Hello all,
I’d like to share with you this Panzerjäger Soldbuch that I picked up earlier this year. It belonged to a career Panzerjäger NCO by the name of Anton Schmitt who served as a Panzerjäger I crewmember with Panzerjäger-Abt.643 during the invasion of France in 1940 for which he was awarded the Panzer Assault Badge in silver and Iron Cross 2nd Class. In 1944/1945 he served as a crew member (and quite possibly commander) of a Marder III in Armee-Panzerjäger-Abt.744.
The Soldbuch was issued to Gefreiter Schmitt on 1.Sep.1939 via 2./Panzer-Abwehr-Abteilung.643, an independent Panzerjäger unit which had only recently been formed a few days earlier on 26.August 1939 (notice that there is a dated entry – 27.Aug.1939 in the “Kompanie” column in section C.a. on page 4). Schmitt’s Erkennungsmarke was issued via 2./Pz.Abw.Abt.643 (number 54) and his replacement unit was Pz.Abw.Ers.Abt.33 (based in Rawitsch).
Schmitt did not participate in the Invasion of Poland; instead his unit was placed under the command of Generalkommando der Grenztruppen Eiffel, 5. Armee, which at that time was commanded by General der Infanterie Erich Raschick (until 26.October 1939) and was stationed in the Eifel performing boarder security operations.
On 1.April 1940, Panzer-Abwehr-Abteilung.643 was renamed Panzerjäger-Abteilung (Sfl) 643 and on the same day Schmitt was promoted to Obergefreiter. It was around the same time that Panzerjäger-Abteilung (Sfl) 643 was sent to Wünsdorf (just south of central Berlin) where it was attached to Panzer-Lehr Regiment and for the next several months, as the 12.Kompanie, III.Bataillon, would receive self-propelled Panzerjäger training on the 4.7cm PaK(t) (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B, or more commonly referred to simply as the Panzerjäger I.
On 10.May 1940 Germany launched Operation Fall Gelb ad on that same day, Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 – which was still in Wünsdorf finishing up its training - was placed under the command of OKH-Reserve. Five days later on 15.May, having finally completed its training, Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 began its westward journey towards France (you can see the unit entry 2.Komp/Marschbattl. III/L entered on page 4, section C. line b and 12./E.Pz.Lehr.Rgt. entered on line 2 of section D).
By late May/early June 1940 Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 had reached the front lines of the western front and was fighting with the III.Armeekorps under the command of 12.Armee. Here is a list of some of the 12.Armee’s battle engagements which Schmitt likely participated in:
- Defensive Fighting by La Fére to Chemin des Dames and the Aisne River. 5.21.1940 - 6.4.1940
- Breakthrough Battles across the French Aisne Front. 6.9.1940 - 6.13.1940
- Pursuit Fighting across the Champagne Region and over the Rhein-Marne Canal to the Swiss Border. 6.14.1940 - 6.17.1940
- Pursuit Fighting on Both Sides of Cote d’Or. 6.18.1940 - 6.22.1940
- Attack Fighting against Isére and the Western Alps. 6.23.1940 - 6.25.1940
- Security on the Demarcation Line. 6.26.1940 - 7.2.1940
- Occupation of France. 7.3.1940- 12.31.1940
For his combat service in France Schmitt received the Iron Cross second class (on 5.July 1940 via the 12.Armee) and the Panzer assault badge in silver which was awarded on 27.August 1940 via Pz.Jg.Abt.643. Schmitt’s West Wall medal was awarded through Panzer-Lehr Regiment on 20.March 1940 but as you can see it was not entered until much later, after he received his PAB and EKII.
On 29.July 1940 Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 was transferred to the 2.Armee (from 12th Army, Army Group C) but according to the award and leave entries in Schmitts Soldbuch it was still attached to Panzer-Lehr Regiment. The last entry in Schmitt’s Soldbuch with a Panzer-Lehr Regiment stamp is a leave entry dated 22.December 1940. On 12.April 1941 Schmitt was promoted to Unteroffizier through 4.(Sfl.)/Pz.-Jäg.Ers.Abt.3.
