Abbey at Monte Casino

Hi Fred

Just came across your request for a re-posting of some Pics.

I see you say I posted an article back in 2008..... can you be a bit more specific as I can't seem to find this particular article.

I am also a shade concerned to think that photos previously posted have not survived the update of the site.

Fortunately I have on my computer (and on backup drives) every photo I own, now numbering some 47,000, and so if you can point me in the right direction I will try & find time to upload them.

To be continued.................

Ron

 

Hi Ron!

I recall where your note was: http://www.ww2f.com/photo-gallery-s...opost-gallery-feedback-thread.html#post281734
it just mentions that you had posted pictures of your day at Monte Cassino, which as I recall was in ww2forum.com's Photo Gallery that did not survive the recent transfer to the new website host.
I for one would really appreciate being able to see your memories of that day once again.

EDIT:
Ron has graciously reposted a few his pictures on an earlier post on page 3 of this thread. Direct link: http://www.ww2f.com/western-europe/52520-abbey-monte-casino-3.html#post580704
Thank you ever so much Ron!

PS Rogues: Please note also Ron Goldstein's Actual Army Album
____________________

In the meantime, while I continue looking for German Battle maps and Ron's Photos, note these links:

The nice (original) official Cassino Museum Website is no longer up and running - they have now replaced it with: index
And Paul Reed's website Battlefields of WW2 by Paul Reed (forum member sommecourt here) which has a great section on Italy.

 

Thank you to Fred and Steve for the great footage and videos!

Erich, it would be great to find out where he was and who were the leaders of the unit.

 

Could anyone refer a good book or articles about the German 29th Infantry Division in Italy ?

 

Steve I know of no book on the Infantrie Division as many of the German unit histories some 90 % plus were lost, burned or buried on the Ost front in 1945, scant few exist in any of the Wehrmacht branches.

check this list out please and the associated links, it may help :

29. Infanteriedivision - Lexikon der Wehrmacht

 

a small addition to this fine thread, if it is DVD-films you seek check this site :

WWII Germany/Axis DVDs

the link on the right ~ Through enemy eyes is transcripted and edited version of the Deutsche Wochenschau propaganda films

 

Erich,

Simply amazing that such a famous Division has little documentation. This is a shame.
I would really like to see if there are any memiors fom someone that served with them.

Maybe is it due to the fact they were the Herman Goering Division ?

I agree this is a great thread, I hope we can keep it going !!

Best Reagards To All

 

Steve HG was a completely different unit in fact Luftwaffe the 29th was Heer the Falcon division.

take a peek here : Axis History Factbook: Panzer-Division Hermann Göring

Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1 Hermann Göring

 

Ron
Thanks for your service to your country and the pictures you provide. Everybody else great links and video.

 

Erich,

I had a major brain cramp regarding the Herman Goering Division !!

 

29 Infantry division sounds strange for the Italian campaign, AFAIK most "motorized infantry" divisions were renamed (and converted to) Panzergrenadier before the start of that campaign. IIRC the 29th was one of the units destroyed in the Stalingrad pocket and recreated from the depot remains as a PzGren. So you should search under 29 Panzergrenadier division for service in Italy.

Axis History Factbook: 29. Panzergrenadier-Division

 

An easy error to make. The 29 Infantry Axis History Factbook: 29. Infanterie-Division (mot) were among those sacrificed at Stalingrad.
The remaining survivors (presumably undergoing medical treatment or on leave) were transformed into the 29 Panzergrenadier Axis History Factbook: 29. Panzergrenadier-Division which served in Italy.

Referring back to my earlier post, re German troops being permitted to attend church services in the Abbey prior to the Allied Bombing strike.

Update:
Map of Italy, Anzio-Cassino Region, 1944 January 17 - February 19, 1944
Map of Italy, Anzio-Cassino Region, May 1944 May 11 - 30, 1944

 

I got a map of the FJ. Division at Monte Cassino. It is at a Brigade level.

View attachment 13794

 

what book or where did you find this Ulrich ?

I have other maps enlarged of the area but the dispositions of the Fallschirm regiments are rather confusing. CAse in point is the 4th and 2nd together then within 4 days one is left on the ridge and elements are broken up to be at the castle and then back up to the ridge, two days later some if not the bulk is dug in at the base of the Abbey. I am scratching my head
If I had a scanner I would share these, none are stored in my saved files at present.

Böhlmers book covers quite a bit of his time and his regiment under him at Cassino with appropriate maps I have heard.

 

Erich, i got it from a lad at a german forum i´m on.

Bruce Quarrie. Battle Orders German Airborn Divisions: Mediterranean Theatre 1942-45. 1.Aufl. 2005. Seite 87. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841768286

 

Ulrich check to see if Druffel Verlag is still in business if you would like, author JPiekelwicz (spelling is probably incorrect) did a book on Cassino with maps, text and fotos. the FAllschirm movements which should be included at a much closer look. My book on Crte is quite good but old copyright of 1981 so again would have to check if the Verlag even exists now.

 

Erich, i own Piekalkivic´s book. Yes it has maps but not so detailed as i want to have.

 

Ich verstehen. you want then most probably a real close view of the Cassino town by street right ? or at least the main roads leading in and out, railroad station, etc. ?

again I point out that then and now book on the first page of this thread, spendy yes but it should provide the close inspection of maps that the series seems to always provide, Ulrich I would think somewhere in that monster volume the II./Art. Abt should be mentioned as to the location(s) or the other book from amazon - second volume

 

Sehr Gut, Erich! Yes thats more what i like to see. The places where they had been. And than i want to go at them with Google earth to make a vision of the aera, how easy or hard it was to defend/attack and so on.

 

Ulrich

not sure if this will help you for the later part of your relatives history or not ...............

DIE LÖWEN VON CARENTAN - FALLSCHIRMJÄGER-REGIMENT 6 *** | eBay