New Battle-Damaged Soldbuch

[Stormfighter]

I just picked up this Soldbuch and thought I would share it since it has some real character. Walter Schuele was a butcher and lived in Berlin before he entered the service in 1940. He initially served as a butcher, but later served with Artillerie Regimnt 361 and finally with Panzerjaeger-Abteilung 1559 of the 559. Volksgrenadier Division, which served on the Western Front. As you can see, the Soldbuch - and probably Schuele - took a hell of a hit from a piece of shrapnel. I assume it was fatal for Schuele, but who knows. I have already written to Germany to learn of his fate and will keep everyone posted.

Barry

[Stormfighter]

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[Panzer Rob]

Wow... that's a brutal shrapnel hole. Considering these were usually carried in the front upper or lower pocket of the soldiers tunics I'd say there's a very small chance Schüle escaped unscathed. A rather sobering reminder of and true testament to the horrors of combat these Soldbücher bore witness to.

Rob

[Jochen1000]

Very interesting soldbuch - thanks for showing! Is there no wounds-page?

By the way (the old question) who have you written to in Germany? And what is your trick to get a decent reply?

[Ian Jewison]

Barry,

Not sure if you checked but he is not listed on the Gräbersuche.

Of course it is all dependant where he kept his Soldbuch....I have one to a Major which I will show when I return home, but that has a large hole through the middle with traces of blood......the only wound recorded for which he got a Silver Wound Badge was to his ass.....pretty much proving he did not have his Soldbuch in his left breast pocket

/Ian

[PzV]

Barry, I have a Soldbuch with a similar hit and he was KIA (inside)

Jim

[PzV]

outside in sleeve

[Panzer Rob]

Barry,

Not sure if you checked but he is not listed on the Gräbersuche.

Of course it is all dependant where he kept his Soldbuch....I have one to a Major which I will show when I return home, but that has a large hole through the middle with traces of blood......the only wound recorded for which he got a Silver Wound Badge was to his ass.....pretty much proving he did not have his Soldbuch in his left breast pocket

/Ian

There's always an exception to everything, and damned if you aren't the one to always find it

Sounds like a great book and I hope you can post it.

Rob

[Panzer Rob]

Barry, I have a Soldbuch with a similar hit and he was KIA (inside)

Jim

Jim,

I remember when you originally posted this SB after you first got it... An amazing piece. Glad it wound up in your collection.

Rob

[Hundestaffel]

Great Soldbuch Barry.....these battle damaged books are always chilling yet fascinating....

A while back, I sold to a friend of mine a leather wallet from a HG Luftwaffe member in which he carried note only pocket change, but also some of his military ID papers. The wallet was heavily shrapnel damaged making confetti out of the papers and cleanly slicing through 6 or 7 of the coins, the entry of the shrapnel and the damage to the paper / coins lining up perfectly...a very twisted piece indeed....


"Hundestaffel"

[Gerdan]

I tried the Volksbund list and could n o t find Walter Schuele as KIA or MIA.

Gerdan