80 years ago today

[Waffenreich]

in Errinerung.

I would have added Gefr. Pichler yesterday, but he just arrived today.

[Wilhelm]

Thanks for the post Willi. It must have been an incredible time and place to grow up.

Here's pics and the description from the link: "The Polish Corporal Piotr Konieczka fell here on 1 September, 01:40AM (three hours before the attack on Westerplatte) as the first victim of World War 2."

I wonder if we'll ever know the name of the last man to die in WWII?

[Waffenreich]

I wonder if we'll ever know the name of the last man to die in WWII?

I don't think so Wilhelm. I think the end of the war in the Pacific was much less clear cut than in Europe as from my understanding Japanese field units were less organized with poorer communications capabilities than the Germans. Add to that the geographic complexities associated with island fighting and you have a lapse in effective command and control.

Best regards!

Bob

[Waffenreich]

Got out of synch due to being at the MAX.

in Erinnerung.

[Waffenreich]

Almost back in synch

[Waffenreich]

in Erinnerung.

[Waffenreich]

The end of the campaign.

I received the bayonet 2 weeks ago in a grouping from the family of a U.S. vet. The lack of appearance in this Thread of items from the Polish campaign makes me feel pretty fortunate to have been able to land this.

vr

Bob

[Wilhelm]

I think the Polish war was so early that most of the gear was used up. Then when the Soviets came through they got first pic on booty. Plus no US forces were there to bring stuff back. Yep, hard to find items for sure. That bayo is fantastic.

[Waffenreich]

I think the Polish war was so early that most of the gear was used up. Then when the Soviets came through they got first pic on booty. Plus no US forces were there to bring stuff back. Yep, hard to find items for sure. That bayo is fantastic.

Appreciate your comments Wilhelm and agree on all points.

I've seen a couple of really nice EKII and Wound Badge documents dated at the end of September '39 clearly connected to the campaign. It would have been nice to see a few items like that.

Regarding the bayonet, when I was making the purchase from the family on the other items and they showed me this I got totally stoked. For a Polish bayonet I couldn't ask for a more appropriate year.

Regards!

Bob

[Waffenreich]

in Erinnerung. He passed 80 years ago today - almost a month after the campaign ended.

[sfk20]

It says Johann Lechl died of heart failure, I wonder if that was a euphemism for something (like a training accident)

[Waffenreich]

It says Johann Lechl died of heart failure, I wonder if that was a euphemism for something (like a training accident)

It's possible, but he died 22 days after the campaign ended, and still in Poland. I thought he may have been wounded near Warsaw around the end of the campaign and died a few weeks later of his wounds. The interesting thing is that he is still buried in Poland. I would have thought that in the weeks/months following the campaign they would have cleared field graves for return of the remains to Germany??

[sfk20]

Yes I agree it could have been wounds too. But I'd imagine during the Third Reich it would say "died of wounds sustained in combat" or something along those lines as it would have seemed more heroic. By contrast, I think the cause of death would be concealed if he was crushed by an artillery piece that broke loose from it's trailer (or anything caused by negligence). Just a theory

And I think many German military cemeteries stayed where they were. I have a photo of a Polish campaign cemetery taken by soldiers staging for the invasion of the USSR in 1941. I'll try to post it later today.

[sfk20]

Hope the text is legible. Don’t mean to get off topic but it’s still Polish campaign related

[Waffenreich]

And I think many German military cemeteries stayed where they were. I have a photo of a Polish campaign cemetery taken by soldiers staging for the invasion of the USSR in 1941. I'll try to post it later today.

Great pic - thanks for posting it. It just doesn't make sense that with the lull in action between the invasion of Poland and the next action in Norway that the Wehrmacht would not have returned the bodies as I'm sure there must have been requests from families to do so.

This to me is a pretty interesting aspect of the mindset of the period as to whether-or-not families had a legitimate claim towards the military to return their fallen family members.

Any inputs on the subject would be appreciated.

vr

Bob