WP to an Ob.Lt. of 1. Inf.Div. with possible Cholm connection and many questions

[Archi]

Hello !

I would like to ask for some help in understanding a Wehrpass-Zweitschrift.

I found this Wehrpass quite interesting, but before showing it in detail, I would like to clarify some questions,
which really caused me some headaches .

1.) page 1 : Helmut Scheffer was born in Kassel, his parents lived in Fulda (all WK IX), he served from the
beginning to almost the end with WK I units : Inf.Ers.Btl. 43, then I.R. 43, 1. Inf.Div. (WK I), with only a
short time side-step to 218. ID (WK III). But most his WP entries are made by Wehr-Bezirks-Kdo. Bielefeld (WK VI).
(except the death note on p.34 and maybe a few others).
Any explanation ?

2.) page 21, 22 : Lehrgänge (training courses) and promotions :
a) He took part in an Unterführer-Lehrgang very early (I assume successfully), from Feb-April 1940, only 12 weeks after he was drafted.
However, he was promoted to Gefreiter only 6 months later and to Uffz. (and O.A.) only after another 3 month.
On the other hand, he was then promoted rather quickly to Fw. and even Lt. by Nov. 1941, but there is no O.A. course listed,
although by Feb. 1942 (when the Zweitschrift was issued), it should be known if he took part in one ?!
So, is this an example of becoming Lt. d.R. without becoming Fahnenjunker or particpating in any O.A. course at all ?

3.) page 23 : Award entries :
Many things I don't understand :
- No VWA (black) for his first wounding on 15.9.41, but then a VWA(black) and VWA(silber) very close in date in 1942.
(It cannot be a 3rd wounding, but he also continued to serve.)
- The VWA(schwarz) : by Res.Laz. Kassel, by 218. ID/IIa or ... ?!
- ISA : is it crossed out (or only the date ?!), or are that double lines connected to the curly bracket ?!
- Sometimes, in the WP the award entries are either unsigned or no stamp. Here we have even two signatures (but only one stamp) ...
=} Essentially, the question is : Who awarded/entered/signed what (and when) ?!

4.) Unit related questions :
a) after his wounding (and promotion to Leutnant), I think on 5.2.42 he was transferred to "Führer-Reserve 218 ID." (pool of officers).
I think so, because his Kr.Stammr.Nr. is: [Fhr.Res. Kr.1]. I never saw such an entry, what do you think ?!

b) If so, his wounding entry on p. 34 says : unit : 218. ID/I.R. 411 (at Ssopki).
But IR. 411 was part of 122. ID, still near Leningrad at that time. However, the Wiki entry for Cholm points to some connection of IR 411
to the battles to free the Cholm pocket. If anyone could shed some light on this (or the place of his wounding), that would be great !

c) Finally, when he had returned to Gren.Rgt. 43 after his 2nd wounding in November 1943, he was encircled with 1. Inf.Div.
at Kamenez-Podolsk and then was KIA on 25.3.44, probably during the breakout attempt.
If someone could help me to read and/or locate, where he was KIA (p. 34, yellow) or at what places 1. ID fought in March 44 in general,
that would be appreciated as well !

I have even more questions regarding this WP (or WP-Zweitschrifts in general), but these were the most important ones.

Thanks in advance for any response or comments !

Best regards,

Archi

[Admiraal]

Here are 2 maps on the kessel. 1.ID was in the lower right under XXXXVI. Korps.
I will look at your questions later.

[Angel Farré]

Very nice piece you have there.

Regarding your questions:

1.- Have you checked the Wehrpass for a change of address? Maybe he moved to another city and his paper went with him to his new town so this explain why his Wehrpass was open by a WK I unit, served with units on WK III and finally closed by WK VI.

2.- Maybe the Clerck either was to tired, or thought it was not necessary to write all his courses or the info was not easy available and he wanted to close it quickly to sent it to his next of kin. I can say you I have Wehrpass to Officers with the same way as yours, R.O.A., Gefreiter, Unteroffiziers and finally Wachtmeister u R.O.A. and Leutnant with not a single line about being in a course, neither in the unit page nor in the courses one.

3.- Awards in Wehrpass are nightmare, you can find all entries stamped and signed or some stamped, some signed, not a single one with either stamp or signature so all combos are posible. I think that the first wound was either to light or overseen and he received the WBiB for his second as retroactive and close enough the WBiS for a more severe one as you can only see only two wounds were notated. In page 30 was he classified as k.v. or any other level?
In my opinion the WBiB was awarded by the Hospital and later all were authenticated by the 218 dI.D. and again when the Wehrpass was closed by the W.B.K. Bielefeld.
For the IAB I think the Clerck did two mistakes, first he wrote a second date in the bottom line and then crossed not only the wrong date but also the second line of the name of the award.
Remember that the Wehrpass resume all info of the soldier career so not need to check all entries or sign and stamp all entries so you will find a lot of entries that, being in a Soldbuch will be always stamped and signed, will be only lines after lines without any check.

4.- a) I think the same as you, he was put into the pool of officers ready to be transfer to active units in the 218 I.D.

b) Ssopki is a town 8 km east of Cholm (now called Sopki)

c) Just answer by Admiral

Angel

[mufasa]

Very interesting!

[Archi]

Hello Rick and Angel !

Many thanks for your help !

@Rick : Very interesting maps. That helps already a lot !

@Angel : Many thanks for your very detailed reply. Now I understand several points better.
There is only the address of the parents (Fulda). As for his Job it says : Schüler, I think the simplest assumption is,
that he lived with his parents. But other things might be possible.
Strangely, there is no medical exam entered in this WP at all.

And I found Sopki now, thanks once more !

Best regards,

Archi

[Ian Jewison]

Archi,

I have just had a quick look at Jason Mark's excellent book ""Besieged - The Epic Battle for Cholm" to see if I could find reference to Inf.Rgt. 411. On the date mentioned there is nothing but the book is more concerned with the encirclemnet and those in the Cholm pocket.

However the following 122 Inf.Div. units are mentioned, but your man can't have been one of these as they were in the pocket:

2/Inf.Rgt. 409 (122 Inf.Div.) - Arrived by glider on 9th of March (Kp. H.Q. and 1 Zug), and 12 March (2 Zug). Initial strength was 67 men and commanded by Oblt. Hans Stenzel, 1 Zug. Lt. Eberhard Hell, 2 Zug. Fw. Pagel.

10/Inf.Rgt. 411 (122 Inf.Div.) - Arrived by glider by 11 gliders on 20-29 April. Commanded by Lt. von Schröder.

Of course to receive the shield, military personnel had to:

• Have served honourably within the Cholm Pocket between the specified dates; or
• Have flown and landed at the airfield within the pocket for resupply operations

/Ian

[Archi]

Hello Ian !

Many thanks for this interesting info !

Now, with your help and some more reading it seems clear that the situation was much more complicated, than I expected.

When I stated, 122. ID was at Leningrad this was mainly based on this map :
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...arte/I0342.jpg
But from your info, (elements of IR 409 sent into the cauldron already early March), and IR 411 also comitted outside,
it seems clear, that 122. ID was transferred south in a piecemeal fashion and much more reserch is needed.

I'll try to have a look at that book from Jason Long, thanks for pointing that out .

Best regards,

Archi