Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

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Michael Dorosh
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Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#1

Post by Michael Dorosh » 18 Dec 2018, 14:57

Per the subject line, I'm working on translating the history of the 65th Infantry Division into English and looking for additional materials to supplement my research. I've scoured lexicon-der-Wehrmacht which has been useful, as well as the Bundesarchiv collection at Wikimedia Commons. Just wondering if anyone else out there has done any research into the following units of the division and might wish to share some of what they have collected:

65. Infanterie Division
Grenadier Regiment 145
Grenadier Regiment 146
Grenadier Regiment 147
Artillerie Regiment 165
Pionier Bataillon 165
Füsilier Bataillon 165

Also of interest would be photos of any of the division's Knight's Cross, German Cross in Gold and Honour Roll Clasp recipients:

Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Oberst Martin Strahammer, Commander, Grenadier Regiment 146 (11 Aug 1944)
Generalleutnant Helmuth Pfeifer, Commander, 65th Infantry Division (5 Sep 1944)

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Leutnant Heinrich Wunn, 7th Company, Grenadier Regiment 147 (11 Jun 1944)
Gefreiter Johann Vetter, 14th (Anti-Tank) Company, Grenadier Regiment 147 (15 Jun 1944)
Oberleutnant Wilhelm Finkbeiner, 14th (Anti-Tank) Company, Grenadier Regiment 147 (20 Jul 1944)

Honour Roll Clasp of the German Army
Oberst i.G. Kühl, Commander, Grenadier Regiment 145 (unknown)
Unteroffizier Gerhard Kroczewski, 14th (Anti-Tank) Company, Grenadier Regiment 147 (15 Dec 1944)
Hauptmann Siegfried Kurzweg, Commander, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Regiment 147 (17 Dec 1944)

I have images of Wunn, Strahammer and Pfeifer as well as Vetter's death card.

Tom from Cornwall
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#2

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 15 Dec 2019, 21:09

Michael,

I've never heard of a divisional history for 65th Infantry Division before. Could you let me know what it is called and whether there is much about the division's role in the Anzio battles?

I've got a British document produced by the Historical Section of the Cabinet Office from captured German documents from the Feb 44 period at Anzio. I'll take a look and see if their is much about them in there.

Regards

Tom


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eindhoven
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#3

Post by eindhoven » 15 Dec 2019, 21:34

Tom from Cornwall wrote:
15 Dec 2019, 21:09
Michael,

I've never heard of a divisional history for 65th Infantry Division before. Could you let me know what it is called and whether there is much about the division's role in the Anzio battles?

I've got a British document produced by the Historical Section of the Cabinet Office from captured German documents from the Feb 44 period at Anzio. I'll take a look and see if their is much about them in there.

Regards

Tom
Geschichte der 65. Infanterie-Division - Vom Kugelbaum zur Handgranate !
Wilhelm Velten, verlag 1974
Geschichte der 65. Infanterie-Division - Vom Kugelbaum zur Handgranate !.jpg

Tom from Cornwall
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#4

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 15 Dec 2019, 21:48

Cheers,

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll see if I can pick one up.

Regards

Tom

Michael Dorosh
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#5

Post by Michael Dorosh » 15 Dec 2019, 23:42

They are on ebay.de regularly.

Michael Dorosh
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#6

Post by Michael Dorosh » 16 Dec 2019, 00:47

Tom from Cornwall wrote:
15 Dec 2019, 21:09
Michael,

I've never heard of a divisional history for 65th Infantry Division before. Could you let me know what it is called and whether there is much about the division's role in the Anzio battles?

I've got a British document produced by the Historical Section of the Cabinet Office from captured German documents from the Feb 44 period at Anzio. I'll take a look and see if their is much about them in there.

Regards

Tom
Hmmm, that document from the Cabinet Office sounds suspiciously like one I have in hand from the US War Department.... is it a summary of the 10th/14th Army war diaries?

Tom from Cornwall
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#7

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 16 Dec 2019, 15:28

Michael Dorosh wrote:
16 Dec 2019, 00:47
Hmmm, that document from the Cabinet Office sounds suspiciously like one I have in hand from the US War Department.... is it a summary of the 10th/14th Army war diaries?
It might be - the UK Enemy Documents Section document contains 135 pages and covers the whole of Italian campaign for Feb 43. It takes information from both army diaries but also from Kesselring's HQ and those of the Corps involved where available (XIV Pz Corps, LI Mountain Corps, LXXVI Pz Corps).

Is there much in the divisional history about it's commitment at Anzio?

Regards

Tom

Michael Dorosh
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#8

Post by Michael Dorosh » 16 Dec 2019, 16:59

The Anzio fighting is covered in some detail but of course it is a top heavy examination, being a divisional history. Also note the divisional historian didn't start research until 20 years after the war, and many documents, including the division war diary, had been lost or destroyed. So there are some good vignettes, but based on postwar interviews. Kind of a unique book in that regard.

I've completed my own book on the division and am currently editing it, in which I've tried to integrate Allied accounts with the 65th's. A good proportion of the book is devoted to Anzio.

Tom from Cornwall
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#9

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 16 Dec 2019, 18:09

Michael,

Well, in that case I'll wait until you publish your book. :thumbsup:

I've got some of the British war diaries for the units defending against the 65th Division's attack in Feb 44, so just ask if you want more information. Although as you are editing, I would totally understand that you might not want any more information.

Good luck with your book - please let us know when it is going to be published.

Regards

Tom

Michael Dorosh
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Re: Looking for info on Infanterie Division 65, particularly photos

#10

Post by Michael Dorosh » 16 Feb 2021, 00:02

Just a note, the book is functionally complete - and has been for about a year - but still editing and revising it based on feedback from beta readers. Hope to publish this soon.

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