Artillery Officers group

[Angel Farré]

Here we have a young officer, his name Rudolf Schmidt born in First (Lausitz) on May 23rd, 1.920. He was protestant and a Bachelor, no doubt he want to become a soldier and with this title he was pointed directly to be an officer.

His father was Alfred, his mother Helene (Koiner) and he was married to Amelise (Medefindl)

He was inducted or volunteer to serve proper the war so his Soldbuch was open by his combat unit 4./Artillerie Regiment 39 with number 107 and his dog tag was 107 4./s.Art.A. (mot) II/39. All done on August 27th, 1.939.

His service time with this unit give him:
- Promotion to Gefreiter on October 1st, 1.939, confirmed on October 26th

Then he, with the whole unit, was transfer to the schwere Artillerie Abteilung (mot) 436 where they formed the new 3 Batterie equipped with 10,5 cm. Kanone.
- Leave on March, 11th, 1.940 to visit Forst as Sonderurlaub lasting from February 21st till March 6th
- Promoted to Unteroffizier on April 1st, 1.940 confirmed on the same date
- Leave on March 22nd, 1.940 to visit Forst as Erhilungsurlaub from April 6th till April 11th
Now he must be in an Officers Course, maybe 5 O.A.Lehrgang lasting from August 19th till December 19th, 1.940. This is supported by his next leave, looks that it ended on the same date as the course started and the next started the day after it ended.
- Promoted to Wachtmeister on August 6th, 1.940 confirmed the same date by O.A. Lehrgang Art.Ers.Rgt. 2 (I think a pre O.A. Lehrgang course)
- Leave on August 19th to visit Forst as Erholungsurlaub from August 9th till 19th
- In hospital Reservelazarett 1 Prenzlau from September 1st till 17th release to 3./s.Art.Ers.Abt. 38
- Promoted to Leutnant on November 1st, 1.940, confirmed on December 6th
- Leave on December 19th to visit Forst as Heimaturlaub from December 20th till 29th
- Leave on March 17th, 1.941 to visit Forst as Erholungsurlaub from March 19th till April 3rd
- Awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class on July 28th, 1.941, signed by Hauptmann und Batterie Chef on August 3rd. Citation signed by General der Infanterie Kuno von Both as head of I Armeekorps Rk on July 9th, 1.941
- Awarded the Iron Cross 1st class on October 25th, 1.941 signed by Oberleutnant und Batterie Chef Maciejeiski on October 29th. Citation signed by Generalleutnant Siegfried Hänicke as Kommandeur der 61 I.D. he was a winner of the Pour Le Merite on June 14th, 1.918 and the RK on September 17th, 1.941
- Awarded the General Assault Badge on March 22nd, 1.942 signed by Hauptmann und Abteilund Kommandeur Harald Windschugl. Citation signed by General der Artillerie Christian Hansen with X Armeekorps, RK on August 3rd, 1.941.
- Leave on June 20th, 1.942 to visit Forst as Einsatzurlaub from June 24th till July 21st.Signed by Hauptmann Windschugl
- Awarded the Ostmedaille on July 23rd, 1.942 signed by Hauptmann und Abteilung Kommandeur Harald Windschugl, RK as Major on April 14th, 1.945 while serving with 227 I.D.. Interesting the same officer signed the citation but while serving both with Schule fur Fahnenjunker der Artillerie. Accoding to my research Schmidt went to the Schule around end of 43 and Windschugl served there from September 42 till December 43.
- Purchased a gun “Stock” 7,65 mm. s/n 34272 on September 6th, 1.942
- Promoted to Oberleutnant on November 1st, 1.942 by s.Art.Abt. 436 confirmed on the 18th
- Leave on December 15th, 1.942, unfortunately the text is overwritten and only we can see visit Berlin and from December 17th till January 21st, 1.943
- First security check by s.Art.Abt. 436 on January 29th, 1.943 signed by an Oberstleutnant und Abteilungskommandeur

The schewere Artillerie Abteilung (mot) 436 served in the north of Russia under Heeresgruppe Nord attached to several Armee 18 (XXVI Korps, XXXXII Korps and L Korps) and 16 (X Korps)
Now he served with the Schule fur Fahnenjunker der Artillerie, in my opinion around October or November he was transfer from s.Art.Abt. (mot) 436 to the Schule.

- Leave on November 15th, 1.943 to visit Forst as Sonderurlaub der Waffenschule lasting from November 21st till December 5th
- Second security check by Schule fur Fahnenjunker der Artillerie on December 1st, 1.943 by an Oberst und Kommandeur
- Leave on February 28th, 1.944 to visit Forst as Sonderurlaub lasting from March 2nd till March 7th
- Leave on March 28th, 1.944 to visit Forst as Teilerholungsurlaub lasting from March 28th till April 2nd
- Leave on August 11th, 1.944 to visit Forst as Sonderurlaub lasting from August 13th till 17th
- Third security check by Schule fur Fahnenjunker der Artillerie on September 1st, 1.944 by a
Major und Lehrgangleiter
- Promoted to Hauptmann by Ortskommandantur Forst/Lausitz on October 1st, 1.944, confirmed on the same day
- Leave on December 14th, 1.944 to visit Forst, Born, Leipzig and Berlin as Einsaturlaub lasting from December 15th till January 1st, 1.945

The School I think is the Artillerie Schiessschule Thorn, renamed on January 5th, 1.943 as Artillerieschule III Thorn.