For Operation Barbarossa Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 – still outfitted with Panzerjäger I - was placed under the command of the XXXIX Corps (mot.), Third Panzer Group, Army Group Center which was commanded by Knights Cross and Oakleaves recipient General der Panzertruppe Rudolf Schmidt.
Taken from Wikipedia:
Around November 1943 Schmitt was transferred to Armee-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 744, an independent self-propelled anti-tank unit created for and assigned to the 2.Armee. It had only recently been formed a few months earlier (October of 1943) and consisted of a Stabskompanie with three self-propelled Marder IIIs, a 1. and 2.Kompanie with 14 Marder IIIs each and a 3.Kompanie with 12 PaK.40s towed by Steyr RSOs (Raupenschlepper Ost).
Schmitt was assigned to the unit’s Stabskompanie which was outfitted with three Marder III ausf.M. He was issued an MP40 and binoculars and, given his prior experience serving on self-propelled Panzerjägers and his rank of Unteroffizier it is quite possible that he not only crewed one of the Stabskompanie's three Marder IIIs but could very well have been a vehicle commander.
By 1.December 1943 Panzerjäger-Abt.744 had received 25 of its 31 Marder IIIs; 2 in the Stabskompanie, 12 in the 1.Kompanie and 11 in the 2.Kompanie. The 3.Kompanie had 12 PaK.40 towed by Steyr RSOs.
The next few months were relatively quiet for Pz.Jäg.Abt.744. The following is taken from Nuts and Bolts #17:
On 22.June 1944 Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was transferred to Heeresgruppe Nordukraine and was subordinated to the VI. Hungarian Korps, first with the 1.Hungarian Army and later Armee-Gruppe “Raus.” In the fighting that followed in July 1944 (Stanislau and the Carpathian mountains) Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 lost one Marder III.
According to Nuts and Bolts #17:
Again from Nuts and Bolts #17:
Shortly after Schmitt was injured, what remained of Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was pulled from the front and sent to Milowitz to be trained on and refitted with Hetzers and after being transferred to the 1.Panzer-Armee it fought out the last days of the war in Czechoslovakia.
I have been able to identify two of the signatures in the Soldbuch; One is that of Oberleutnant Baatz (entered on pages 8 and 15 while he was commander of the Stabskompanie).
The second is the signature of Alfons Bonner who, on 09.March 1945 as commander of the 1.Pz.Jäg.Abt.744, was awarded the German Cross in Gold. All of Bonner’s signatures that appear in Schmitt’s Soldbuch were made while he was commander of the Stabskompanie (Baatz would take over when Bonner was transferred to the 1.Kompanie).
All in all it’s a nice original issue Soldbuch to a career Panzerjäger NCO. I find it quite interesting (and desirable) as he served in the later stages of “Fall Gelb” as a crewmember of a Panzerjäger I (of which only 202 were ever produced) for which he was awarded the Panzer Assault badge in silver and Iron Cross second class... I really like these early PAB in silver entries!
Needless to say the portrait photo of Schmitt in his field gray wrap is just outstanding 
You can see his silver PAB in wear, along with the EKII ribbon in the uppermost front buttonhole. His west wall ribbon is also visible.
I want to thank my friend Akira for allowing me to use some of his wonderful Panzerjäger I and Marder III images he has in his collection in this thread. It is great to see some images from the very units that Schmitt served with, so thanks again Akira!
I am hoping that someone might be able to identify some of the other signatures in Schmitt’s Soldbuch – particularly those from Panzer-Lehr Regiment.
That’s it for now… Hope you guys enjoy the images and reading through the research.
Best,
Rob
I’d like to share with you this Panzerjäger Soldbuch that I picked up earlier this year. It belonged to a career Panzerjäger NCO by the name of Anton Schmitt who served as a Panzerjäger I crewmember with Panzerjäger-Abt.643 during the invasion of France in 1940 for which he was awarded the Panzer Assault Badge in silver and Iron Cross 2nd Class. In 1944/1945 he served as a crew member (and quite possibly commander) of a Marder III in Armee-Panzerjäger-Abt.744.
The Soldbuch was issued to Gefreiter Schmitt on 1.Sep.1939 via 2./Panzer-Abwehr-Abteilung.643, an independent Panzerjäger unit which had only recently been formed a few days earlier on 26.August 1939 (notice that there is a dated entry – 27.Aug.1939 in the “Kompanie” column in section C.a. on page 4). Schmitt’s Erkennungsmarke was issued via 2./Pz.Abw.Abt.643 (number 54) and his replacement unit was Pz.Abw.Ers.Abt.33 (based in Rawitsch).
