Soldbuch TANK KILLER / Panzerknacker 559.V.G.D. Westfront 1945 !

[Sonnenwende]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to post this, Lionel. The setup with the StG-pouches is awesome. Please keep us informed about your further discovery of the history behind the Soldbuch.

So much information has been lost and its last minute if you want to talk with the last veterans. I have been fortunate to talk with some, just wish I had started earlier.

Regards
Sonnenwende

[minensucher]

Hi Lionel , good Job

[walter1010de]

Lionel and Angel,

thank you for your contribution to this Forum. You keep it alive!

[Lionel H.]

Thanks Walter ! This Forum - especially the Pages concerning WP, SB and documents - is really very interesting - even for Advanced Collectors - and I still find some important Informations to illustrate my collection § Researches, and friendly contact with nice People, some are meanwhile good Friends !! Then, my contribution seems me to be evident, and, most of all, a great Pleasure.

[Archi]

Hi Lionel and all !

Indeed a great Soldbuch, an interesting career and a very unique opportunity to get the chance
to talk to a vet, to get some additional informations on his actions and his service records !

A short summary of his career, perhaps with some useful links :
It seems he was drafted end July 1942 and received his basic infantry training for about 6 month
in Flieger-Rgt. 51, which was located at Antwerps at that time :
http://www.ww2.dk/ground/infanterie/flausb51.html
He was then transferred to a unit I can't exactly read on Feb. 6. 1943. From 30.6.43 - 16.10.43
he attended a Bordschützenschule (aerial gunner school).

After that he was transferred to Flugzeugführerschule B 7 (redesignated A 5, see p.21 top) :
http://www.ww2.dk/air/schule/ffsc7.htm
which was located in Oct. 1943 in Clermont-Ferrand (!), then moved to Gablingen (10 km NW of Augsburg)
in April 1944. (Might be interesting to ask whether he was actually trained as pilot or for some other function there).

On the 10th of July 1944, he was transferred to the Technische Kompanie of F.F.Schule B 15 :
http://www.ww2.dk/air/schule/ffsc15.htm
According to the link, this should have been at Steinamanger. The only town with such a name I found,
is at the Hungary-Austria border (Szombathely, 100km S of Wien). Around the time when this school was dissolved,
he was transferred to JG 112 (located at Landau/Isar), which was redesignated II. Gruppe / JG 101 shortly after :
http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg112.html
http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg101.html

From this unit he was transferred to the Heer and joined Marsch-Btl. z.b.V. 745 (Inf.) on 24.11.44(?).
Possibly this Btl. was formed in WK XIII (see insert below his photo). With this unit he was sent to 559. VGD.,
to which he was assigned on 28.(12.?!).1944. (But there are some hints, that this Marsch-Btl. 745 arrived
at the 1. Armee already during the first half of December, 1944. Maybe another question to ask ?!)

His unit was obviously used to fill up Gren.Rgt. 1127 and he then took part in the fighting at Bitsch as a soldier of 1. Kp./GrenRgt. 1127.
From this unit he received his awards and his last promotion to Unteroffizier.

He was wounded twice then [locations according to FMS reports] :
Near Bitsch on 19.2.45, when his division was going to be relieved by 2.Geb.Div. He was treated for a few days by
Kriegslaz.Abt. 604 (according to Tessin : 1944/45 : 1. Armee Rheinpfalz (at : Bensheim, Landstuhl, Heidesheim).
More severe around 6.3.45., near Saarbrücken. The days before his Regiment saw heavy fighting for the Spicherer Hoehen,
S of the city. He had to stay for a month in Reserve-Lazarett Singen (?! not sure), located in an Oberschule.

After beeing released, he was transferred to II. (IV. ?!) Ausb.[ildungs] Btl. AOK 19, the former Jäger-EuA.-Btl. 56 at Villingen
(30 km NW Singen), at that time formally attached to Armee-Waffenschule AOK 19 (HQ located at Furtwangen, 20 km E of Freiburg).
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...ErsBat56-R.htm
AWS AOK 19 was under command of Oberst Müller-Melahn, later replaced by Major Rudolf Altstadt (RKT).

There is a report of the last Kommandeur of Jg.EuA.Btl. 56, Hptm. Fritz Widmaier. According to him, the Btl. was
in Villingen until 20.4.45 and then retreated during the next days (under chaotic circumstances) to the south,
roughly via Zindelstein, Mundelfingen, Blumberg.
The Btls. last CP was near Aselfingen (3km W of Blumberg), where the HQ was attacked by french tanks and by fighter bombers
on 26.4.45. After that, the Btl. was totally torn apart in different directions and ceased to exist.

Sorry if this is too lengthy and has some repetitions, but I thought it might be useful to deliver some names of officers
and places, when talking to the veteran. It might help the memory come back !

Good luck for your interview and your further research .

Cheers,

Archi

[Lionel H.]

Hi Archi ! Wow !! I must say, it is just crazy how many time you sent to give us more Infos on that Soldbuch.... How could I do to thank you for your Efforts ??

Our Gerhard has it's Birthday in some very few Days, I sent him a long congratulations-Letter, which is also containing some "technical" Questions about it's Tankkill !! At the Beginning of next Year, I will do my best to drive there, sure it will be a great moment to talk with one of the very few "Panzerknacker" alive !!

