Division "Hermann Göring" in Sicily

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Sicily 1943

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il grille si trova a LETOJANNI in via vittorio emanuele 16 - sicily

[DVOLKERTV]

Hello,

I'm working on a National Geographic documentary about the Allied (and particularly American) invasion of Sicily in 1943, and I'm trying to track down reports, letter, diary excerpts from German soldiers who were there in July and August 1943. If anyone can help, please do email me at [email protected]

Thanks a lot!

[Dili]

Did the division had any halftracks in Infantry Battalions by this time?

[Gewehr41]

Somebody knows the name of 2nd Battalion (1st Panzergrenadier) commander in Sicily and the names of companies commanders?

[dsenebrecht]

Hi folks: Getting ready to game 82nd Airborne vs HG Panzer Division defending on July 11 and July 12 at Biazzo Ridge south of Niscemi. Did HG Panzer Division grenadiers assault using their halftracks? I see lots of references to Tigers from Abt. 104 and Panzer IVs from HG as well as Panzergrenadiers in the attack. One set of rules/scenario book says Germans had halftracks, another just says they attacked without them. Thoughts? thanks!

[aujlaranjit49]

I have seen a figure of TOTAL German losses in Sicily of 29,000 men,all divisions and units.The Germans evacuated around 40,000 men.

[Alanmccoubrey]

Hi folks: Getting ready to game 82nd Airborne vs HG Panzer Division defending on July 11 and July 12 at Biazzo Ridge south of Niscemi. Did HG Panzer Division grenadiers assault using their halftracks? I see lots of references to Tigers from Abt. 104 and Panzer IVs from HG as well as Panzergrenadiers in the attack. One set of rules/scenario book says Germans had halftracks, another just says they attacked without them. Thoughts? thanks!

To know whether or not HG used SdKfz 251 in the attack you would have to know which of HG's Regiments was involved. I./PGR HG2 was the "armoured" battalion within the Division on Sicily, was it this battalion which attacked ?

[sultanbev]

Can anyone confirm the structure of the HG Panzer Regiment whilst in Sicily?

I have multiple versions:
1st Battalion: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Companies with Panzer IVG and H; 4th company "forming"
2nd Battalion: 5th, 6th Companies: Panzer IIIL/M, 7th Company: Panzer IIIL/M and Panzer IVG
3rd Battalion: 9th, 10th, 11th Batteries StuG III
Fotress German armour in the defence of Sicily, Firefly Collection No.3 Claude Gillono, ADH Publishing (1988) ISBN 978-0-9876013-0-8
OR
1st Battalion: 1st, 2nd Companies with Panzer IIIL/M,
3d, 4th Companies with Panzer IVG/H
2nd Battalion: 5th, 6th Companes with Panzer III
7th Company with Panzer IVG/H
3rd Battalion: 9th, 10th, 11th Batteries StuG III

Italienfeldzug vol.3 German tanks and Vehicles 1943-1945, Daniele Gugielmi, AMMO of Mig Jimenez SL, (2022), ISBN 978-84-17846-63-3

Photos show Panzer IVG with numbers 411, 431, 331, 112?, 332, 711, 712
and Panzer IIIM with numbers 615, 631, 632, 533

The Franz Kurowski book on the history of the Fallschirm Panzerkorps Hermann Goring is sadly lacking in detail and repeats errors from the Nafziger book, not impressive for a £50 book. Appendices merely show the two panzer battalions with 4 companies each.

Lawrence Paterson's recent book on the division shows the 1st Battalion with all Panzer IV, and 2nd Battalion all with Panzer III, each with 4 companies.

[jbroshot]

Diagram from Panzertruppen Volume 2, by Thomas R. Jentz

Jentz has HG panzer losses on Sicily as: 28 Panzer III, 21 Panzer IV, 4 Pz.Bef., 4 StuG, 3 StuH

[sultanbev]

Thanks for that, reminded me to look at my copy. Unfortunately Jentz doesn't show tanks by company for this regiment, and the appendices contradicts the graphic shown. In the appendices he states an 8th company was raised in July, which implies 7 companies already extant, whereas the graphic only shows 6 companies (across 1st and 2nd Bttns). The tank numbers and total losses are consistent across multiple sources, so I am fine with them.

I've not seen an 8th company in any other source, and there are insufficient tanks anyway, even before losses. Unless it was being formed in mainland Europe perhaps?