Schmitt did not participate in the Invasion of Poland; instead his unit was placed under the command of Generalkommando der Grenztruppen Eiffel, 5. Armee, which at that time was commanded by General der Infanterie Erich Raschick (until 26.October 1939) and was stationed in the Eifel performing boarder security operations.
On 1.April 1940, Panzer-Abwehr-Abteilung.643 was renamed Panzerjäger-Abteilung (Sfl) 643 and on the same day Schmitt was promoted to Obergefreiter. It was around the same time that Panzerjäger-Abteilung (Sfl) 643 was sent to Wünsdorf (just south of central Berlin) where it was attached to Panzer-Lehr Regiment and for the next several months, as the 12.Kompanie, III.Bataillon, would receive self-propelled Panzerjäger training on the 4.7cm PaK(t) (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B, or more commonly referred to simply as the Panzerjäger I.
On 10.May 1940 Germany launched Operation Fall Gelb ad on that same day, Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 – which was still in Wünsdorf finishing up its training - was placed under the command of OKH-Reserve. Five days later on 15.May, having finally completed its training, Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 began its westward journey towards France (you can see the unit entry 2.Komp/Marschbattl. III/L entered on page 4, section C. line b and 12./E.Pz.Lehr.Rgt. entered on line 2 of section D).
By late May/early June 1940 Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 had reached the front lines of the western front and was fighting with the III.Armeekorps under the command of 12.Armee. Here is a list of some of the 12.Armee’s battle engagements which Schmitt likely participated in:
- Defensive Fighting by La Fére to Chemin des Dames and the Aisne River. 5.21.1940 - 6.4.1940
- Breakthrough Battles across the French Aisne Front. 6.9.1940 - 6.13.1940
- Pursuit Fighting across the Champagne Region and over the Rhein-Marne Canal to the Swiss Border. 6.14.1940 - 6.17.1940
- Pursuit Fighting on Both Sides of Cote d’Or. 6.18.1940 - 6.22.1940
- Attack Fighting against Isére and the Western Alps. 6.23.1940 - 6.25.1940
- Security on the Demarcation Line. 6.26.1940 - 7.2.1940
- Occupation of France. 7.3.1940- 12.31.1940
For his combat service in France Schmitt received the Iron Cross second class (on 5.July 1940 via the 12.Armee) and the Panzer assault badge in silver which was awarded on 27.August 1940 via Pz.Jg.Abt.643. Schmitt’s West Wall medal was awarded through Panzer-Lehr Regiment on 20.March 1940 but as you can see it was not entered until much later, after he received his PAB and EKII.
On 29.July 1940 Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 was transferred to the 2.Armee (from 12th Army, Army Group C) but according to the award and leave entries in Schmitts Soldbuch it was still attached to Panzer-Lehr Regiment. The last entry in Schmitt’s Soldbuch with a Panzer-Lehr Regiment stamp is a leave entry dated 22.December 1940. On 12.April 1941 Schmitt was promoted to Unteroffizier through 4.(Sfl.)/Pz.-Jäg.Ers.Abt.3.
For Operation Barbarossa Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 – still outfitted with Panzerjäger I - was placed under the command of the XXXIX Corps (mot.), Third Panzer Group, Army Group Center which was commanded by Knights Cross and Oakleaves recipient General der Panzertruppe Rudolf Schmidt.
Taken from Wikipedia:
"Army Group Center was the strongest of the three German formations. Commanded by Field Marshal Fedor von Bock , it included the 4th and 9th Army, the 2nd and 3rd Panzer Groups and the 2nd Air Fleet. By mid-August 1941 it had crushed Soviet forces in huge encirclement battles: Battle of Białystok-Minsk and Battle of Smolensk. In spite of terrible losses, Soviet resistance was fierce and self-sacrificing. A partisan movement disrupted German supply lines. Bitter fighting in the Battle of Smolensk as well as the Lötzen decision delayed the German advance for two months. The advance of Army Group Centre was further delayed as Hitler ordered a postponement of the offensive against Moscow, and to conquer Ukraine first.
