U-Boat Wehrpass/Soldbuch set

[Gordon Williamson]

Obviously sets of both Wehrpass and Soldbuch to the same guy are fairly rare - even better though when the guy is U-Boat !

Here is an interesting one to a guy who served on the destroyer Erich Koellner, his ship was sunk at Narvik, and he ended up as a prisoner of the Norwegians.
Note the third entry from bottom on the second image "Norwegische Gefangenschaft". He was in the pokey for exactly one month before being released.

[Gordon Williamson]

Then, he transfers to U-Boats and served on U-386. This boat was depth charged to the surface by the Frigate HMS Spey. The Commander and 15 crew were saved, but Weyel wasn't one of them.



On the second image are listed his awards,EK2, Minensucherabzeichen, Zerstörer Abzeichen, Narvikschild, Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2 Kl. mit Schwertern and U-Bootkriegsabzeichen.



Gordon

[Tim Calvert]

Nice "stuff" GW! Thanks for sharing.
It seems that serving on a U-boat took a big toll on this guy's hairline!

[Gordon Williamson]

Tim,

You're right. Nineteen years old in the first photo, twenty five in the second, but you'd guess a much greater age gap from his appearance in the second. U-386 did four war cruises and suffered either serious depth charge damage and/or attack by Liberator aircraft on every cruise. Guess that kind iof life is bound to take it's toll.

Gordon

[Mike Kenny]

Hi Gordon,

Nice grouping!

Were U-boat crew soldbuchs collected prior to a boat's departure and held in port? If not, as Weyel was essentially KIA, how did the Soldbuch end up back in Germany (I assume U-386 was sunk after being forced to the curface)? Just curious.

Regards
Mike K

[Gordon Williamson]

Mike,

From U-Boat vets I have spoken to, it seems that it was normal procedure for the Soldbuch to be held on shore. Not much need to have an ID with you in the enclosed confinse of a U-Boat where everyone knew each other. I am not sure if this was common throughout the navy or just with U-Boats. Given the number of U-Boat Soldbücher in collections with the red "X" through it for guys who were KIA it seems to have been at least common practise if not official procedure, to leave them behind when going to sea.

Gordon

[Gary T]

Gordon,

Any chance of posting pages 18 - 19 from the wehrpass?

Cheers,
Gary.

[Gordon Williamson]

Here you go.

There must be another Wehrpass to Weyel in existence somewhere as this one only covers the period up to his experiences in Norway on the Erich Koellner.

[Simon O.]

Hi Gordon
An interesting set. Especially for me with its Narvik connection.
It might be worth you tracking down a copy of the 1941 book by Kapitänleutnant Heye "Z-13. von Kiel bis Narvik" which is the story of the Erich Koellner's actions at Narvik and the crew's story up until the end of the Norwegian campaign. It includes details of the crew's time in a Norwegian POW camp at Vardø in the far North with pictures.
I've seen the book crop up on the German e-bay quite often recently and can be bought quite cheaply.

Below is a scan from the front of my copy of the book. I really need a bit of help with the sutterlin which always gives me problems. I'm ok with " Lieber Martin..." but thats about it. Nice stamp of the 'Führer der ünterseeboote Norwegen"





regards

Simon

[bhholst]

Hello Simon:
Here is my reading of the letter you posted:
Lieber Martin.
Zur Erinnerung an Deinen heutigen Ehrentag und gemeinsames Erlebnis in Ungarn moechte ich Dir zugleich im Auftrage der Elternschaft der Walddorferschule dieses kleine Angebinde ueberreichen.
Majs am 4.8.42 F. Kirschstein
Stamp in l. field is that of a children evacuation (KLV or Kinderlandverschickung) camp in Hungary w/number 225 in MAJS

as you indicated the above seems a dedication inscribed in the book you mention.
Bernhard H. Holst
former participant in such program.

[Simon O.]

Hi Bernhard
Vielen dank for the help. Its the first time i've heard of the KLV, was it a similar program to the British evacuation of children from the cities?



kind regards as ever

Simon

[bhholst]

Hello Simon.
The KLV was a similar program but involved students of 10 years up and if my recollection serves me right only from higher learning institutions (then called Oberschule) and situated in air raid threatened cities. However that did not always work out because selected 'safe' locales also were considered targets as the air war progressed. What I did not know until your post is that camps apparently were even located in Hungary.
Bernhard h. Holst

[Simon O.]

I wouldn't have thought that they would have sent children to foreign countries, even if they were allied to Germany at the time. I wonder what other countries took in these children?


Simon