Boys,
I purchased this neat little set of documents from a fellow German collector who picked it up from the veterans family just a few days ago. It belongs to a Leutnant of Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 242 who was awarded the EK2 while his unit was subordinated to 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
Now, the date on the citation has me puzzled a bit. I know StuG-Brigade 242 saw action at Cassino while fighting with 1. Fallschirmjäger, but the fightings ended a good month before the Leutnant was awarded the EK2, and I am wondering now how likely it is that he won the EK2 for Cassino? I guess it comes down to the question when his Brigade was detached from 1. Fallschirmjäger... I found some information on the Brigades action at Cassino in my references (especially in Katriel Ben Aries book on Cassino, highly recommend it, by the way), but none on the units time after the battle. Does anybody have information on that, maybe our fellow Italian friends?
The EK2 document came with a handful of photos. I really like the picture showing a crew (the Leutnants men?) in front of their StuG, the big picture showing the Leutnant walking through Venice (back says "Venedig, 23.11.1944") and the one showing the Leutnant wearing his Italian camo pants. Some memorial certificate, remembering the Brigades deployment in the Don are in early 1943 (back then as Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung).
Best,
Matthias
I purchased this neat little set of documents from a fellow German collector who picked it up from the veterans family just a few days ago. It belongs to a Leutnant of Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 242 who was awarded the EK2 while his unit was subordinated to 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
Now, the date on the citation has me puzzled a bit. I know StuG-Brigade 242 saw action at Cassino while fighting with 1. Fallschirmjäger, but the fightings ended a good month before the Leutnant was awarded the EK2, and I am wondering now how likely it is that he won the EK2 for Cassino? I guess it comes down to the question when his Brigade was detached from 1. Fallschirmjäger... I found some information on the Brigades action at Cassino in my references (especially in Katriel Ben Aries book on Cassino, highly recommend it, by the way), but none on the units time after the battle. Does anybody have information on that, maybe our fellow Italian friends?
The EK2 document came with a handful of photos. I really like the picture showing a crew (the Leutnants men?) in front of their StuG, the big picture showing the Leutnant walking through Venice (back says "Venedig, 23.11.1944") and the one showing the Leutnant wearing his Italian camo pants. Some memorial certificate, remembering the Brigades deployment in the Don are in early 1943 (back then as Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung).
Best,
Matthias
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