Infantry Lehr in Italy 43-45

[90th Light]

This image is written up as a portrait photo of a panzer soldier in Italy 43-45

I do not think this is correct because a New Zealand veteran brought back this pair of shoulder boards. He told me that the boards came from German soldier taken prisoner fighting with an FJR unit at the end of the battle of Cassino.

Seemingly, several of the prisoners had these "L" boards and were interrogated for the basis of their special mission which involved massive use of explosives and bobby traps,

Chris

[90th Light]

Have a look at the rough hand application of the breast eagle,

Chris

[90th Light]

Just amazing who was fighting in Italy between 43-45.

Who would have thought these guys and back with the paras. Infantry Lehr and the the formation of the FJR. Now there is a historic connection,

Chris

[CWP]

Neat photo and awesome boards. I interviewed a guy who fought and was taken prisoner with Infanterie-Lehrregiment in Italy when they were attached to 3. Panzergrenadier-Division. Would love to have a pair of boards like that.

[WEISNER]

Amazing photo and just WOW on the straps! so what do you think the verdict would be on the eagles attachment if that shirt was ever posted for discussion LOL!

Thanks for posting these!

Kev

[OSS]

I too think the photo and straps belong to a member of the Infanterie Lehr Rgt. which was personally ordered by Hitler to the Nettuno front. They were decimated in WWI-like infantry charges against fixed Allied positions and the remainder were absorbed into the 117th Inf. Rgt. Great straps!

[OSS]

P.S. Here is an example of an Erkennungsmarke (field made) from this unit after the 117th was given the "Lehr" designation following the consolidation of the Inf. L. Rgt.:

[WEISNER]

Interesting field made OSS being probably one of few if any survivors! now that you have the tag I think it is time to find some straps like Chris has and build a mannequin display! You already have the hardest part to find LOL!

Kev

[djpool]

Awesome photo and boards! Thanks for sharing. Jim

[mufasa]

very interesting! I post some pages of a Wehrpass of a NCO of the "Lehr Regiment" fell to Nettuno (Anzio) in the same period ......

[mufasa]

feldpost 29745
24.1.1944 Stab III und 9.-13. Kompanie verstärktes Infanterie-Lehr-Regiment

[Luca Ongaro]

This image is written up as a portrait photo of a panzer soldier in Italy 43-45

I do not think this is correct because a New Zealand veteran brought back this pair of shoulder boards. He told me that the boards came from German soldier taken prisoner fighting with an FJR unit at the end of the battle of Cassino.

Seemingly, several of the prisoners had these "L" boards and were interrogated for the basis of their special mission which involved massive use of explosives and bobby traps,

Chris

This portrait was taken in Piacenza, near Milano.
Stunning shoulder boards Chris

[90th Light]

Thank you to all who have commented and appreciated the boards.

I have meant to research this for some time now. The information about the 117 Regiment and the 3PG Division is very helpful.

As I understand it at this stage, Infanterie-Lehrregiment were fighting at the front with Regiment 117 from September 1944 onwards after reforming as part of that regiment.

Thus at the end of the Battle of Cassino in May 1944 certain remaining elements could be attached to or fighting along side FJR units after the main body of their unit "Infanterie-Lehrregiment" was decimated on the Nettuno front in late February 1944 to early April 1944.

This is only a rough outline at this stage so if anyone thinks that I have that wrong then please tell me. I will now research this in more detail when time permits and report back.

Love that dog-tag "OSS" and the Wehrpass "mufasa". Thank you for posting the images for us all to see. Just superb

Chris

[mufasa]

ciao Light 90!

I have found this interesting page about Lehr and 117 Gren. Reg. from "98 Infanterie Division" of Martin Gereis (Dorfler)....

[90th Light]

Thank you mufasa,

I am trying to put together a chronological sequence and have found this so far ( My apologises for it being a bit hard to follow, due to a straight Google translation of German )


The relocation to Italy was made in connection with the February 1944 scheduled for mid-scale attack on the Allied beachhead at Anzio. At this took just newly arrived from home reinforced infantry regiment teaching at the 3rd Pz.Gren.Div. (LXXVI. Panzer Corps, AOK 14) in part and sustained in his first combat mission on 16/02/1944 promptly. Significant losses, especially by the murderous enemy artillery fire The regiment then seems to have been used at the bridge until at least the end of March 1944. On 4 June 1944, the regiment was in the Grenadier Brigade teaching on.

Situated on the 4th June 1944 from the infantry training regiment of the Army Group C. The brigade was on 18 October 1944 to Grenadier Regiment 117 .

Created on 15 October 1942 by the renaming of the 117 Infantry Regiment and the 111th Infantry Division assumed. On 4 May 1943 second battalion was dissolved and replaced by the I I. / Grenadier Regiment 360 replaced. In winter 1943/44, the Second Battalion was disbanded again. The regiment was destroyed in May 1944 in Sevastopol, radicals came to the Grenadier Regiment 111 .

In June 1944, a new 117th Grenadier Regiment situated in Zagreb, and the 98th Infantry Division assumed. On 28 October 1944 the Regiment Grenadier Regiment 117 was renamed teaching.

Reorganized the division was on 5 In June 1944 in Zagreb in Croatia from the remains of the 98th Infantry Division and the staff of the 387th Infantry Division . In July 1944, the newly formed Division moved to Italy and took over the coastal defenses at Ravenna. In Italy, the Grenadier teaching brigade was on the 19th September 1944 will be incorporated as a Grenadier Regiment 290 of the Teaching Division, but then the Empire Grenadier Division "high-and German masters" and then enter 28 October 1944 but the 98th Assumed Infantry Division, was now but as Grenadier Regiment 117 teachers, dissolved during the Grenadier Regiment 117th In August and September 1944, the Division in the Battle of Rimini was used. Then she pulled herself fighting back through the Apennines to the Senio. From January to April, there was the Senio in Lugo serious position battles. In April, the division then moved across the Po, Istrana Coruda Belluno and back into the foothills, where they surrendered when the war ended in space Pieve di Cadore.


I also found out this;

"On 19 September 1944, while serving in Italy, the Grenadier Lehr Brigade was incorporated as the 290th Grenadier Lehr Regiment. It was transferred to the Reichsgrenadier Division "Hoch und Deutschmeister". On 28 October 1944 the Grenadier Lehr Brigade was absorbed into the division as the 117th Grenadier Lehr Regiment and the old 117th Grenadier Regiment was disbanded.

This fits in with what is above but the research continues,

Chris