The following story was included in the 1st Cdn Army Intel Summary No.9 dated 14 June 1944. War diaries : T-6680 - Image 1202 - Héritage (canadiana.ca) Tall-Tale or not? Can anyone verify the existence of Leutnant Loffler and the events that are described?
I dont have enough access - I am assuming he was German Germany, Military Killed in Action, 1939-1948 results for Loeffler Sorry those died in 1945 There are 90 results for those that died in 1944, but I cant refine further by date as I dont have access TD Source Information Ancestry.com. Germany, Military Killed in Action, 1939-1948 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2020. Original data: Kartei der Verlust- und Grabmeldungen gefallener deutscher Soldaten 1939-1945 (-1948), Bundesarchiv B 563-2 Kartei. Berlin, Deutschland: Deutsches Bundesarchiv. Perhaps one of our German or German based members have access to the above I have been able I think to narrow it down as died in Italy to: Harold Loeffler date location dd mm 1944 info Rolf Löffler date location dd mm 1944 info Friedr Löffler date location dd mm 1944 info
From family trees - other possibles Gustav Löffler Birth 26 Jul 1923 Zahling, Aichach-Friedberg, Bayern, Germany Death 21 Oct 1944 Borgo, Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy Gustav Loeffler Birth 26 Jul 1923 Zahling, Jennersdorf, Burgenland, Austria Death 21 Oct 1944 Italy But I guess these dates are too late for your man TD
There's nothing like seems to corresponds to any combination or name, rank, unit or location - either in the Ancestry data set or in the Volksbund site.
This gun position is mentioned in the following article Breaching The Hitler Line: Army, Part 75 - Legion Magazine "The Todt organization, using drafts of Italian labourers, had built a series of positions protected by an anti-tank ditch, barbed wire and minefields. In addition to standard field works, the Hitler Line included eight positions manned by specially trained troops employing the 75-mm gun of a Panther tank turret bricked into the ground. Each post was supported by a medium machine-gun, rocket projector and a well-camouflaged troop of self-propelled guns (SPs)."
There is a Wachtmeister Fritz Löffler from 4./ Werfer Regiment 56, killed at Pontecorvo on 23rd May 1944 but as I said above this doesn't match on the rank or unit. He was also born in 1909 so the age in the tale doesn't match either. We would have to get the original 1 Canadian Corps Intelligence summary to see if it expands on the original source.
Hi Gary The 1st Canadian Corps Intel Summary of 30 May 1944 does not elaborate further on this incident. This report can be viewed at War diaries : T-7113 - Image 987 - Héritage (canadiana.ca) Thanks for looking. I will browse through the T-7113 archive to see if 4./ Werfer Regiment 56 is mentioned in intel reports.
Another piece of info - Fritz Löffler was killed by a shell splinter to his back and was buried in Fiuggi.
The 1st Cdn Corp Intel Summary of May 24 1944, in an appendix, not only identifies the presence of Werfer Regt 56 but also provides further info on the unit that Leutnant Loffler probably served with. (Obtained by PW interrogations). Intel Summary commences at War diaries : T-7113 - Image 946 - Héritage (canadiana.ca) The pertinent appendix page w/ Werfer Regt 56 and 15 PG Div Mobile Turret Coy is shown below & is located at War diaries : T-7113 - Image 951 - Héritage (canadiana.ca)
I can contribute nothing at all to this ominous Lt. Löffler and the fighting. But his position will have been either a "Regelbau 687" or an "Organisation Todt Stahlunterstand mit aufgesetztem Pantherturm". Also habe a glance at: Panther turrets on the Gothic Line F.Pz.DT 4341 Pz.Kw.-Turm Panther auf Stahlbunker (+zakopané tanky) : Germany (DEU) Schron z wieżą czołgową O.T. Stahlunterstände für Pantherturm | Encyklopedia Uzbrojenia II Wojny Światowej
I assume that this meant the mobile Panther turrets from the 15 PG Div Mobile Turret Coy: Factually transportable bunkers I also did not know until today - you never stop learning!
I found this during the research for our book and dismissed it as a work of fiction. How would the author have know the details? I think he has taken some basic facts - a body, a destroyed PT - and told a story. Btw, the PT is pictured in our book (The Battles for Monte Cassino: Then and Now) on p351.
