Panzer Grenadier Lehr Regiment 901

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:44 am

Hello

!

I'm looking for info on this independent regiment - Lehr Rgt.901 (mot.)/Pz.Gr.Lehr-Rgt 901- for the period from 1942 up to 1944, when it became part of the Panzer Lehr Division. Did it's KTB survive the war? Any book recommendations?

Thanks,
Marko

Lorenz · Post by **Lorenz** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:23 pm

It has always been my understanding that the KTB'er und Anlagen of regimental-sized units and below did not survive the bombing and destruction of the Heeresarchiv in Potsdam. These records of the smaller units were all archived in one wing of the building and just about everything was burned and destroyed.

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:14 am

Thanks Lorenz.

This would be most unfortunate, such an interesting unit

.

Marko

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 3:44 pm

Is there anything on this unit in Kurowski's or Ritgen's books on Panzer Lehr Division?

Marko

Lorenz · Post by **Lorenz** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:29 am

Here is all I have on it:

Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Rgt. 901

Formed 28 December 1942 with Stab, I. Bn. (1. – 4.), II. Bn. (5. – 8.), 9., 10. and 11. (Pi.).

In Russia through summer 1943. On 12 September 1943 it arrived in the Trieste area and was assigned to Heeresgruppe B for a major anti-Partisan operation planned for Slovenia. From 25 to 30 September the Regiment operated from D. Logatec toward Idrija and then against Ajdovscina under II. SS-Panzer-Korps. The Regiment then advanced on Rijeka from Ilirska Bistrica during operations to clear Istria from 2 to 11 October. On 11 October elements of the Regiment left Rijeka to relieve SS-Pol.Rgt. 14 in Ogulin. Between 21 and 29 October it drove northwest from the Karlovac area against Partisan concentrations southeast of Novo Mesto. This advance continued and eventually took the Regiment into the Ljubljana area by 3 November. A few days later it was transferred to Bosnia and reassigned to LXIX. Res.A.K./Pz.AOK 2. On 2 December it was reassigned to V. SS-Gebirgs-Korps/Pz.AOK 2. On 10 December the Stab was in Djakovo, I. Bn. in Vrpolje and II. Bn. in Gerjani. Following a strong Partisan attack on Banja Luka on New Year’s Day that resulted in deep penetrations into the city, the Regiment was ordered on 2 January 1944 to transfer at all speed to the city to relieve the garrison there. Not long after this it departed Bosnia and transferred to France.

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 3:12 am

Excellent, Lorenz. Thank you very much for sharing the info.

Do you have any info on the unit's strength and equipment. I came across Kriegsgliederung of 1.SS-Pz.Armee (II.SS-Pz.Korps) and it would seem the regiment was a fully armored formation equipped with SPWs? Strange choice for anti-partisan operations

.

Best Regards
Marko

Lorenz · Post by **Lorenz** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:26 am

Yes, there are some vague references to its vehicles in the German military records (Pz.AOK 2, LXIX. Res.A.K., etc.) for fall 1943, but I can't remember what they said. It's been 20+ years since I looked at them. A little "birdie" in the back of my mind keeps saying that they did not have any armored vehicles with them when they went to Yugoslavia and were hauled around by trucks belonging to other units. But I could be wrong.

You might want to ask your questions about equipment on forums that focus on armor and armored units. There are lots of researchers out there who have collected ever scrap of information on Panzer and Panzergrenadier units and should be able to help.

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:53 pm

OK. Thanks again, Lorenz!

Jan-Hendrik · Post by **Jan-Hendrik** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:04 pm

Still interested, Marko?

Fighting at Starobjelsk

Jan-Hendrik

sid guttridge · Post by **sid guttridge** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:32 am

Hi Guys,

It is worth pointing out that this was only one of a dozen or more Lehr units that served at the front in almost every campaign. A lehr signals unit served in the Spanish Civil War. Guderian had the Lehr reconnaissance battalion with him in Poland and France. Lehr nebelwerfers were sent to Sebastopol in 1942. Lehr artillery and infantry regiments served at Anzio in February 1944, a Lehr assault gun battalion served in East Prussia in mid 1944, and so on........

There is a book in this somewhere, if authors could only tear the eyes off the PanzerLehr Division and its precursors, such as Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Rgt. 901, for a moment.

Cheers,

Sid.

streljko · Post by **streljko** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:07 am

According to "Husar" military magazine`s article about Wolkenbruch operation, Pz.Gr.Lehr-Rgt 901 was under command of Georg Scholze, had 2440 men and 219 armoured vehicles, mostly Sd.Kfz.251, including 20 Sd.Kfz.251/10(37 mm AT gun) and 24 Sd.Kfz.251/9(75 mm gun).

Jan-Hendrik · Post by **Jan-Hendrik** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:36 pm

There is a book in this somewhere, if authors could only tear the eyes off the PanzerLehr Division and its precursors, such as Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Rgt. 901, for a moment.

Nothing you could tell me "new"...I have nearly each and every piece collected that was ever published on the Lehr units of the Heer here in Germany

Jan-Hendrik

sid guttridge · Post by **sid guttridge** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:47 am

Hi Jan Hendrik,

Then perhaps you are the man to write such a book on Lehr units in action outside the Panzerlehr Division. One is certainly lacking.

If you do, I will definitely buy a copy.

Cheers,

Sid.

Jan-Hendrik · Post by **Jan-Hendrik** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:37 am

Would be fine if there was enough material on those units to do so, but, as usual on this unit level, the basis for doing research is rather small, especially as the were, in the phases where they were not employed in the frontline, und the command o fthe Ersatzheer....

Jan-Hendrik

sid guttridge · Post by **sid guttridge** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:58 am

Hi J-H,

On the other hand they were often put in at important places when they were in the front line.

I will have a look at what I have on them (basically just a list I have dragged together from occasional references) and see if our lists match.

Cheers,

Sid.