I am a collector of items, mostly photographs but also other things (Soldbücher, award docs, etc.), relating to the Luftwaffen-Felddivisionen. For my own research purposes, I work with a lot of documentation from the US National Archives regarding these divisions. Most of the documents I deal with relate to organizational and operational history only, but every once and awhile I run into something like this. I happened to stumble into the following while looking through the divisional records of the 21. Luftwaffen-Felddivision:
The above was a copy taken directly from the microfilm. Through extreme coincidence and good fortune, I happen to also own a Soldbuch from a Lw. Stabsgefreiter who was serving in Lw.Feld-Bataillon z.b.V. 3 at the time that the above order was issued. Lw.Feld-Bataillon z.b.V. 3 was a Lw. penal unit that was formed from elements of the 21. Lw.Felddivision before that division was transferred to the Heer in October 1943. Even when the division was transferred to the Heer, the three Lw. penal battalions (z.b.V. 1, 2 and 3) that were previously subordinate to the 21. Lw.Feldddivision remained attached to it, although they were not "permanent" elements of the division and were later detached in 1944. Page 15 of this soldier's Soldbuch:
Since Lw. Feld-Bataillon z.b.V. 3 was not actually a sub-unit of the division, the wording of entry is slightly diffferent then ordered, and the course was taken about ten days later, through the penal battalion itself. However, I believe this still presents an excellent example to all those interested of how Soldbuch entries can appear in actual divisional orders. Personally, I also like the fact that his relates to a close combat tank destruction course.
Jason
The above was a copy taken directly from the microfilm. Through extreme coincidence and good fortune, I happen to also own a Soldbuch from a Lw. Stabsgefreiter who was serving in Lw.Feld-Bataillon z.b.V. 3 at the time that the above order was issued. Lw.Feld-Bataillon z.b.V. 3 was a Lw. penal unit that was formed from elements of the 21. Lw.Felddivision before that division was transferred to the Heer in October 1943. Even when the division was transferred to the Heer, the three Lw. penal battalions (z.b.V. 1, 2 and 3) that were previously subordinate to the 21. Lw.Feldddivision remained attached to it, although they were not "permanent" elements of the division and were later detached in 1944. Page 15 of this soldier's Soldbuch:
Since Lw. Feld-Bataillon z.b.V. 3 was not actually a sub-unit of the division, the wording of entry is slightly diffferent then ordered, and the course was taken about ten days later, through the penal battalion itself. However, I believe this still presents an excellent example to all those interested of how Soldbuch entries can appear in actual divisional orders. Personally, I also like the fact that his relates to a close combat tank destruction course.
Jason
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