Visiting German veterans part II

[Stijn David]

Vet. G .........;

Hello,


After the completing of the Glider training course he was now a fully operational Glider pilot and he was allowed to fly the DFS 230.

As the situtation developed into a disaster during the end of 1941 on the eastern front Obergefr. G was sent towards Russia and did fly a few ressupply missions at the end of 1941, beginning of 1942.

Shortly afterwards he was pulled back from the front and was further trained on the newly developped Go 242 at Hildesheim.

Once again he qualifyed and was placed towards the LLG 1, he did not see any actual action during the first part of 1942 and was ordered towards the Erg.Gr. (S) 2 based at Posen to Become a Glider pilot instructor.

There he was active in training new recrutes untill the sudden end came for that training unit and the complete unit was sent towards Northern-Africa as a part of the Lw. Feld. Regt. Barenthin.

There or friend was promoted towards the rank of Uffz. for his excellent conductions in the field and he did see some quite heavy days over there.

The new year 1943 was there and the unit was very active in so called little actions and trying to snatch a few prissoners for interrogation.

In February there was a larger scale attack planned on a Britisch position and he was plattoon leader during a attack on a Britisch forepost. During this action on 22 February 1943 he and his men did attack the enemy position as ordered.

The men performed very well but the Britisch where also a sttrong opponent, altough the attack was succesfull our Uffz. G was quite heavely wounded from a Britisch soldier who did fire with a rifle and did hit him in the shoulder/neck area from about 10 meters distance.

This wound put our friend out of action and he was quickly transferred backwards as they feared for his life.

On the very same day he was awarded the wound badge in clack for his near mortal wound => here is his original award document for this wound (note the lovely preprinted version !!!!!!!!!!!!! )

Stay tuned for more .........

[Stijn David]

the wound

Uffz. was transferred from tunesia towards Italy as soon as he was found mediacly fit enough for transport.

He recovered slowly from his wound and iff this wasn't enough he did catch a blood poisening on top of it.

His road did continue from itally towards germany and after about 6 months in hospital he was found fit enough and was sent towards home for a well deserved vacation.

The events in Africa for his comrades did turn out bad for the German's and many of his fellow glider pilots where either wounded, killed in action or made prissoner of war.

After his rest home he was found fit again and did return toward sthe Erg. Gr. (S) 2 at Posen.

Here is his original awarded wound badge in black => notice the nice salty look as it is quite well worn. It is made out of brass and has no makers mark on the reverse.

Stay tuned for more ......

[Ian Tannahill]

Giday Stijn,

I have enjoyed reading what you have written so far. Please continue.

Best wishes,

Ian Tannahill

[Sonderkommando]

Absolutely fantastic and very, very interesting.

Well done Stijn.



Best regards,

Brett

[Stijn David]

the story go's on

Hello,

Im glad some of you guys like these little groupings

Our friend found himself fit again and we do know that he rejoined his old unit at Posen. Upon his return towards that particular unit he was awarded the " Ärmelband Afrika " .

The award document is the typical Afrika issue with the palmtree's, etc ... and this time the stamp was not forgotten !!!!!!!!!!

note: I know for a fact that the Glider pilots who where wounded in Afrika and returned home + rejoined their old training unit (Erg.Gr. (S) 2 ) received the well deserved awards upon their unit homecomming.

He stayed with this unit until middle october 1943 when he was transferred towards his next unit .............

[Stijn David]

new unit and destination .....

Hello,


The exact date is however not known anymore when he transferred but it is a fact that he joined the 1 Go. Staffel / L.L.G. 2.

With this unit he was back active again and he went towards France for further training, etc .... with Go 242 Gliders.

He was only a few days with his new unit as he received yet another award for his tour in Tunesia, the "Luftwaffen Erdkampfabzeichen". These award was worn with pride as it is rather a contradiction that trained Luftwaffe (Glider) pilots where involved in much ground fighting and in a few infantery attacks !!!

Here is the very nice preprinted version, it is DIN A5 sized + note the signature : Student

Stay tuned .............

[Stijn David]

Erdkampf - Abzeichen

Some more .......

And here is the brave Uffz. G. his awarded Erdkampfabzeichen => it is a non maker marked zink version. (some feel it is a unmarked Brehmer badge).

The silvering on the wreath is mostly gone and is only visible in a few spots on the top of the badge !!

