Battle for Kassel, 1945...

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Harro
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Battle for Kassel, 1945...

#1

Post by Harro » 04 Sep 2006, 20:48

Hallo forum,

A young friend of mine has adopted the grave of an American soldier at Margraten war cemetery in Holland. A corporal from 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division. he was KIA on April 2, 1945, near Kassel. Does somebody know which German units saw action against this unit on that day and is there a book which describes the fighting for Kassel in detail?

Thanks in advance,

Timo :)
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Andreas
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#2

Post by Andreas » 04 Sep 2006, 21:01

ISTR there was not really a battle for Kassel, but there was some fighting for suburbs and villages lying to the north, in particular Landwehrhagen.

http://kassellexikon.hna.de/doku.php?id=1945

http://www.kassel.de/cms02/stadt/chronik/5/index.html

http://www.69th-infantry-division.com/h ... s/777.html
Company B, 777th Tank Battalion

1 April: Attached to 272nd Infantry Regiment at Hoffen. Spent day on maintenance of vehicles.

2 April: Departed Hoffen, Germany, at 2130, and marched to Giessen.

3 April: Departed Giessen, arrived Altenstadt.

4 April: Departed Altenstadt, arrived Istha. Departed Istha, arrived Dornberg.

5 April: Departed Dornberg and marched through Kassel in attack on Landwehrhagen. Took the town and destroyed one Mark IV tank and crew, and turned over 12 PWs to the infantry. Repelled a counterattack, and took 70 more PWs, killing 35 enemy.

6 April: Took cities of Dapheim, Nieste, Kl. Amerode, Ellingerode, and Witzenhausen. Destroyed two enemy tanks and two armored vehicles. Turned over to the infantry 42 PWs and killed 12 enemy.

7 April: With the 272nd Infantry Regiment, shelled towns of Eichenberg and Hohenganborn, and returned to Witzenhausen.
I try to dig out some more.

All the best

Andreas
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Harro
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#3

Post by Harro » 04 Sep 2006, 21:04

Cool! That was quick. Thanks already and I am looking forward to whatever you dig up :)
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Andreas
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#4

Post by Andreas » 04 Sep 2006, 21:24

I studied on the grounds of the old Tiger factory, so it is a topic dear to my heart.

All the best

Andreas
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Harro
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#5

Post by Harro » 04 Sep 2006, 21:29

Ah! That explains :)

JH told me on Panzer-Archiv forum that 3./501 (or 510) was involved. Was this in connection with the Tiger factory? Also, does anybody have info about Grenadier-Ersatz-Regiment 15 or an SPW attack by a company of this unit on April 2, 1945, near Kassel?
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Andreas
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#6

Post by Andreas » 04 Sep 2006, 21:29

Last bits for tonight. Festung Kassel was commanded by Generalmajor Erxleben, and surrendered on April 4.

All the best

Andreas
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Andreas
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#7

Post by Andreas » 04 Sep 2006, 21:32

Here's a thought:

There's an email on this website:

http://www.kassel.de/cms01/verwaltung/a ... adtarchiv/

Contact them, explain the situation, they are a bunch of lefties in Kassel ;) so they may dig out the info for you or your friend, if they have it.

All the best

Andreas
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Harro
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#8

Post by Harro » 04 Sep 2006, 21:34

Very good tip. Thanks Andreas :)
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Jan-Hendrik
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#9

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 05 Sep 2006, 07:21

Seems he died during a counterattack of PzGrenErsuAusbBtl. 15 from the Jägerkaserne along Frankfurter Straße that draw the US troops back to Oberzwehren . There the counterattack was stopped and the Germans retreated to the Jägerkaserne .

Jan-Hendrik
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#10

Post by -Spitfire- » 19 Sep 2006, 17:30

Here can you find more information: http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic ... sc&start=0

I hope that somebody more information have. :)
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Reader3000
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#11

Post by Reader3000 » 19 Sep 2006, 22:18

Timo posted this question also at the panzer-archiv.de forum...
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#12

Post by -Spitfire- » 25 Sep 2006, 18:26

Panzerass wrote:Timo posted this question also at the panzer-archiv.de forum...
Yes, I now :wink:
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#13

Post by -Spitfire- » 30 Sep 2006, 21:06

Nobody more information? :(
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#14

Post by -Spitfire- » 16 Oct 2006, 21:42

-Spitfire- wrote:Nobody more information? :(
?? :cry:
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#15

Post by -Spitfire- » 02 Nov 2006, 17:47

And here are some pictures of the grave of the person:

Image

Image
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