Post your favorite acquisitions of 2012

[Panzer Rob]

Another absolute gem I was able to score in 2012 was this fantastic Battle of Arnhem StuG.Brig.280 Soldbuch and document grouping to Hermann Wehner. Here's a link to the thread where this one has been showcased:

[Panzer Rob]

Some of you might remember that a few years ago I managed to score a Wehrpass to Rolf Schleicher, an officer and Ferdinand/Elefant commander in s.Pz.Jäg.Abt.653. Schleicher served first as a StuG gunner and then StuG commander in StuG.Abt.197 and then (after StuG.Abt.197 was used to form s.Pz.-Jäg.Abt.653) as a Ferdinand commander. His actual vehicle (Ferdinand #124) is shown multiple times in Karlheinz Münch's excellent work on schwere-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653, and there are even a few photos in there credited to Schleicher, along with a group photo showing him wearing a light gray (or mouse gray) wrap with black panzer tabs attached to the collar, taken at wars end just before the Abteilung surrendered to the Americans. Schleicher served in the 1.Kompanie as the commander of Ferdinand 124 until December of 1944 when he was made commander of the Abteilung's recovery platoon, and at which point the unit was equipped with Jagdtigers. Well, I am happy to say that this year through the help of Brian Carver I was able to acquire Leutnant Schleicher's award documents - including the citation for his PAB.25. I had to pay an outrageous amount of money for them - much too much - but it didn't really matter. I am just absolutely thrilled to have been able to reunite them with the Wehrpass. Thanks again, Brian!



And here's a shot of a few of the award documents, reunited with the Wehrpass

[Panzer Rob]

While not an ID, I did manage to pick up a set of issued and worn Feldwebel Panzerjäger shoulder straps with silver gilt "P" ciphers which exactly match the pair being worn on the field gray wrapper in the portrait photo in a Soldbuch I own - part of a much larger ID and award document grouping to a StuG.III commander I have had in my collection for many years. These straps came out of a very old collection from France and haven't been touched since the end of the war. Notice that there's a beautiful patina on the silver gilt wash. The straps beautifully complement the rest of the grouping

[Panzer Rob]

Another major score for me was a Soldbuch, Wehrpass, photo and award document grouping to a Panther crew member who served in Panzer-Regiment "Großdeutschland" and won his PAB in silver while crewing a Panther with "Großdeutschland" - as the Kampftage sheet clearly illustrates

The cuff did not come with the grouping - I added it.

[Panzer Rob]

Another "Großdeutschland" related additon worth mentioning is this Soldbuch to a member of "Führer-Grenadier-Division" by the name of Hermann Howeg. The Soldbuch is a replacement, issued on 2.November 1944 through the Genesenden-Batterie/Stu.Gesch.Ers.u.Ausb.Abt.200. On the inside front cover is a very nice photo of Howeg wearing a field gray wrap. You can clearly see that he wears the early style collar tabs which have had their metal Totenkopf removed, and while not very visible in the scan, also visible in the photo are the "200" marked slip-on tabs on Howeg's shoulder straps. You can also just make out the top of Howeg's GAB.

According to the entries on page 22, Howeg was awarded the eastern front medal in October 1942, the KVK.II with swords on 1.September 1943, the GAB on 17.July 1944 followed by the Iron Cross second class just 8 days later, and, on 12.October 1944, the back wound badge for shrapnel wounds he received around mid-September of the same year. All of these awards were received while Howeg was serving with Sturmgeschütz-Abt.226. My guess is that Howeg lost his Soldbuch when he was wounded and, after being released from hospital and upon his return to his training and replacement unit, was issued this replacement (just speculation of course). In late-January 1945 Howeg was transferred to 4.(Sturmgeschütz)Kompanie/"Führer-Grenadier-Division" and shortly after to the 5./Panzer-Abt."Führer-Grenadier-Division" which was outfitted with Panthers. As you can see from pages 6/7, on 4.Feb.1945 Howeg was issued black Sonderbekleidung. By late March 1945, after near-constant combat in and around Stargard, Lauban and Küstrin, the surviving companies had been consolidated and were fighting with a mix of Panthers, Jagdpanthers, Jagdpanzer IV L/70s, Panzer IVs, StuG.IIIs and StuG.IVs. In early April the "Führer-Grenadier-Division" was fighting in and around Vienna and by mid April was assembled in defensive positions northeast of Vienna, around Korneuburg and Leobendorf, just east of Stockerau where it remained until the end of the war. Notice that Howeg was issued a P38 on 5.May 1945.

[Panzer Rob]

This one came in earlier this year, a Soldbuch to a Panzerjäger I and later Marder III crewmember which has been showcased here in this link.

