What a difference two years makes!

[Ian Jewison]

This first picture is taken from the driving license of Gefreiter Franz Kumerer. In August 1942 he was a 28 year old Gefreiter serving with Artillerie Regiment 139 of 39 Infanterie Division in Vlissingen.

April 1943 he transferred to the Nachrichten Abteilung and along with his Division was sent to Russia around Charkov and defensive battles on the Dniepr.

November 1943 after being decimated his unit formed Nachrichten Abteilung 310 of Artillerie Division z.b.v. 310 in the Ukraine.

[Ian Jewison]

August 1944 this unit was destroyed and the remants formed SS Korps Nachrichten Abteilung 112 of the XII SS Armeekorps in Lithuania.

This photo from his Soldbuch was taken after 5.8.1944 when he transferred to the SS. The hardship of war (or serious illness, however nothing is recorded on the hospitalisation pages!) show on his face. Here he is 30 years old!!!

Unfortunately for him he died of wounds sustained 20.11.1944 fighting in Aachen.

/Ian

[erichcraciun]

Ian,

what unit was Kumerer in while in Aachen. Interesting since the city surrendered on 30.10.1944 (I used to go to school there and am pretty sure of the capitulation date) and some of the only SS troops that made it out were from Kampfgruppe Ring.

Erich Craciun

[Ian Jewison]

It is the one that I stated SS Korps Nachrichten Abteilung 112 of XII SS Armeekorps....
Maybe it was on the outskirts or something but all my references say the unit was at Aachen!!

/Ian