Looking for information on a "malgre-nous'

[leger]

My Uncle was Lorrain, been enlisted in the werhmacht in 1943 and sent to the east front. Our Family has never known what happened to him ...
One of his Feldpostnummer would be the 57710 which seems to correspond to the Panzerregiment 4. As far as i know, during summer 1943, this regiment was in Moldavia and fought around the Pruth river ....

I've got a photo took in Mistelbach (Austria) with 2 figures on it :

. 47541 : i guess it's a feldpostnummer which seems to correspond to
Panzer-Regiment 4 ab Dez/43 47541 bis Apr/45
Panzer-Regiment 26 ab Apr/45 47541

. There is another number 20R. 15R
Does someone knows what it could means ?

Does anyone could provide any clue to help me to move forward in my research ?

Thanks for your help

David

[hucks216]

The Feldpost Number of 57710 isn't for Panzer Rgt 4 - it is for the II Battalion of Panzer Artillery Rgt 4, while the Feldpost Number of 47541 is for the Werkstatt Zug of the two units you mentioned...
(8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 10.12.1943 Werkstatt-Zug I Panzer-Regiment 4,
(25.11.1944-8.5.1945) 17.4.1945 Werkstatt-Zug I Panther-Panzer-Regiment 26.

[hucks216]

In the summer of 1943 Panzer Artillery Rgt 4 were located in France, in the region of Nantes-Angers, along with the rest of 14 Pz Division after it was destroyed at Stalingrad. It was sent back to the Eastern Front in October 1943 with the first units of the Division departing from France on 17th October. They were transferred to the Krivoi Rog region of Army Group South.

[leger]

Thanks Hucks216

My uncle was enrolled in the arbeitsdienst (RAD) early 1943 at seventeen.
Then at eighteen years old in August 1943 was sent to the east front. As you mentioned October in south Ukraine would make sense. A soldier who came back after the war told our family that he has seen him in roumania.
If my understanding is correct, following the Russian attack in summer 43, the south german army move from south Ukraine, Roumania, Hungria, Austria,..

[hucks216]

Ypu can follow the track of the relevant divisions here, just scroll down on each one and you can get a basic track of where they were at particular times...

14 Pz Div (Pz.Art.Rgt 4) - http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... 14PD-R.htm
13 Pz Div (Pz.Rgt 4) - http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... 13PD-R.htm

...and both were in the same region. The 6 Armee (the one reformed after Stalingrad) was itself encircled and destroyed in Romania in August 1944.

If you wish to, PM me your uncles full name and I can check the Volksbund Database to see if he is listed as KIA/MIA and if he is listed it may have where he fell.

[leger]

The name is Edouard Duvot.
Someone from the french web site "malgre nous" told me he checked the Volksbund database and he was not listed....but...
I'm also waiting informations from the WAST.

[hucks216]

I can confirm that he isn't listed in the Volksbund database but the database, while extensive, isn't complete by any means.

[leger]

I received new information recently from the french army minister department.
I know he was in Roumania end 1943.
And i know now that his last letter was in august 1944. He wrote that he was in a fighting unit in a very dangerous situation and that he will not send new letter for a long time .... with the Feldpostnumer 02723. Country is not mentionned : Roumania is probable ?

Can someone precise to wich unit it corresponds ?

Thanks

[hucks216]

Good to hear that you have been able to obtain some more information.
For August 1944 this is the entry for that Number...
(25.1.1943-31.7.1943) Regimentsstab, Stabskompanie u. 13. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 848

...and Gren.Rgt 848 belonged to 282 Infantry Division which was indeed destroyed when 6 Armee was encircled in Romania in August 1944.

There is a book about the fighting in that region - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Storm-Over- ... 620&sr=1-1

[leger]

Many thanks,

It fits completely as i have another statement in a letter from the french consul in Berlin (dated 1960) who says he would have belonged to the "S.P 02.723 Regts Stab Stabs u 13.KP .Gren Regt 848"
Does this figures and letters precise something more ?

[hucks216]

It does seem to fit with what happened. Judging by how he finished his last letter I think he knew that he wouldn't be returning home. There is a chance that he was taken prisoner by the Russians but died in a PoW camp at a later stage, but just as likely that he died in the final days of the Regiment.
The division was destroyed at Iaşi (Jassy), Romania in August 1944. while the remnants were used for refitting the 76 Infantry Division and for reforming the 15 Infantry Division.

[leger]

One information i'v got from my father is the fact he came back home from Roumania for a 10 days permissions around november 1943 because his feet have been frozen.

Does it make sense in octobre/november, it's not really winter ??

[hucks216]

Well, he says around November so it could of been December. But I have no idea what he weather was like in December 1944 in that region but if your father remembers it and that is all you have to go on then there is no reason to doubt him.

[leger]

Does someone know if it is possible to get in contact with Veterans from The Grenadier Regiment 848 ?

[leger]

I received recently informations from the WAST and something is surprising. He have had 3 different identity (Erkennungsmarken) in a short period of time (may 1943 til august 1944 when he died/disappeared).
I thought this identity was unique ?

1) 1670 - 5 Inf ers Btl I/282
2) 174 - 1 Gen Kp GEB 111
3) 482 - 5 Inf Ers Btl 1

See doc attached. What could it mean ?