The German offensive against Moscow was resumed on 30 September 1941. The delays turned out to be fatal to the German forces fighting their way on the approaches to the Soviet capital. Autumn rains turned roads into mud. In November, an unusually harsh winter set in, catching the Germans ill-equipped for winter warfare. Meanwhile, Soviet resistance grew plainly desperate, as soldiers engaged in infantry combat against German tanks. Suffering tremendous losses, the Soviets finally stopped the German advance in late November 1941, when the advance elements of the German Army had the distant spires of the Moscow Kremlin in sight. [ citation needed ] The Soviet counter-offensive in the Battle of Moscow , which started on 6 December 1941, would mark the first decisive blow against the German invaders, and the failure of the German Blitzkrieg. Army Group Centre was driven back out of reach of Moscow by April 1942"
At the end of March, 1942, the Stab and 2./Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 was integrated into Panzerjäger-Abteilung “Großdeutschland” however Schmitt was transferred to his training and replacement unit, 4.(Sfl.)/Pz.-Jäg.Ers.Abt.3 and based on the entries in his Soldbuch it appears he remained for roughly the next 7 months, until being transferred to the Panzer-Erersatzteillager OKH.D in February of 1943 where he would spend the next 9 months. I can’t say for sure if Schmitt fought in Russia as there are no entries for Panzerjäger-Abteilung(Sfl)643 during this time, only 4.(Sfl.)/Pz.-Jäg.Ers.Abt.3. He did not receive any awards or medals so it’s possible that he was with 4.(Sfl.)/Pz.-Jäg.Ers.Abt.3 the entire time. Perhaps he saw limited service on the eastern front, but without further documentation the answer will remain a mystery. The German offensive against Moscow was resumed on 30 September 1941. The delays turned out to be fatal to the German forces fighting their way on the approaches to the Soviet capital. Autumn rains turned roads into mud. In November, an unusually harsh winter set in, catching the Germans ill-equipped for winter warfare. Meanwhile, Soviet resistance grew plainly desperate, as soldiers engaged in infantry combat against German tanks. Suffering tremendous losses, the Soviets finally stopped the German advance in late November 1941, when the advance elements of the German Army had the distant spires of the Moscow Kremlin in sight. [ citation needed ] The Soviet counter-offensive in the Battle of Moscow , which started on 6 December 1941, would mark the first decisive blow against the German invaders, and the failure of the German Blitzkrieg. Army Group Centre was driven back out of reach of Moscow by April 1942"
Around November 1943 Schmitt was transferred to Armee-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 744, an independent self-propelled anti-tank unit created for and assigned to the 2.Armee. It had only recently been formed a few months earlier (October of 1943) and consisted of a Stabskompanie with three self-propelled Marder IIIs, a 1. and 2.Kompanie with 14 Marder IIIs each and a 3.Kompanie with 12 PaK.40s towed by Steyr RSOs (Raupenschlepper Ost).
Schmitt was assigned to the unit’s Stabskompanie which was outfitted with three Marder III ausf.M. He was issued an MP40 and binoculars and, given his prior experience serving on self-propelled Panzerjägers and his rank of Unteroffizier it is quite possible that he not only crewed one of the Stabskompanie's three Marder IIIs but could very well have been a vehicle commander.
By 1.December 1943 Panzerjäger-Abt.744 had received 25 of its 31 Marder IIIs; 2 in the Stabskompanie, 12 in the 1.Kompanie and 11 in the 2.Kompanie. The 3.Kompanie had 12 PaK.40 towed by Steyr RSOs.
The next few months were relatively quiet for Pz.Jäg.Abt.744. The following is taken from Nuts and Bolts #17:
“From the time of its creation until June 1944 Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was directly subordinated to the 2.Armee as an Armee troop. After the retreat to the Pripjet river the front remained relatively quiet for the most of the first part of 1944. The large swamps in the Pripjet area made the employment of armored vehicles somewhat difficult. Thus Panzerjäger-Abt.744 did not see much action and thus loss to men and equipment remained remarkably low.”