Moved on March 11th, 1.943 to Suippes Mourmelon, Chalons sur Marne (actually Chalons en Champagne)

Renamed on April 28th, 1.943 as Schule III fur Fahnenjunker der Artillerie.
It was commanded by Generalmajor Curt Ebeling (looks the Ostmedaille citation) from June 15th, 1.942 till January 20th, 1.944 and then by Generalmajor Wolf Graf von Luckner till January 1.945


Apparently the Schule was closed January, 1.945 and our officer put on the Führer Reserve of the O.K.H. what happen next is unknown, probably he joined and ad hoc unit and was wounded while attached to it:

At hospital Luftwaffe Orstlazarett SÖRUP from May 2nd, 1.945 till July 3rd, 1.945 by bomb shrapnel on right arm. Released to L62 L7, no idea what this means.
Awarded the Wound Badge in black on May 5th, 1.945 by Fp L34200 and signed by Stabsarzt und Chefarzt Dr. Höfften. Unfortunately so late that I doubt he received neither the Badge nor the citation.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

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[Angel Farré]

Citations

[JUNGCO]

Nice grouping. It's always great to obtain the documents with the Soldbuch.
Jeff

[Kris]

Very nice. He had his own Franz Stock pistol... not a common pistol !

[Angel Farré]

Really not common and, in my opinion, an not so beautiful one

Angel

[Archi]

Hello Angel !

This is a very nice group and another excellent and very detailed research !
Thanks for sharing !

Currently, I have very little time, but I will try to have a closer look again, when there is more time.

Just a few remarks on a few topics (and which school he was) :
The school : I think you got it absolutely correct (not an easy one to find infos about) !

Artillerieschule III (Thorn, WK XX) : As you mentioned, this was shifted in March 1943 to Suippes / Mourmelon (training ground 30km E of Reims)
Artillerieschule III was redesignated in April 1943 as : "Schule für Fahnenjunker der Artillerie" (but with or w/o no. III ?! not sure ...)
FPN of the school : 20424
FPN of the Lehrstab I and Lehrgang I - V : 26188 [matching the entry p. 8, bottom]

My earlier impression was :
As the II. Lehr-Abt. (or parts of it) was used for the formation of Pz.Art.Rgt. 130 (Pz.Lehr-Div.) and as the other Lehr units were
sent into action after D-Day, I would have assumed, that the whole school was finally sent into action (and therby dissolved) by mid 1944.
However, the Schule für Fahnenjunker d. Artillerie Suippes seems to have remained in existence and was transferred to Gross-Born / Westfalenhof in August 44 (scan).
(I wasn't aware of that.)
Both schools at Gross-Born where then used for the formation of Div. Bärwalde etc. in late 1944/early 1945.

-----------
Various entries :
rank : Gefreiter after just one month :
I don't think this is possible. Therefore I think this shows that he had been drafted/volunteered already
earlier than August 1939. (But maybe I am wrong).

Security check on 1.12.43 : That should be signed by Oberst Luxenburger, who in 1944 became Kdr. Pz.Art.Rgt. 130 (Pz.Lehr-Div.).
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewto...p?f=5&t=232805
Interesting man, you'll find a lot of info on him (and also the circumstances of his death).

Leave entry on 15.12.42 : I think it reads "Erholungsurlaub", so nothing special

Leave entry on 14.12.44 : I think it reads "Einsatzurlaub bis zum Eintreffen der Fersetzungsverfügung"
[the correct grammar should be : "Versetzungsverfügung"]

This is an important entry, as it would mean that he was to be transferred to another unit (probably a field unit),
but it was not yet decided to which one. Until the respective order of transfer arrives, he was granted leave.

I found an interesting AHM entry, that might be connected to that (see last scan).
Therefore I would think that the entry "Führerreserve OKH" should be dated around the time of the last leave.

Sadly, his last unit is not listed. There might be a small hint however on p. 8, below the pistol entry:
"Wegen Verwundung (?) abg .... "
H.V.P. [location] 22.4.45 .. signature ..
(location could be something like Daskow, Duskow ?? (I am very unsure ...)

Perhaps someone can decipher this ? That might give an important hint, in which area he fought at that time
and what could have been his last unit.

Best regards,

Archi

[Angel Farré]

Archi, as always, invaluable information you provide, Take your time to research for more info and thanks again for your time and enthusiasm helping me and other collectors

Angel

[Angel Farré]

Division Bärwalde

Formed on January 20th, 1.945 in the city of the same name (actually Barwice) from cadre of Artillerieschule Gross Born (actually Borne Sulinowo, Poland)

Fought on the attack to Schivelbein (actually Swidwin) on March 5th, 1.945.

Retreat to the Bridgehead in Dievenow (actually Dziwnów, Poland) where it was disbanded.

Retreat to Plathe (need to idenficate this place with security, now I think is the one I locate and so I show it here)

After this he can be in an ad hoc unit of a ghastly formed combat one, I locate a place called Daskow which can be in line of the retreat of his last unit and also where he ended the war in the Luftwaffe Orstlazarett Sörup where he was admitted on May 2nd, 1.945.

[Archi]

Hello Angel !

Regarding the place of his last wounding :
That Daskow (~30km W of Stralsund) is the only one that I could find, too.
However I would be reluctant, whether this is the correct place.

I think that "H.V.P." on p. 8 is a shortcut for "Hauptverbandsplatz". In my understanding,
this should be a dressing station relatively close to the frontline (maybe 10-20km behind it).
On 22.4.45, the frontline was still more than 100km away from that Daskow place (see map).

It could help perhaps, to ask for a deciphering of that entry in the : "Translation needed" section,
where real experts like Gerdan or pauke could make a try. Perhaps its a very different location ...

Best regards,

Archi

[Angel Farré]

# 15065

I read " Wegen Verwundung abgewiesen(?) H.V.P. (Haupt-Verbands-Platz), Dankow / Denkow ??,

22.4.45 - Dr. Jahnke, St. Arzt"

Gerdan

This is the answer in the translation thread

Angel