Hello,
Maybe it's interesting to show this Wehrpass. The guy was based only 5 kilometres behind Omaha Beach and fought later by Bayeux , Caen and Falaise.
Gerhard Martin Ortmann was born on 21.03.1925 in Fröhdorf; kreis Hohensalza, now Poland. He wasn't married and had no children. In his normal life he was a farmer but it seems this life wasn't much exciting because he voluntered the Luftwaffe in 1942(only 17 years old). The wehrpass was opened on 12.10.1942 and from 28.10.1942 he was in training with Flieger Regiment 32 that was based in Rochefort; France. Then he was transferred back to Germany with Flak-Scheinwerfer-Ersatz-Abteilung 24 based in Rendsburg. After he trained with the "scheinwerfer" he was for the second time transferred to France to join 5./ Reserve Flak abteilung 497, later renamed in Gemischte Flak Abteilung 497. The unit was based in Tarascon, Bordeaux and the Somme estuate. Since May 1944, a month before the allied invasion, the unit was based in Normandy between Bayeux and Isigny sur Mer, behind the Omaha Beach sector. In that time the abteilung was part of Flak-Sturm-Regiment 1, commanded by Werner von Kistowski(Longest Day). This regiment was along with the other F. Sturm Regiments part of the III. Flakkorps; all it's units were on D-day in the Somme area except Flak-Sturm-Regiment 1. Flak abteilung 497 was also known as II./Flak-Sturm-Regiment 1 and had 4 heavy battery's and 2 light battery's and was eqquiped with 88 mm. guns.
On D-Day the Regiment was a couple of kilometres behind the Beach in a triangle. Ortmann was based with his abteilung in Longueville only 5 kilometres behind Vierville sur Mer and the guns could reach the beach easily but they only take fire on the airplanes. Later on D-Day the regiment pulled back and in the evening of 6 june the regiment was in the area of Bayeux to fight against the British forces. Later the Korps was fighting in the area of Caen and parts were caught in the Falaise gap. The remains pulled back to Germany and fought later in the Battle of the Bulge and the Eiffel.
He was allowed to use the Karabiner 98K, the MG 15 and the Pistole 38. He was also promoted on 01.02.1944 to a Gefreiter. The last entry in the Wehrpass is from 13.07.1944 so possibly he was taken POW or he survived Normandie and came back with the regiment in the Ardennes and the Eiffel.
Thanks for looking!
Maybe it's interesting to show this Wehrpass. The guy was based only 5 kilometres behind Omaha Beach and fought later by Bayeux , Caen and Falaise.
Gerhard Martin Ortmann was born on 21.03.1925 in Fröhdorf; kreis Hohensalza, now Poland. He wasn't married and had no children. In his normal life he was a farmer but it seems this life wasn't much exciting because he voluntered the Luftwaffe in 1942(only 17 years old). The wehrpass was opened on 12.10.1942 and from 28.10.1942 he was in training with Flieger Regiment 32 that was based in Rochefort; France. Then he was transferred back to Germany with Flak-Scheinwerfer-Ersatz-Abteilung 24 based in Rendsburg. After he trained with the "scheinwerfer" he was for the second time transferred to France to join 5./ Reserve Flak abteilung 497, later renamed in Gemischte Flak Abteilung 497. The unit was based in Tarascon, Bordeaux and the Somme estuate. Since May 1944, a month before the allied invasion, the unit was based in Normandy between Bayeux and Isigny sur Mer, behind the Omaha Beach sector. In that time the abteilung was part of Flak-Sturm-Regiment 1, commanded by Werner von Kistowski(Longest Day). This regiment was along with the other F. Sturm Regiments part of the III. Flakkorps; all it's units were on D-day in the Somme area except Flak-Sturm-Regiment 1. Flak abteilung 497 was also known as II./Flak-Sturm-Regiment 1 and had 4 heavy battery's and 2 light battery's and was eqquiped with 88 mm. guns.
On D-Day the Regiment was a couple of kilometres behind the Beach in a triangle. Ortmann was based with his abteilung in Longueville only 5 kilometres behind Vierville sur Mer and the guns could reach the beach easily but they only take fire on the airplanes. Later on D-Day the regiment pulled back and in the evening of 6 june the regiment was in the area of Bayeux to fight against the British forces. Later the Korps was fighting in the area of Caen and parts were caught in the Falaise gap. The remains pulled back to Germany and fought later in the Battle of the Bulge and the Eiffel.
He was allowed to use the Karabiner 98K, the MG 15 and the Pistole 38. He was also promoted on 01.02.1944 to a Gefreiter. The last entry in the Wehrpass is from 13.07.1944 so possibly he was taken POW or he survived Normandie and came back with the regiment in the Ardennes and the Eiffel.
Thanks for looking!
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