On 3.March 1944 3./Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was reorganized and thus was refitted with Marder III (replacing its towed PaK.40) which the Abteilung started to receive later that same month. A few weeks later Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 received an additional 11 Marder III which brought the 3.Kompanie up to full strength and, with a total of 44, Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was just one Marder III short of the 45 total it should have had. Unit records show a loss of two Marder III due to combat in May 1944. On 22.June 1944 Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was transferred to Heeresgruppe Nordukraine and was subordinated to the VI. Hungarian Korps, first with the 1.Hungarian Army and later Armee-Gruppe “Raus.” In the fighting that followed in July 1944 (Stanislau and the Carpathian mountains) Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 lost one Marder III.
According to Nuts and Bolts #17:
“In August 1944 Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was transferred into the sector of the XXXXII Armee-Korps. During the fighting and retreat towards the Vistula river four more Marder III were lost in August and September.”
The book goes on to state that:“The following months passed relatively quiet. Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 remained subordinated to the XXXXII Korps. The Korps was guarding a sector on the left flank of the 4.Panzer-Armee from the river Vistula at Boiska to Maruszow and on to the mouth of the Opatowka river. The southern flank of the corps touched the Russian bridgehead in the area of Baranow, where the Russian 1st Ukrainian front was preparing for its breakout offensive.“
In September 1944 Schmitt was issued binoculars and an MP40 and on 24.December he received a complement of cold weather field gear (field jacket, headgear, etc.). By 30.December 1944 Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was down to 37 Marder III – all of which were operational. Again from Nuts and Bolts #17:
“Two weeks later, on 12.January 1945 the 1.Ukrainian front broke out of the Baranow bridgehead after a devastating artillery preparation. The German positions were easily overrun. Although the main action took place more to the south and no direct attack was launched on the front of the XXXXII.Korps, Panzerjäger-Abt.744 was soon caught in the maelstrom of general retreat and had to quickly escape to the north-west. Within a few weeks of bitter fighting in the area of Ostrowiec to the north of Kielce, Petrikau, Litzmannstatt and during the further retreat towards the Oder river, most of the Marders were lost.”
It was in this massive preparatory artillery barrage and the subsequent chaotic German retreat that Schmitt was injured. On 20.January 1945 Schmitt was admitted to Res.Laz.III Karlsbad and on 10.February his wound was entered into his Soldbuch as a code "34" - an accident. His injury must have been quite severe as his left foot had to be amputated at the ankle. What’s interesting is that Schmitt was awarded the silver wound badge on 13.April 1945 so it would appear that his wound was received due to being injured during combat. Shortly after Schmitt was injured, what remained of Pz.Jäg.Abt.744 was pulled from the front and sent to Milowitz to be trained on and refitted with Hetzers and after being transferred to the 1.Panzer-Armee it fought out the last days of the war in Czechoslovakia.
I have been able to identify two of the signatures in the Soldbuch; One is that of Oberleutnant Baatz (entered on pages 8 and 15 while he was commander of the Stabskompanie).
The second is the signature of Alfons Bonner who, on 09.March 1945 as commander of the 1.Pz.Jäg.Abt.744, was awarded the German Cross in Gold. All of Bonner’s signatures that appear in Schmitt’s Soldbuch were made while he was commander of the Stabskompanie (Baatz would take over when Bonner was transferred to the 1.Kompanie).
All in all it’s a nice original issue Soldbuch to a career Panzerjäger NCO. I find it quite interesting (and desirable) as he served in the later stages of “Fall Gelb” as a crewmember of a Panzerjäger I (of which only 202 were ever produced) for which he was awarded the Panzer Assault badge in silver and Iron Cross second class... I really like these early PAB in silver entries!
Needless to say the portrait photo of Schmitt in his field gray wrap is just outstanding You can see his silver PAB in wear, along with the EKII ribbon in the uppermost front buttonhole. His west wall ribbon is also visible. I want to thank my friend Akira for allowing me to use some of his wonderful Panzerjäger I and Marder III images he has in his collection in this thread. It is great to see some images from the very units that Schmitt served with, so thanks again Akira!
I am hoping that someone might be able to identify some of the other signatures in Schmitt’s Soldbuch – particularly those from Panzer-Lehr Regiment.
That’s it for now… Hope you guys enjoy the images and reading through the research.
Best,
Rob
Comment