Wehrpass from 1 P.D. with a mystery, help needed

[Angel Farré]

We have another young boy here, Alfons Baldinger who was born on January 1st, 1.921 in Wiesbaden. He was catholic, single and a shop helper. He attended the Volkschule and had the Driving License IV class and the S.A. Sprotsabzeichen plus being capable of swimming and machine writing.

His father was Alfons working as upholsterer and his mother was Elisabeth, maiden name Haas, an unfortunately she was dead on 1.937.

Our boy spent sometime with the shovel serving in the R.A.D. in Ulm from October 2nd, 1.940 till January 30th, 1941.

On March 5th, 1.941 he presented to serve in the 1./N.E.A. 33 in Wiesbaden where he was declared fit for service on the 6th, take oath on 14th and was admitted with seniority since 3rd.

He served with this unit till completed his initial training he was posted on June 5th to Nachr.Aufkl.Ers.Komp. (N) at Frankfurt a.M. where he attended a course lasting from June 9th till August 16th. He was ready to be sent to the front as he has been trained in Gewehr 98, M.P., M.G., Pistole 08 and Handgrenate plus being qualified as Funker im kl. Funktruppe und mitt. Funktruppe.

He was temporary assigned to 6./Feld Ersatz Bataillon IX/7 (from August 29th till September 13th)

Now time for a real unit and he was to serve with 1./Pz.Nachr.Abt. 37 from September 14th, 1.941 till March 16th, 1.941 and then with 2./Pz.Nachr.Abt. 37 till May 23rd.

Sure his knowledge was needed in a more frontline unit and so he was transfer to Stab 1 Panzer Brigade where he arrived and served till November 13th, 1.942 (incluiding his change of name to 1 Panzergrenadier Brigade on July 11th, 1.942)

His last transfer was to Stabskompanie./Panzergrenadier Regiment 1 on November 14th, 1.942 where he served till being discharged n May 9th, 1.945.

He was promoted three times:
- Oberfunker on September 1st, 1.941
- Gefreiter on March 1st, 1.942
- Obergefreiter on April 1st, 1.943

He received two medals alongside his career:
- Panzerkampfabzeichen in bronze on October 25th, 1.941 by 1 Pz.Div. (1 Schtz.Brig.)
- Ostmedaille on August 1st, 1.942 by 1 Pz.Gr.Brig.

Never wounded he took part in almost all the East campaign fought by the 1 Pz.Div. since August 29th till the end when he was discharged just one day after the surrender of Germany.

Now started the mystery. As some can think how he received the PABiB from 1 Schutze Brigade if he was serving with Pz.Nachr.Abt. 37? Your guess is as good as mine, but if add two documents that comes with the Wehrpass the mystery thickens.

Here we have the proposition to award the PABiB to Baldinger, so you say, good, all troubles out and everything solved, wrong. The proposition is for Obergefreiter Alfons Bladinger and is dated January 20th, 1.944 submitted by his Oberleutnant and Company Commander (temporal) and endorsed by his Hauptmann and Regiment Commander (also temporal) and approved on January 21st and for being awarded the PABiB three assault days are cited:
- November 15th, 1.943 Skotschitchtsche (modern day Skochyshche)
- December 11th, 1.943 Malaja Ratsche Radomyschl (modern day Mala Racha and Radomishl)
- December 12th, 1.943 Radomyschi (modern day Radomishl)
What happen here is something I like to know, my best guess is that either he was proposed and awarded the PABiB at the beginning of his wartime career and due transfer back to the Nachrichten unit never notated in his Soldbuch and so qualified again while with Panzergrenadier 1 and then the clerk discover he was already a holder of the medal and not notate it again or a mistake was done and notated an award not for him and when he was awarded the medal for real the clerk decided to left the first entry as proof of the award in the Wehrpass and only notated it with the real date on his Soldbuch. Please any other idea, option, theory is welcomed.

Hope you like it, me a lot.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

More and a map with the three places he fought to win the PABiB.

Unfortunately his battle calendar was not updated after he returned to the Ost Front in 1.943, but as I have a lot of Wehrpass from this division with those pages complete I have no problem to trace his whereabouts.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

The awarding of the PABiB, for the second time?

Citation signed by Oberstleutnant Hubert Nierle, DKiG on January 2nd, 1.942 as Hauptmann with Pz.A.A. 7, KIA on March 8th, 1.944.

Angel

[Humble480]

Hello Angel,

Thanks for sharing this interesting grouping.

From your pictures I cannot tell if the Oct 1941 entry says "Bronze" above Panzerkampfabzeichen or not? I think it does. If so, I believe your theory is correct that it was a clerical error and he was award the medal twice!


If it doesn't say bronze then my theory is this:

I do not know if this is helpful, but I have a Wehrpass to a Radio Operator (Funker) in the 17th SS "Götz von Berlichingen" Division that received both the PBiS and PBiB! At least that is my recollection - it could have been PBiS and IAB.

This could be a similar situation to yours.

I knew a German vet in my town who was a Luftwaffe Funker and he was parachuted into Kessels TWICE by himself during the war, even though he had no parachute experience, because the surrounded men needed a radio operator.

I think they must have been in demand and were sent where they were needed. Inside of an armored vehicle would make sense.

So this theory would be that he was awarded the PBiS and PBiB.


.....but looking back at the Wehrpass and your notes I think you are correct. He was awarded twice and so it was left in his Wehrpass instead of adding another entry.

Best regards,
Jordan

[Angel Farré]

Thanks Jordan, yes it is bronze written above the entry.

Angel

[Humble480]

Here is the entry I was talking about (if you're interested). It was PBiS and IAB (not PBiB).

Best regards,
Jordan

[Angel Farré]

Thanks a lot for showing this piece.

I have in my collection a group to a soldier awarded the IABiS and later the GAB.

Angel

[Humble480]

Oh wow! That is a nice combination

[mufasa]

Very nice and interesting WP
Ciao Oriano