Soldbuch and Wehrpass Adolf Ballauf, executed by a Standgericht in France 1944

[Lionel H.]

WOW Tim.... That's just an amazing Story !! Let me first say that I am living 12km from Bionville.... (which was also a place who knews heavy Foughts during WW1).
I confirm your Sayings concerning the Feld.Gef.Straf.Btl.14. Here are some Informations I found in the "G2" reports from the 100th U.S.Division who liberated my Area : THis unit was constituted from 5 Coys, each 140-150 Men strong. They were employed to dig trenches or build bunkers in the Combat Zone. Only the chiefs had Weapons.... The Bat. came left Libau Oct.10th 1944 and joined the Vosges Sector Nov.2nd 1944. Commander : Major Kuehn.

Please answer one Question : How do you have the Idea, as the Book contained no Information about the Soldier's Fate.... to search in the Austrian Archives for more informations ??

Please note I have shown for a couple of Weeks a Soldbuch from my Collection, for a punisched Soldier transferred to "z.b.V.291"

Congrats for this amazing SB !!

[Tim DC]

And last for the Wehrpass, the only clue in the entire grouping of what happened to him in the end: "gem. Urteil des Standgerichtes der Feldstraf-Gefangenenabteilung 14 wegen Fahnenflucht im Felde zur Tode verurteilt. Todesurteil wurde am 18.11.1944 vollstreckt."

[Tim DC]

I am not going to bother you with copies of the archival material, but here's just one extract showing the place, location and precise hour of his death.

[Tim DC]

And to conlcude my posts, here's a map showing the liberation of the area in November 1944, taken from the book of P. Denis, 'La Libération de la Moselle', Annex 46. I have marked the location of Le Halbach in red. As you see, around the day of his execution, the Free French progressed deeply into this area. In fact, Lieutenant-Colonel La Horie, the commander whose arrow can be seen closest to Le Halbach, was killed in Badonviller that same day, 18th of November 1944.

[Lionel H.]

And last for the Wehrpass, the only clue in the entire grouping of what happened to him in the end: "gem. Urteil des Standgerichtes der Feldstraf-Gefangenenabteilung 14 wegen Fahnenflucht im Felde zur Tode verurteilt. Todesurteil wurde am 18.11.1944 vollstreckt."

Well...... That's the accurate Answer to my Question... I understand you was motivated to do further Resarches !!

2 days later, the Area of " Le Halbach" was liberated by the 100th US Div. "Century Division". I have already red that german Soldiers executed for "Feigheit vor dem Feind" (Cowardice in front of the Ennemy) didn't received any Cross or other Sign over their Graves, but it needs confirmation....

[Lionel H.]

And to conlcude my posts, here's a map showing the liberation of the area in November 1944, taken from the book of P. Denis, 'La Libération de la Moselle', Annex 46. I have marked the location of Le Halbach in red. As you see, around the day of his execution, the Free French progressed deeply into this area. In fact, Lieutenant-Colonel La Horie, the commander whose arrow can be seen closest to Le Halbach, was killed in Badonviller that same day, 18th of November 1944.

Well... your Map shows the Front more north..... The Town of RAON L'ETAPE, and then the "La Plaine-Valley" (vallée de la Plaine) to which belongs "Le Halbach" were liberated by the US Troops, not the free french.

[Tim DC]

Thanks very much for your comments! I guess my last posts answer your last question. It's great to have a confirmation and more info on the activities of Feldstrafgef.Abt.14 in that area. Now we are sure they were indeed deployed in field work on the front zone, and that Ballauf probably just tried to run off with a few others. Also great to have the name of Major Kuehn, the commander who took the initiative to take his life. I could not have hoped for a better first reply to this thread

WOW Tim.... That's just an amazing Story !! Let me first say that I am living 12km from Bionville.... (which was also a place who knews heavy Foughts during WW1).
I confirm your Sayings concerning the Feld.Gef.Straf.Btl.14. Here are some Informations I found in the "G2" reports from the 100th U.S.Division who liberated my Area : THis unit was constituted from 5 Coys, each 140-150 Men strong. They were employed to dig trenches or build bunkers in the Combat Zone. Only the chiefs had Weapons.... The Bat. came left Libau Oct.10th 1944 and joined the Vosges Sector Nov.2nd 1944. Commander : Major Kuehn.

Please answer one Question : How do you have the Idea, as the Book contained no Information about the Soldier's Fate.... to search in the Austrian Archives for more informations ??

Please note I have shown for a couple of Weeks a Soldbuch from my Collection, for a punisched Soldier transferred to "z.b.V.291"

Congrats for this amazing SB !!

[Tim DC]

You're right about the map; it was the best one I could find. Thanks for the correction!

Well... your Map shows the Front more north..... The Town of RAON L'ETAPE, and then the "La Plaine-Valley" (vallée de la Plaine) to which belongs "Le Halbach" were liberated by the US Troops, not the free french.

[Lionel H.]

Tim, here is the US G2-Extract I was talking about. I will make further Researches, as I have all G2's from the Century at Home, I ordered them to the NARA for a bunch of decades !! <p><img src="http://cdn03.trixum.de/upload2/r/G/rG20YviTzqBA138012885351P1683.jpg"></p>

[mufasa]

a group, a story, a research , really extraordinary..... Thanks!

[CWP]

Fascinating grouping, very unusual. Thanks for showing it.

[Jean-Loup]

If you physicaly go to the town where he was executed, you may find some locals who still remember the event.

JL

[Lionel H.]

If you physicaly go to the town where he was executed, you may find some locals who still remember the event.

JL

I doubt about that. It was combat zone and most of the civilians were forced to evacuate..... or did it by themselves. But there is a major building in this minor Hamlet, I am certain this is the Place where this Event took place....

Tim, you suggested he was perhaps not the only one to have been executed on that Day, did you have other concrete Evdences about that ??

[Erwin L]

That's a very interesting and fascinating grouping with a a very sober ending Tim. Thanks for posting it. Good luck with your research

Regards

Erwin

[Lionel H.]

I couldn't wait to find some more infos....

As you see, the very first 6 prisoners from the Feldst.Gef.Abt.14 have bee captured Nov.16th 44 in La Neuveville (Part of Raon l'Etape).
But only 12 Prisoners from this Unit were taken until Nov.21st...... which is quite logical, because it was a NON-FIGHTING UNIT, wich was not supposed to be within the front lines, and then have prisoners taken....
The last Evidence is dated Nov.24th, 2 more Prisoners where taken by the 399th Infantry (not 299 as written...) in SAINT-BLAISE, a small village few kilometers eastern of Raon l'Etape. It does not mean that the Unit were still engaged at this time, Prisoners could have been isolated Soldiers ("zersprengt") or deserters.....

I will grab more in my Documentation.... <p><img src="http://cdn03.trixum.de/upload2/s/e/seck5jYynNbw138013262472P1683.jpg"></p>
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