As a unit historian, I find the greatest challenge is just the creation of a unit history. Often times, Unit Histories are an afterthought, created months if not years after the events recorded. Following, unit histories often end up being the recollection of a selection few.
In the US Army there is a formalized program for low level unit histories (DIV to BN), and though appointed historians are mandated, work load and ever changing mission preclude the creation of histories.
As the one-time author of a "command chronology," my heart goes out to you! (These difficulties are one of the many things that makes me so fond of the collection of "personal experience monographs" maintained by the good people at the Donovan Library at Fort Moore.)
This is one your most valuable posts to me, personally, Bruce. I'm saving off separately as a research note. You've recommended these resources to me before.
C & I Companies, 3rd BN, 315th Regiment, 79th Div from 12 July 1944 to 30 November 1944 is what interests me specifically, as well as whatever tank destroyer units, medical, and comms units were with them on that trek across France. That was my mother's fiancé's unit. He was wounded in August and killed in November of that year. Even more specifically I'm interested in their actions and whereabouts, as well whatever German units they were opposing, on or about 20-25 August 1944, and from 22-30 November when he was killed. He came into France from England with replacement troops, on 12 July, and had an interview with a war correspondent named Erika Mann that day, while he was giving blood. I've tried to find any record of it but the BBC don't have them.
As a unit historian, I find the greatest challenge is just the creation of a unit history. Often times, Unit Histories are an afterthought, created months if not years after the events recorded. Following, unit histories often end up being the recollection of a selection few.
In the US Army there is a formalized program for low level unit histories (DIV to BN), and though appointed historians are mandated, work load and ever changing mission preclude the creation of histories.
As the one-time author of a "command chronology," my heart goes out to you! (These difficulties are one of the many things that makes me so fond of the collection of "personal experience monographs" maintained by the good people at the Donovan Library at Fort Moore.)
This is one your most valuable posts to me, personally, Bruce. I'm saving off separately as a research note. You've recommended these resources to me before.
C & I Companies, 3rd BN, 315th Regiment, 79th Div from 12 July 1944 to 30 November 1944 is what interests me specifically, as well as whatever tank destroyer units, medical, and comms units were with them on that trek across France. That was my mother's fiancé's unit. He was wounded in August and killed in November of that year. Even more specifically I'm interested in their actions and whereabouts, as well whatever German units they were opposing, on or about 20-25 August 1944, and from 22-30 November when he was killed. He came into France from England with replacement troops, on 12 July, and had an interview with a war correspondent named Erika Mann that day, while he was giving blood. I've tried to find any record of it but the BBC don't have them.