Italy 1944 Panzersturmgesch.,Abt.115
 

Can anybody tell me about the WW2 German unit Panzersturmgesch.,Abt.115? Even if just what this stands for?

A soldier serving in this unit sent some postcards home from Italy. From the location of the town depicted in the postcards this unit would probably have fought at Cassino and/or Anzio.

Hello

The reference is to a German Assault Gun unit (Sturmgeschutz = Assault Gun), Battalion 115 (Abt = Abteilung or Battalion or Detachment depending on the context). Often abbreviated to Stug III (or Stug IV) when referring to the vehicles themselves.

Abt 115 were in Italy at some point during World War Two but I don't know the exact details.

Roger

Many thanks for that Roger.

I can now say that they fought in the Liri Valley for sure and were in the province of Frosinone when the cards were sent. This is the bit next to Rome, so they were easily close enough to have been at Anzio too:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Foto-WK-2...91ec%7Ciid%3A1

The Wehrmacht lexicon site may be of assistance,
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de

It has an entry for the unit but mistakenly translates "abtelung" as "division".
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...erAbt115-R.htm

Many thanks for that link.

If only I could read German I could spend many hours browsing that Lexicon.

Should have a translator on it? I think it gives the choice of German or English on the home page.

Thanks for that.

I missed the translator before, and just had another quick look with no luck.

Still, now that I know it is there somewhere I will find it eventually.

I might be wrong but the translator is only on the forum pages. The lexicon pages of the site remain in German. What exactly was the info you were after other than the designation of PanzersturmAbt?

Thanks for your reply, and offer.

What I would really like is just a list of where this unit served. In particular, does it say where in the Liri Valley they were, and also if they were at Anzio?

There are photos of them visiting the usual places in Rome and also of them being at Berlin and at Warsaw for sale.

I am hoping over the weekend to find the time to look at all the cards of this unit that the vendor is selling.

Having read through the link I cannot see any detail other than that this Abteilung served in Italy and was then transferred up to Western Europe to participate in the Ardennes offensive of winter 1944. I have not ever come across a detailed unit history for this unit, not saying one doesn't exist, just I haven't seen one. With regards to the vendor, I have bought photos etc from him in the past, but I must say these all seem very expensive considering the lack of armour in each picture he is selling. For 34Euros I would expect at least a glimpse of a StuG or a Pzr IV.

The translator is confusing me, I'm also getting confused between the various "Abtelung 115" designations, panzer, recce etc.
There is a Facebook page for a group of re-enactors "Panzer Abteilung 115 / 3 Kompanie" which includes photos of Stug III's:

https://m.facebook.com/pages/categor...1284871820005/

A couple of WAF threads:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=891022

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...&highlight=115

And another thread........

https://miles.forumcommunity.net/m/?t=59004017


I still have a collection of WWII wehrpas and soldbuch although I haven't added to it for years and a few of the Stackpoles Military History series books on Orbats.
From "Stackpoles" German Order of Battle Volume 3, by Samuel W Mitchum Jr:

15th Panzer Grenadier Division.

Home Station Landau, Wehrkreis XIII.
Formed in Sicily as Command Colonel Baade in May 1943 from the remnants of the 15th Panzer Division which escaped destruction in Tunisia and other units from the Russian Front.
Division renamed Division Sizilian on 14 May 1943" designated 15th Panzer Grenadier on 1 July.
Although not completely trained or equipped fought in Sicily with considerable skill. Highly praised by commander of XIV Panzer Corps for conduct at Salerno in September 1943.
October 1943 - March 1944 fought in Casino area before placed in reserve.
Took part in retreat from Rome and withdrawal from Gothic Line.
Sent to southern France in September 1944, split up and scattered in 1st Army's makeshift effort to slow Allied advance.
Pulled out of line October 1944 after more than a year of more or less continuous action and rebuilt under direction of XXXXVII Panzer Corps.
By 1st November 1944 had strength of 13000 men and only 7 tanks although it had absorbed the remnants of 113 Panzer Brigade.
Had about 30 assault guns.
November 1944 fought in the Battle of the Peel Marshes and in Siegfried Line battles around Aachen and Geilenkirchen.
In December 1944 took part in the Siege of Bastogne.
After that defeat retreated to Kleve area and was involved in Battle of Mass Line in the Netherlands in February 1945.
Unable to stop British-Canadian break through, survivors retreated across the lower Rhine, the EMS and the Wiser and were retreating across north-northeast Germany when the war ended.
Surrendered to British near Lamstedt on 5th May 1945.

Presumably the vendor split up a collection of photos to the unit, sold those showing tanks and stugs and other exciting stuff for loadsamoney and is selling the unexciting anonymous hazy distant figures in a landscape could be anyone anywhere leftovers for more than you'd expect on the coat tails of the sexy stuff.

:D!

Like button.
Harry also does another appropriate character as the "Saw you coming" antique dealer.

https://youtu.be/uVvcD4Czx4Y

https://youtu.be/1i4rgxOi73c

Sorry, could not resist after the use of "loadsamoney" phrase.