Belgium 1940 KIA/WIA's

[Jonathan M]

Thanks for the link Tim, very interesting pics and nice to make some link between a document and images

Jonathan

[Tim DC]

Okay guys, here's one of my Belgium KIA wehrpasses !

Günther Möloth was from Karlsruhe, born in 1916. As a teenager death struck in his family in 1935. His brother Hans, a true athlete, died during a mountain trip in the Bayern Alps, while both his mother and father died that very same year. He then threw himself into sports and became one of the better volleyball players in Karlsruhe. Without any problems he got the SA Sportabzeichen in 1936. In 1938 he went to the RAD, and after that was transferred to 12 (MG) / IR 109. This regiment participated in the fighting in the West with Infanteriedivision 35, in the 6th Armee. Möloth was a Gefreiter trained on different weapons (k98, MG34, pistol) and technical gear (Scherfernrohr, Wetterdienstgerät). On the 21st of May 1940 the division reached the Schelde river near Bruyelle and Antoing, south of Tournai. British troops of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and the Royal Warwickshire Regiment had taken defensive positions there. The division had many casualties at the river bank by machine gun fire. One of them was Günther Möloth. He died instantly. His Wehrpass was sent to his sister one year later. Günther Möloth now rests in Lommel, Belgium, Block 26, Grave 245.

I have his Wehrpass, SA Leistungsbuch, letter that went with the Wehrpass, an article about his death, and a request of his sister to move his body to his home town - which was denied.

[Tim DC]

Wehrpass front

[Tim DC]

Personal details

[Tim DC]

His fights, which did not get completed as the last entry is for April 1940.

[Tim DC]

His only unit.

[Tim DC]

Gefallen.

[Tim DC]

His Leistungsbuch with photo from a different angle.

[Tim DC]

And last, a letter about his sister's request for the body to be transferred back home.

Please feel free to comment or add something of your own!

[peter u]

Hi Tim,

Super WP

One I would have killed for 5 years ago!
Enjoy them, just like I did in the past.

Cheers,
Peter

[Tim DC]

Thanks Peter! Here's one more.

Gerhard Volkmann from Breslau was the stepson of hotel owner Paul Panser. Gerhard himself was a laborer when in january 1937 he was called up for 2 months of service in Infanterieregiment 49. During the invasion in Poland he was called up again and after a month of training in a reserve unit (k98, MG34, MG08) he ended up in IR49 again, which was a regiment of Infanteriedivision 28. In may 1940 this division went through the Belgian Ardennes to France with the 4th Armee. The very first day of the invasion already proved to be fatal for Gerhard. He was part of the Radfahrzug of the regiment, which performed the dangerous recon missions. At the end of the 10th of May he was hit during such a mission, probably by the "Groupe K" of the "Chasseurs ardennais", a Belgian elite unit, near Trois-Ponts.

The Wehrpass was sent back to his mother. Unfortunately one of the family members has removed his photo. Gerhard Volkmann now rests in Lommel (Belgium), Block 15, Grave 306.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[Tim DC]

Cover.

[Tim DC]

Personal details.

[Tim DC]

His units, and note about his death.

[Tim DC]

And last, his activities. Only one real combat day on the 10th of May 1940.

Again, feel free to comment or add something of your own