations.

I tried to figure out the rough positions of I. Btl./314th Inf.Rgt. for the last few days before
he was KIA and then tried to find some info on the opposing units on the German side.
The best German source I found, is the Divisional history of 3. Pz.Gren.Div.

24.9.1944:
I. Btl./134th IR was temporarily attached to 6th Arm.Div., which should have been in the area around
Arraye-et-Han.
This area was attacked by II./Gren.Rgt 1120 (553. VGD), supported by KGr. Hinzpeter (Kdr. Pz.Abt. 103)
with 3 StuG, 7./Art.Rgt 3, 3 PzJg. from 1./PzJg.Abt. 3, a Pz-Spähwagen platoon of Pz.Aufkl.Abt. 103
and 1 platoon of Pi.Btl. 3.
The battlegroup Hinzpeter retook Han and tried to advance to Armaucourt the next day, but was repelled.
This KGr. was then redeployed to Aulnois on the 26.9. (now led by Oblt. Schwäpenheuer) and supported
an attack of 553. VGD on Fossieux on the 27.9., which was taken (but Oblt. Schwäpenheuer fell).
[All that could have been roughly in the area of 134th IR]

From 27.9. onward, the Germans concentrated their efforts on the Foret de Cremecy. 3. Pz.Gren.Div.
supported those attacks with some of its forces.

28.-29.9.1944:
German Positions were secured by 1./PzJg.Abt. 3 (at Jallaucourt) and by 3./PzJg.Abt. 3 (at Malaucourt,
opposite of Manhoue, held by I./134th IR).
So the attacks on that day (mentioned in the AAR of 35. ID), when he was KIA, were most likely
from infantry of 553. VGD/3.PzGren-Div., perhaps supported by elements of the PzJg.Abt. and artillery.

The attachements show the movements of Pz.Brig. 106, as an example how difficult it is to track those units.
The left part of the 2nd attachement shows some excerpts from AAR 35. ID, related to 134th Inf.Rgt. (on the left)
and on the right a summary of those battles from the AAR report of XII. Corps, which I found quite interesting.

Best regards,

Archi

[Lee Luke]

Wow thank you guys! Exactly what I was looking for.