Lets see your Panzer crew member Soldbuchs

[Stormfighter]

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[Stormfighter]

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[Stormfighter]

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[JUNGCO]

Nice one Barry!
Jeff

[Luft 76]

Very nice group indeed !

[mufasa]

, a Rohrbuch (Record Log for a Gun Barrel) that Kretschmer kept that notes the exact type of 7,5 cm barrel that was attached to his Panzer IV H or J and also the chassis number of his tank, and last but not least, a handwritten page titled Besondere Postenanweisung (Special Orders). Barry

very interesting!!! and great soldbuch.
Oriano

[Edward]

That is a really a nice Soldbuch with some neat additions Barry. Just some observations that make it even more interesting.

- Transfer of a wartime wounded front Infantry other rank veteran to a Panzer Regiment instead of other cases more familiarly found between the Artillery and StuG branches. I know it happened during the war, but your Infantry to Panzer transfer Soldbuch is the only one I can recall seeing on the WAF.

- Interesting that he was given the Bronze assault award for having served in the 72nd ID!

- The Sherman profile card is cool. Have never seen that before. From the information he likely knew the specifications of that feindlichen Panzer front and back.

- Further research should be possible with the Oblt. Jans information that you have as to location ect...

[Stormfighter]

- Further research should be possible with the Oblt. Jans information that you have as to location ect...

I did some research and learned that Kretschmer's company commander was Oberleutnant Peter Jans, who was awarded the Ehrenblattspange (Honor Roll Clasp) on 7 November 1944 while still serving with the 7./Panzer-Regiment 3.

[Gary T]

I very much doubt he was awarded the Panzer Assault Badge in Bronze by 72 ID. Suggests to me he was at that time in a panzer grenadier unit.

[brooksbz]

This is a very nice set. PR3 sets are rare!

[Stormfighter]

I very much doubt he was awarded the Panzer Assault Badge in Bronze by 72 ID. Suggests to me he was at that time in a panzer grenadier unit.

That's a very good point.

[Stormfighter]

This is a very nice set. PR3 sets are rare!

Yes, it's strange that Panzer-Regiment 3 IDs don't come up very often. What is also unusual is that this Soldbuch has so many interesting extras. It makes me wonder why we don't see such extras such as the Rohrbuch, Sherman tank information sheet, Postenanweisung, Merkblatt concerning the prevention of barrel bursts, prayer card, etc. in other Panzer Soldbücher.

[Panzer Rob]

I was very happy to get this Soldbuch that was brought back from Normandy by a U.S. veteran. Albert Kretschmer originally served with the 72. Infanterie-Division on the Eastern Front, where he earned the Tank Assault Badge in Bronze, the Eastern Front Medal, and the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Kretschmer suffered from a condition called venous ulcer of his left lower leg. Like many other infantrymen suffering from leg issues, he transferred to the Panzerwaffe (Panzer Arm). Kretschmer was trained as a Richtschütze (Gunner) of a Panzer IV and when the 2. Panzer-Division refitted in Amiens, France, in late 1943, Kretschmer was assigned to the 7. Kompanie of Panzer-Regiment 3 commanded by Oberleutnant Jans (Oblt. Jans' signature appears six times in the Soldbuch). On 15 March 1944, Kretschmer was issued a second-issue Soldbuch because his original was no longer useable. The next day, he was isued a P-38.

In the back pocket of the Soldbuch are several photos, including a photo of the 7. Kompanie in the field. There is also a rare Merkblatt (Information Sheet) concerning how to prevent barrel bursts, a Rohrbuch (Record Log for a Gun Barrel) that Kretschmer kept that notes the exact type of 7,5 cm barrel that was attached to his Panzer IV H or J and also the chassis number of his tank, and last but not least, a handwritten page titled Besondere Postenanweisung (Special Orders). In Section 2 of this page, Kretschmer notes that he is the 1. Uffz. (Lead NCO), who was assigned to the Panzer 701 of Oberleutnant Jans. Also in the back pocket of the Soldbuch are an information sheet about the Sherman tank, a print showing the Last Supper that was given to Kretschmer by the Catholic priest of the 2. Panzer-Division, K. Jost, and his award document for the Eastern Front Medal (the original of this document must have been lost because it was issued by Panzer-Regiment 3 on 20 April 1944, not by the 72. Infanterie-Division on 30 July 1942). The award document was signed by the regimental commander of Panzer-Regiment 3, Oberst Traugott Köhn, who was killed in Normandy on 20 July 1944.

Panzer-Regiment 3 of the 2. Panzer-Division joined the fighting in Normandy in July 1944 and enaged the British 50th Infantry Division and 7th Armoured Division. Most of the 2. Panzer-Division was encircled and destroyed in the Falaise Pocket in August 1944. The last entry in Kretschmer's Soldbuch is 18 May 1944. Because his name does not appear on the German War Graves website, I assume that Kretschmer was captured in July or August 1944.

Barry

AWESOME 2.Pz.Div Soldbuch / group Barry! I have a Soldbuch and award document grouping to a soldier who was a Panther crew member in the 2.Kompanie. He was very lucky and managed to escape the Falaise pocket (received the EKII and PAB in September '44) but was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.

It's nice to see another Soldbuch from the same Regiment Congrats on scoring this one for your incredibly impressive and ever growing Normandy '44/ D Day ID collection!

Rob

[brooksbz]

Rob: This is such a wonderful Soldbuch. You are fortunate to own it. Someday I would like to find a Normandy panzer Soldbuck just like that!! Congratulations!

[Admiraal]

I acquired this little Soldbuch grouping resently. I haven't fully researched it yet.

The soldier went into the army in 1940. His first field unit would be the short-lived Infanterie-Regiment 541 which was disbanded after defeating France.
The soldier was hospitalized with some sort of mental problem for a few months.
Hereafter the soldier went to a few Heimat-Kraftfahrpark's (motor pools).
At some time he received artillery training and was send to Artillerie-Regiment 33 in Sicily, Italy.