Soldbuch Research questions

[NatS]

I have the soldbuch of: "Obergefreiter (Corporal) Otto Mohlman, born 6 May 1908 in Einbeck and was a blacksmith. He was 180 cm. tall dark hair and brown eyes. This replacement Soldbuch was issued 4 May 1944 by Gren. Ers. Btl. 380. He was wounded several times and received the wound badge in black along with the E.K. 2. Separate document for training with a rifle, telephonist and motorcycle messenger and recommends his use as a rifleman. Another document lists shooting scores and having fired a light machine gun and throwing grenades."
This is the excellent translation from a WA member that was done.
I am trying to find out anything about him and the Gren. Ers. Btl. 380 as well as the Gr. Lehr-Brigade 81 and the Ers. Batl. 68 (Brandenburg) that he was also involved in. I am having no luck on the internet in English and would appreciate any information or suggestions where to look. Thanks.

[NatS]

A few more photos

Here are the last few pages and some inserts from the back pocket. It looks like he earned the Iron Cross second class on Oct. 24, 1941 with the 3rd Panzer Division (?)

[NatS]

Battle of Moscow

Looks like he earned the EK2 in the Battle of Moscow with the 3rd Panzer Division in Operation Typhoon. Perhaps around here- "Encouraged by these initial successes, the Germans launched a frontal assault against the fortified line, taking Mozhaisk and Maloyaroslavets on 18 October, Naro-Fominsk on 21 October, and Volokolamsk on 27 October after intense fighting".

Can anyone read what it might say on page 22 under 3. Panz. Div. ?

He earned the Black Wound Badge on December 16, 1941, likely in the same overall battle. Perhaps around Klin or Solnechnogorsk. "The Third Panzer Army captured Klin after heavy fighting on 23 November, Solnechnogorsk as well by 24 November and Istra, Istransky District, Moscow Region, by 24/25 November. Soviet resistance was still strong, and the outcome of the battle was by no means certain. Meanwhile, the Soviet offensive continued in the north. The offensive liberated Kalinin and the Soviets reached Klin on 7 December, overrunning the headquarters of the LVI Panzer Corps outside the city. As the Kalinin Front drove west, a bulge developed around Klin. The Soviet front commander, General Ivan Konev, attempted to envelop any German forces remaining. Zhukov diverted more forces to the southern end of the bulge, to help Konev trap the Third Panzer Army. The Germans pulled their forces out in time. Although the encirclement failed, it unhinged the German defenses."

[Admiraal]

He was trained as rifleman, radio-operator and motorcycle-messenger.
But the Ersatz unit who made the Ausbildungsnachweis deemed him to be used as rifleman.
What is the number of the Kampfmarsch-Bataillon mentioned on page 4?

[NatS]

1035

It is 1035. It is typed on a small rectangle of paper and the last 1/4 inch was folded back over some of the numbers. Under that scrap it says Gr. Lehr-Brigade 87 or 81, I am not sure.

[Admiraal]

It is 1035. It is typed on a small rectangle of paper and the last 1/4 inch was folded back over some of the numbers. Under that scrap it says Gr. Lehr-Brigade 87 or 81, I am not sure.

And can you tell me the Kompanie number from the Marschkampf-Bataillon ?
You are lucky, not much is to be found on Marschkampf-Bataillions. But in your case there is.

Marschkampf-Bataillon 1035 was an ad-hoc temporary soldier-transit unit, able to directly fight as Bataillon. It had 4 rifle company's. Each of those Company's also had a heavy MG and Medium mortar squad. In total the Bataillon had 11 Officers, 128 NCO's and 665 EM's. The Bataillon was send to the Italian front in late june 1944. It arrived on 1 and 2 July 1944 in the area nortwest of Florenz, Italy. It was under the 14.Army. The army HQ decided to dissolve the Bataillon and give the troops to the Grenadier-Lehr-Brigade (no unit number).

The Grenadier-Lehr-Brigade fought on the Italian front and was attached to other Divisions most of the time. See attached image below (dates in European format, DD-MM-YYYY). The combat diary for the Grenadier-Lehr-Brigade is available in the online Russian archive if you can speak German.

[Admiraal]

By the way, in late Oktober 1944 it was ordered that the remains of the Brigade had to be incorporated in Grenadier-Regiment 117 (part of 98.Infanterie-Division) which was then renamed to Grenadier-Lehr-Regiment 117. The war diary of the Brigade states that the order to be incorporated arrived on 4 November 1944. At that time it had 15 officers, 78 NCO's and 295 EM's left (fighting troops).

[NatS]

Wow.

Thanks for all the help. It is amazing what records were kept. I am attaching a photo detail of page 4. Looks like a 2. before the /Kampfmarschbtl. 1035 , so perhaps that is the company? It makes sense to me that he went to Italy near the end of the war. The American whose collection of militaria I acquired went to Japan and Germany at the end of the war and interviewed the quartermaster Generals of both countries, as well as Gerrman and Japanese prisoners, especially about cold weather operations as he designed clothing and equipment for the US Mountain Troops. I believe the Sodbuchs I have are from the prisoners who he interviewed as many fought in Russia but also fought later in Italy and likely surrendered to US forces. I have quite a few and am checking to see if anyone was from the 116pzdiv, but so far no. I have quite a few though and am still getting translations done. Thanks again for all the information.

[Admiraal]

Thanks for all the help. It is amazing what records were kept. I am attaching a photo detail of page 4. Looks like a 2. before the /Kampfmarschbtl. 1035 , so perhaps that is the company? It makes sense to me that he went to Italy near the end of the war. The American whose collection of militaria I acquired went to Japan and Germany at the end of the war and interviewed the quartermaster Generals of both countries, as well as Gerrman and Japanese prisoners, especially about cold weather operations as he designed clothing and equipment for the US Mountain Troops. I believe the Sodbuchs I have are from the prisoners who he interviewed as many fought in Russia but also fought later in Italy and likely surrendered to US forces. I have quite a few and am checking to see if anyone was from the 116pzdiv, but so far no. I have quite a few though and am still getting translations done. Thanks again for all the information.

Sounds like you got some nice Soldbücher!
Yes it looks like 2nd Company. The soldiers of that company got inserted in II.Bataillon of the Brigade.