Hello gents
I have recently bought this document set that I want to share with you. It consists among others of a Soldbuch, drivers license, driver instructors license, 2 award documents and some POW documents of Feldwebel August Taufner.
He earned the medal of Oktober 38, but I don't know in which units he served before the war. He was handed out his Soldbuch by the Kradmeldezug of the 262 Infanterie Division, and I think he was given a new Erkennungsmarke as well, since the 262 was only formed a few days before he was given his Soldbuch. The 262 participated in the attack on the Maginot line. A few months after the surrender of France, it was sent to Poland from where it would attack the Soviet Union. He missed the first days of Barbarossa because he was in hospital due to a concussion. During the winter of 41-42, it took positions in Orel, where it would stay till July 43. During this time in Orel, he was active as a driving instructor, among others for the Maultier Halftrack. His driver license and instructor license are Zweitschrifte, so I don't know if he was an instructor since the beginning of the war.
In August 43 the Russians attacked in the area of Orel Brjansk, the 262 was sent in and in November of the same year it would be decimated. August however was on leave from 26 Oktober till 18 November. The 262 was called back to Croatia where it was rebuild as the 277 Infanterie Division on 17 November. Wenn August returned from leave he found that his unit was not in Russia any more, and on page 8 in the Soldbuch we can see that he received 71 RM for rejoining his unit (extra transport costs he payed from his own pocket for going to Croatia?). In January 44, the 277 moved to Narbonne on the south coast of France where it would be further rebuilt. In July it was sent to Normandy. There is an EKII entry dated July in the Soldbuch, but it is not stamped and it reads: Abänderung laut Heeresverordnungsblatt 1940 teil b blatt 14. Does someone know what this means? The 277 was caught in the Falaise pocket and managed to escape, but with heavy losses. It was sent to Nové Zámky in Hungary, present Slovakia where it was rebuilt as the 277 Volksgrenadierdivision.
At one point, August was transferred to the Panzerjägerabteilung 277, he was part of it in September 44, but I don't know when he joined it or when he left again, he was eventually sent back to the division staff.
In November 44, the division was sent to the Westwall in the area of Wahlerscheid and Losheim. It was soon moved to Hollerath at the present Belgian border from where it would attack in the Ardennes offensive. On page 15 of the Soldbuch we can see that August was given an Iron ration on the 16th of December. The division would take the Belgian town of Rocherath-Krinkelt along with the 12th SS division. At the end of January, beginning of February, the division retreated to the Westwall and it took heavy losses. On 8 March 1945, the division staff including the commander Generalmajor Viebig where taken captive by the Americans. I don't know if August was with them, there is an entry dated 25 March that states he got wounded by an air attack, this could have been made in captivity. What do you think?
In the Soldbuch are a lot of names and addresses, I assume he made these while in captivity.
I am not sure about August's history as a driver. He started the war as a Kradmelder, but would he continue doing this while being active as a driving instructor at the same time? Perhaps he was only active as an instructor during the calm periods in Orel, Narbonne and Nové Zámky, and he was used as a Kradmelder or Maultierdriver again on the front? On page 8c we can see he was given protective goggles, so I assume this was for being a Kradmelder. Also, there are 2 equipment entries I am not sure about, Riechmitten and Dienstarmband. What could the Riechmittel be, and why would he have been issued an armband?
Cheers hope you like it
I have recently bought this document set that I want to share with you. It consists among others of a Soldbuch, drivers license, driver instructors license, 2 award documents and some POW documents of Feldwebel August Taufner.
He earned the medal of Oktober 38, but I don't know in which units he served before the war. He was handed out his Soldbuch by the Kradmeldezug of the 262 Infanterie Division, and I think he was given a new Erkennungsmarke as well, since the 262 was only formed a few days before he was given his Soldbuch. The 262 participated in the attack on the Maginot line. A few months after the surrender of France, it was sent to Poland from where it would attack the Soviet Union. He missed the first days of Barbarossa because he was in hospital due to a concussion. During the winter of 41-42, it took positions in Orel, where it would stay till July 43. During this time in Orel, he was active as a driving instructor, among others for the Maultier Halftrack. His driver license and instructor license are Zweitschrifte, so I don't know if he was an instructor since the beginning of the war.
In August 43 the Russians attacked in the area of Orel Brjansk, the 262 was sent in and in November of the same year it would be decimated. August however was on leave from 26 Oktober till 18 November. The 262 was called back to Croatia where it was rebuild as the 277 Infanterie Division on 17 November. Wenn August returned from leave he found that his unit was not in Russia any more, and on page 8 in the Soldbuch we can see that he received 71 RM for rejoining his unit (extra transport costs he payed from his own pocket for going to Croatia?). In January 44, the 277 moved to Narbonne on the south coast of France where it would be further rebuilt. In July it was sent to Normandy. There is an EKII entry dated July in the Soldbuch, but it is not stamped and it reads: Abänderung laut Heeresverordnungsblatt 1940 teil b blatt 14. Does someone know what this means? The 277 was caught in the Falaise pocket and managed to escape, but with heavy losses. It was sent to Nové Zámky in Hungary, present Slovakia where it was rebuilt as the 277 Volksgrenadierdivision.
At one point, August was transferred to the Panzerjägerabteilung 277, he was part of it in September 44, but I don't know when he joined it or when he left again, he was eventually sent back to the division staff.
In November 44, the division was sent to the Westwall in the area of Wahlerscheid and Losheim. It was soon moved to Hollerath at the present Belgian border from where it would attack in the Ardennes offensive. On page 15 of the Soldbuch we can see that August was given an Iron ration on the 16th of December. The division would take the Belgian town of Rocherath-Krinkelt along with the 12th SS division. At the end of January, beginning of February, the division retreated to the Westwall and it took heavy losses. On 8 March 1945, the division staff including the commander Generalmajor Viebig where taken captive by the Americans. I don't know if August was with them, there is an entry dated 25 March that states he got wounded by an air attack, this could have been made in captivity. What do you think?
In the Soldbuch are a lot of names and addresses, I assume he made these while in captivity.
I am not sure about August's history as a driver. He started the war as a Kradmelder, but would he continue doing this while being active as a driving instructor at the same time? Perhaps he was only active as an instructor during the calm periods in Orel, Narbonne and Nové Zámky, and he was used as a Kradmelder or Maultierdriver again on the front? On page 8c we can see he was given protective goggles, so I assume this was for being a Kradmelder. Also, there are 2 equipment entries I am not sure about, Riechmitten and Dienstarmband. What could the Riechmittel be, and why would he have been issued an armband?
Cheers hope you like it
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