....

[Stijn David]

Training days where over ......

Hello,


His unit stayed in training untill it was moved towards the border of France at the end of 1943. (Strassburg)

He did receive a leave to go home and when returning in January 1944 he did follow a promotion course to become a feldwebel. He managed to complete it succesfully and was promoted towards this rank in March 1944.

As the war however progressed and the German high command did not need that much glider planes anymore he was transferred once again and went this time towards a motorized pilots school. Here he was able to train a bit more and soon he completed his course to become a fully trained LW - pilot.

He did sent his award document home as the award was entered in his personal papers (such as Wehrpass + Soldbuch) as well as the actual metal version of the award.

At October he was transferred once again and this time it was towards the unit we know as the KG 200.

With this unit he was used more as a ground observer for some unspecifyed reason and during this period it was also a fact that his original awarded glider pilots badge was damaged in such a way it was no longer of use. ( it did loose its pin, etc ... )

As the war progressed allied bombers where more and more active over Germany as we know at this day and his hometown also fell victim of heavy bombing. FW. G his house was severely hit and this is the reason that the award doc. and metal badge of the pilots badge are today no longer in existence !!!! (as well as otehr personal belongings => such as the damaged awarded glider pilots badge, pictures, etc ...).

The proud Fw. preffered to wear the Glider pilots badge further and he did buy him another one. Taken the late point of buying (end of 1944) into account etc ... we found ourselves a ver nice Zink Glider pilots badge !!!!!!!



And here is the bought badge ......... => anyone who can guess the maker ?

More to follow,

[Stijn David]

the story go's on

Hello,


Nobody even takes a guess at the maker mark of the Zink Glider piltos badge ? +< oh well i just guess you guy's simply don't care for the little birdy

Anyway => as promised the story continue's for our Fw. G.

His time with the KG 200 continued and so we can find him near the eastern front in early 1945, he even did volunteer to fly a suicide mission.

Luckily for our veteran the order to carry out such a mission never did come for him and his last actions where in Silesia where he was nearly taken prissoner by the Russians.

He managed to escape with a friend officer from teh KG 200 with a Bucker plane and they did reach Bavaria in a 7 days odyssee, wher ethey finally where taken prissoner of war by the Americans.

He did not spent that much time as a POW (about 5 months) + then he was released towards his hometown.

After the war our dear friend did marry a lovely girl he did met during teh war years (she was a nurse and did survive the Dresden bombing while on a visit by family !!!!).

They did build up a new life and he did become a designer untill retirement.

Thats the life of the brave German soldier in a nutshell => more to follow as soon as time permits

Cordial greetings and thanks for looking,

[Stijn David]

A few more pieces

Hello,


Here is FW. G. his original Dog Tag => it is a Zink made piece with the originl cord still attached, etc ...

A piece that has seen a few years of action => anyone can he lp in the deciphering of the codes?


Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

A greetings card

Hello,


Here is a nice greetings card, designed by Fw. G. for Lt. R.

The card is made during the beginning of 1941 and was specially made for Lt. R., Fw. R was on a vacation during this period and for me it is special in its way as it shows teh friendship between the 2 veterans .

At the time Lt. R was still a Ogefr. and was attending the " Segelfliegerschule der Luftwaffe " based at Neuhausen/ Ostpreussen


Cordial greetings,

[Tim Calvert]

Absolutely excellent Stijn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks for posting. Please let these guys know that there are many of us who appreciate them sharing their lives stories and items with us!

I'll guess the zinc badge is also a Juncker, if not a BSW?????

Calv

[Stijn David]

visiting German veterans

Hello,


Thank you Tim for you comments => i was sure you would like to see these birdie's

And yes you are 100 % correct also, the zink badge is a Juncker !!!!!!!!! (altough unmarked) but the characterisitcs are a 100 % match towards its buntmetal brother.

So guys => this means that iff you want a example from each existing glider pilots badge you can add a new one towards your list . There was sold a exact such piece on the latest Hermann Historica auction in Munich (that makes that there is at least still another one arround !!!!)


Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

Flugblatt

Hello,


Here is another piece that comes out of the grouping from Lt. R. It is a german Flugblatt that was used to convince Russian troops to stop fighting and change sides. This one should date from arround winter 1941/1942.

However i can't read Russian + is there anyone who can help with the translation?


Cordial greetings,