[Ralle84]

I was able to secure this one.

[Panzer Rob]

A few other additions off the top of my head; a Soldbuch to a member of SS-Flak.Abt.12 who was a SdKfz.7/1 crew member and was wounded in an aerial attack on 6.June 1944 and later killed in January 1945; a Soldbuch to a member of Pz.E.u.A.A.100 who was with the unit when it fought against the 82 Airborne at La Fiere - http://www.normandy-1944.com/LaFiere.html - during the first few days of D-day; a Soldbuch to a Panzerwerfer 42 crew member with an absolutely beautiful portrait photo wearing a field gray wrap, as well as a Soldbuch to a schwere-Panzerjäger unit one of my Dutch buddies would find particularly interesting


Oh, I almost forgot...... I also scored a SS Soldbuch with this neat little stamp over the portrait photo inside the front cover




That's all I have time to share for now. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and happy new year!
Best,
Rob

[stgeorge64]

6./Zerstörergeschwader 26 “Horst Wessel” Soldbuch

For myself the Soldbuch purchase of 2012 which has caught my imagination is this simple Luftwaffe example issued to Unteroffizier Otto Höllinger, a Flugzeugfuhrer with 6./Zerstörergeschwader 26 “Horst Wessel”.

Assigned to 6./Zerstörergeschwader 26 “Horst Wessel” in March-1944, II./Zerstörergeschwader 26 “Horst Wessel” was using the BK5 Cannon mounted in the nose of their Messerschmitt Me-410 aircraft, employed in Reichsverteidung sorties.

On 24-May-1944 Messerschmitt Me-410A-1 '3U+KP' Werk-Nr. 420503. Crashed in Lippehne, Nm. [District - Augusthof]

FF: Unteroffizier Otto Höllinger
BF: Unteroffizier Nikolaus Hörner

Not a 'glamourous' Soldbuch by any means but for myself a great (ongoing) research project for one of the unsung Luftwaffe pilots who paid the ultimnate sacrifice.

I hope the images may prove of interest.

Regards Richard.

[Hofstetter]

[QUOTE=stgeorge64;5653288]For myself the Soldbuch purchase of 2012 which has caught my imagination is this simple Luftwaffe example issued to Unteroffizier Otto Höllinger, a Flugzeugfuhrer with 6./Zerstörergeschwader 26 “Horst Wessel”.

Maybe a "simple Luftwaffe example" Richard, but very appealing just the same.
Nice Soldbuch

[Eric JB]

Rob,

I do hope that post # 14 shows "your most favorite acquisition of 2012" and not only for 2012 but for the coming years too.

Best regards

Eric-Jan

[Cole Bush]

Hi Rob,

you always have nice stuff from Panzer units, it is nice for researchings and investments. However, it is not easy for me to get something from Panzer unit.
this year i managed to get a grouping of Panzer Artillerie.

cole

[PzV]

Rob, you certainly have been busy! Congratulations!

Jim

[mtdr]

A few other additions off the top of my head; a Soldbuch to a member of SS-Flak.Abt.12 who was a SdKfz.7/1 crew member and was wounded in an aerial attack on 6.June 1944 and later killed in January 1945; a Soldbuch to a member of Pz.E.u.A.A.100 who was with the unit when it fought against the 82 Airborne at La Fiere - http://www.normandy-1944.com/LaFiere.html - during the first few days of D-day; a Soldbuch to a Panzerwerfer 42 crew member with an absolutely beautiful portrait photo wearing a field gray wrap, as well as a Soldbuch to a schwere-Panzerjäger unit one of my Dutch buddies would find particularly interesting

SS-Flak.Abt. 12 and the Pz.E.u.A.A.100

I also get offered a SB of the PZ.E.u.A.A.100 but unfortunately I hadn't the money.

Nice Soldbucher Rob!!

[mtdr]

Absolutely my favourite of the year; Soldbuch grouping of the only fully German Panzer-Regiment on D-Day. Panzer Regiment 22 / Panzer-Regiment 100 , they make the only serious German counterattack on D-Day towards Sword Beach. He also fought at Belgium, France, Russia and most probably with Kampfgruppe Knaust around Arnhem at Market-Garden. He received 5 awards(PAB, EKII, Krimschild, Ostmedaille, Tätigskeitsabzeichen für Fünkmeister). Promoted 6 times to Fahnenjunker der Reserve, wounded 4 times and many more.

The group consisted of a complete Soldbuch, 9 photo's(most in his black panzer uniform) and some other papers. I already show the soldbuch and the story of Hans Dettmer on the forum:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=575600