Hanz Spregiel, 20 years old - Battle of Cassino in Italy in 1944

[whiteout7]

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/wwii-veteran-mission-reunite-war-mementoes-family-5941369

A WWII veteran is attempting to reunite a dead German soldier's identification notebook with his rightful family members after taking it from a battlefield in Italy 70 years ago.

(This was on our news tonight, anyone researching the surname Spregiel in Germany? The photograph is excellent by the way. Maybe someone could share this to a Germany forum?)

[Regorian]

Firstly, does the paybook contain his rank and unit title and number? Most likely he was in 1st Parachute (Fallschirmjaeger) Division. 

[carinthiangirl]

Hans (shortform for Johann) Spregiel

Germany has not any result for that name in phonebook, i also never heared there.
but you get results at google for the name in Poland in this area Złotniki Kujawskie:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z%C5%82otniki_Kujawskie
at Pęchowo, german Penchowo - this is Kujawien-Pommern in former West-Prussia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%99chowo
https://www.google.at/maps/place/P%C4%99chowo/@52.9303672,18.0698061,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x4703426f8709a861:0xc5b98f53f72502c9
it states anywhere for old files: Spregiel, Eva, Spregiel (Spregier?)
http://www.vogel-vorfahren.de/KB_Penchowo-kath.xls
http://donhoward.net/genpoland/records/ino_r.htm#28
http://donhoward.net/genpoland/records/ino_r.htm
http://poznan-project.psnc.pl/pages/parish_files/ino28.htm?iframe=true

no idea if in this case a connection....
the site: http://www.vogel-vorfahren.de/
contact-e-mail to find below at Impressum; maybe you ask why google has the name.
Spregiel is not to find at this homepage directly at his ancestors-list.....but he has ancestors from this polish area too.

[Dunk]

He may have been a volunteer from another country. I have visited the German war cemetery in Cassino and you will find graves with the words , A FREE VOLUNTEER written under the name of the soldier.
                 Jim G

[garstonite]

74,000 died at the Battle of Monte Cassino
54,000 allies and 20,000 Germans
there is a website for The Monte Cassino Society
maybe they can help / advise ??

http://www.montecassinosociety.org/index.php