Belgium 1940 KIA/WIA's

[Tim DC]

Any of you got wehrpasses to German soldiers who died or got wounded in Belgium during the may 1940 campaign? Please share them here!

Here's the only one I have. Johann Staudinger served in Infanterieregiment 481 which fought very well in Belgium in 1940. They took the cities Antwerp, Eeklo and more. As the leader of an MG section he must have actively participated in these actions. Best proof is the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwartz entry for the 26th of May, probably for light (he remained with his unit) wounds sustained at the Gent-Terneuzen or Schipdonck canal. One question: would this date indicate the day he sustained the wound, or the day he was awarded the Abzeichen? Unfortunately the wound is not recorded on the wounds/hospitalisations page.
Anyway, he went on for a nice career as an Unteroffizier at the Eastern Front with Grenadierregiment 687, earning the EK2 (already in France), IAB, and finally the EK1 during the division's mass destruction of 92 Soviet tanks in the Chir region in december 1942. A couple of weeks later he was sent away from the front because of frostbite in both his feet. He served at the Mediterranean coast in France, where he was probably taken prisonner during Operation Dragoon.

[Tim DC]

Personal details

[Tim DC]

His units.

[Tim DC]

Promotions and awards.

[Tim DC]

And last, his fights.

If anyone has similar wehrpasses or soldbucher to Belgium 1940 KIA/WIA's, I'd love to see them! Always interested to buy as well.

[Jonathan M]

Neat little WP you have there Tim. BTw any luck in finding the Wehrpass book?

Jonathan

[Tim DC]

Thanks Jonathan.
No other pieces at all? Perhaps some of Holland 1940? (These are even rarer though)

[Gary T]

I have found one WP that I think is a Belgium KIA...is Louvignies in Belgium? He was killed there on 20th May 1940 but is buried in a cemetery in France.

So is Louvignies in France or Belgium? He was a member of Schtz Regt 110.

[Tim DC]

Hi Gary,
That's interesting. Louvignies is situated in Belgium, about 20 miles from the French border in Hainaut. There is also a Louvignies-Quesnoy in France though, between Cambrai and Maubeuge. Some heavy fighting in that area as well. Perhaps if you can tell the place of the cemetary we can make out which one it is. Either way, he must have died in the rear as the front line was already past these places on the 21st.

[Jonathan M]

I think i have a WP of a soldier who fought in Belgium but not KIA, he like most of the Wehrmacht was gefallen in der Ost

[peter u]

Hello,

KIA/WIA in Belgium May 1940 wp's are rare beasts, in the past 12 years I have only seen about 8 kia and 1 wia.
From these 5 were once in my collection, they are now in the collection of the late MVV who was actif on this forum.
In my collection I have the wp of Hans Frick, KIA fort Embourg May 13th 1940.
It has been posted in the helmet section of this forum in the past because I have also his shot through helmet.

Cheers,
Peter

[Tim DC]

Hi Peter,
Yes, your great Fort Embourt KIA group was the only Belgium 1940 KIA Wehrpass I found on these forums. Too bad MVV is not active here anymore. Don't know if he would mind if you'd post the scans of these WP's - that is, if you still have them?

[peter u]

Hello Tim,

Several years ago I traded my May '40 kia's with MVV.

Why are they so rare?
- These wp's were send home to the family of the kia soldier.
A lot of these just got lost in the bombardments on Germany.
For example 56ID soldiers came from Dresden; 225ID soldiers came from Hamburg.
- Only +/- 45.000 German kia's for the entire "Westfeldzug".

Cheers,
Peter

[Jonathan M]

Not a Wehrpass but a Stammrollen in my collection showing action in Belgium. As you are not getting a lot of feedback thought i'd add it to put more meat on the thread

Jonathan

[Tim DC]

Hi Jonathan,

I have been receiving a lot of feedback through email and pm

If you wonder how your ID 269 Stammrolle translates into images, have a look at my photo album of Gefreiter Behnke, serving as a Panzerjäger in that division during the Westfeldzug.