D-Day Soldbuch(grouping) 21 Panzer Division Sword Beach - Caen

[mtdr]

Hello,

Finally a Normandy 21 Panzer division soldbuch "grouping". He was in the 7./ Panzer Regiment 100(later Pz. Rgt. 22) and later there is a feldpost entry of the 1./ Panzer Regiment 22. He was heavily engaged on D-Day and the further days of june 1944 in Normandy. It's a wonderfull grouping with his Soldbuch, papers and close to 10 photo's, most in his black panzer uniform. Received the PAB/Ostmedaille/EK II/ Krimschild and promoted 5 times. In the next reply's I tell the story of Hans Dettmer's and about the unit on D-Day.
I hope you like it, comments are welcome.

[mtdr]

Hans Dettmer was born on 07.03.1918 in West-Germany. The soldbuch has a nice picture of him in his panzer uniform

[mtdr]

Hans Dettmer joined the army in 1939 after his infanterie training he served with Inf. Rgt. 82 who fights in 1940 in Holland(Roermond, Maastricht), Belgium(Hasselt, Albertkanal, Dyle-stellung, Schelde) and France(Lille, Seine, Dieppe) etc. Maybe his infanterie career wasn't exciting enough for Hans and he joined various Panzer trainings units and became in the Panzer Regiment 204(fortuitous Hermann von Oppeln Bronikowksi was his commander) and fought in Russia. From August 1942 till december 1942 he was in a lazarett. When he was released from the hospital Hans had a quiet period; he was in training for 10 months. In this time he also received his EK II(France), the Ostmedaille and the Kubanschild(Russia). He was also able to wear the Tätigkeitsabzeichen für Funkmeister. In Oktober 1943 he was finally assigned to a new unit; Panzer Regiment 100, part of the 21 Panzer Division well known for it's role in Africa. It was now based along the Normandy coast in the area of Caen. Hans supported with all his skills and his expierence the 7.th kompanie of Panzer Regiment 100, late May 1944 this unit became Panzer Regiment 22. In this unit he received also the Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber/ PAB.
When D-Day started Panzer-Regiment 22 was based to the south Caen, in the villages around Falaise. The unit was engaged to the Allied Airborners on the south of the Orne and for the heavy fights in the Sword Beach - Caen area. They were responsible for the only German counterattack on D-Day(KG Oppeln and KG Rauch) to the allied troops. They jumped into the gap between Juno and Sword Beach and the reached the coast between Luc sur Mer and Lion sur Mer. Late in the evening the Regiment pulled back to the villages north of Caen and digged themselves in on the late evening of 6 june 1944. They don't leave the positions for nearly a month despite the heavy fightings with many casualties.
26 June 1944 he was send on a special vacantion(urlaub) and then he leaves the battlefield for 10 days. On that moment he was member of the 1./ Panzer Regiment 22. I haven't any clue of he became back to his unit in Normandy or not. After he leaves the 21 Panzer Division he stayed the rest of the time in Germany were he was wounded in 1945.

[bsmith56]

Like I told you earlier, this is a superb grouping! Congrats on scoring it.

Edit: Oops, I didn't mean to interrupt.

[mtdr]

His Awards:

01.07.1941 - EK II for his fights in France - Inf. Rgt. 82
1943 - Ostmedaille for his fights in Russia 1941/1942 - Pz. Ers. Abt. 204
06.02.1943 - Krimschild for his fights on the Krim - Pz. Ers. Abt. 204
20.11. 1943 - Panzerkampfabzeichen Silber / PAB - Pz. Rgt. 22
He was also able to wear the Tätigskeitsabzeichen für Fünkmeister.

[mtdr]

His Promotions:

26.08.1939 - ?
01.10.1939 - Gefreiter
01.11.1940 - Unteroffizier
01.07.1943 - R.O.B.
01.08.1943 - Feldwebel
01.07.1944 - Fahnenjunker der Res(erve)



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[mtdr]

Lazarett visits

01.11.1939 - 06.11.1939 - Service in Germany
13.07.1940 - 26.07.1940 - Service in France
17.08.1942 - 24.11.1942 - Wounded in Russia
02.04.1945 - 27.06.1945 - Wounded in Germany

[albertofl]

b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l-!!!!! s-u-p-e-r-b !!!!
congratulations...but go on more photos pplease!

[mtdr]

Vacantions, battlelist.

[mtdr]

In this units he was after he leaved Normandy, they were all based in Germany.

[mtdr]

More Pictures, P38 he received in 1941

[mtdr]

Received in lazarett:

[mtdr]

The last picture of the Soldbuch. Following post I'll show the photo's and the unit history.

[mtdr]

Some photo's of Hans in his Panzer uniform.

[mtdr]

This is still my favourite photo. Hans with his comrades on a tank.

I think it is a tank of Panzer Regiment 22, but I am not sure.

I am also not sure what type of a tank it is, so if someone could help me with that, thanks a lot. The guy standing sadly for the number on the tank.



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