I had the opportunity in the past to speak with some Pz-Knacker, I remember well the discussions with KC Holder Hermann Wulff (GR.333) and also KC Holder Rudolf Kendler, also this one, I already presented on the WAF.....I had a very good contact with them..... But fore sure, theses are nowadays the very last Opportunity to discuss with Guys who saw the Things happened with their own Eyes, and not in Books.....

Thanks again Archi for your Interest on this Thread. Good Job !!!

[Angel Farré]

Lionel any update regarding this Soldbuch?

Maybe you receive the answers to all your questions or you visited him?

Angel

[Lionel H.]

Yeesss Angel !! For 4 Days came the Answer I was waiting for a long Time. The Vet is very old, and for sure tired, but I got in Touch with his Son.... First his Mail... Excuse me, but well, I have not the necessary Time to translate it.... Most of german Paper Collectors will understand I mean !!

Lieber Herr H.........,



zuerst möchte ich Ihnen und Ihrer Familie liebe Grüße zum Osterfest wünschen und dann muss ich vielmals um Entschuldigung für meine lange Untätigkeit in der Antwort auf Ihre Mail bitten.



Ich konnte am 13.Februar zu meinen Eltern fahren und mit meinem Vater über die Ereignisse sprechen. Aber erst heute habe ich das Gesprächsprotokoll aufgeschrieben - das ist unverzeihlich, aber beruflich habe ich gerade sehr viel zu tun, musste immer Überstunden machen und hatte erst jetzt, mit den Feiertagen die Ruhe, alles aufzuschreiben. Ich bitte nochmals um Entschuldigung.



Ich finde es sehr beachtlich, wie viel Mühe und Energie Sie in Ihr Interessengebiet stecken. Als kleine Unterstürzung schicke ich Ihnen heute in der Anlage die Notizen zu dem Gespräch mit meinem Vater und einige Fotos aus seiner Militärzeit, die wir im Fotoalbum noch gefunden haben. Leider sind die Bilder von keiner guten Qualität, aber vielleicht nutzen sie Ihnen doch ein wenig. Sie stammen vermutlich aus seiner Zeit bei der Luftwaffe und aus der Zeit der Gefangenschaft. Die Gefangenschaft hat er übrigens in Südfrankreich in den Bergen bei Nizza in einem Mienenräumkommando verbracht. Von dort ist er 1947 nach Hause zurückgekommen.



Ich hoffe, Ihnen ein wenig geholfen zu haben und verbleibe



mit vielen Grüßen



J.XXXXXXXX

[Angel Farré]

Nice, keep us updated when you have time.

Angel

[Lionel H.]

THis extremely nice Person asked the Question I first wrote to him, to his Father. Here are the "Protokoll" he wrote, with Question and Answer !! For sure not something which happens every day, most of my Letter to Families are remaining unanswered.... But this Time I was Lucky..... Gesprächsprotokoll
Unterhaltung zwischen G.FXXXXX (1924) und Sohn J.FXXXXX (1950) über die von G.FXXXXX erlebten Ereignisse im Januar 1945 bei Bitsch-Saargemuend.
J.F.: Wie war die Ausgangssituation?
G.F.: Es war zum Rückzug im Januar 1945. Wir haben mehrere Tage in einem Hohlweg gelegen und warteten auf einen Angriff der Amerikaner.
JF: Wie kann man sich das mit dem Hohlweg vorstellen? G.F.: Dort waren mehrere Löcher, ca. 2,50m Durchmesser, 1m tief, besetzt mit 1 bis 2 Mann. Wir hatten als Bewaffnung unsere Karabiner und 1 MG. Ich war in der Funktion eines Gruppenführers für unsere wenigen Leute an diesem Ort. Am Morgen des besagtenTages bekamen wir noch eine Panzerfaust, die ich entgegen genommen habe.
J.F.: Wie ging es weiter? G.F.: Es verging einige Zeit. Dann sagte ich zu meinem Kamerad, der im Nachbarloch lag und das MG hatte, er solle mal ein paar Probeschüsse abgeben. Da bemerkten wir, dass das MG Ladehemmung hatte. Ich kroch also zu ihm in sein Loch und wir haben sein MG dann in Gang gebracht. Ich hatte meine Panzerfaust dabei in meinem Loch gelassen. Nachdem das MG wieder funktionierte, kroch ich zurück in mein Loch, wo die Panzerfaust lag. In diesem Moment kamen 3 amerikanische Panzer ins Blickfeld.
J.F.: Wie weit waren sie weg? G.F.: Sie waren ca. 20 m schräg vor uns aufgetaucht.
J.F.: Was hast du dann gemacht? G.F.: Ich habe die Panzerfaust klar gemacht und auf den vordersten Panzer gefeuert.
J.F.: Hast du getroffen?
G.F.: Ja. Ss war ein Treffer auf die Ketten des Panzers.
J.F.: Was passierte mit den anderen Panzern?
G.F.: Diese haben einen größeren Angriff vermutet, sind umgekehrt und zurück gefahren.
J.F.: Was war mit dem getroffenen Panzer? G.F.: Dieser hat sich wegen der getroffenen Ketten 1 bis 2 mal um seine Achse gedreht. Dann blieb er stehen, die obere Luke ging auf und 4 Mann sind heraus gekrochen. J.F.: Wie ging es jetzt weiter?
G.F.: Der Kommandant und der Fahrer waren unverletzt und sind sofort zurückgelaufen in Richtung der zurückgewichenen 2 Panzer. Ich bin mit meinem Karabiner zum Panzer gelaufen. Dort war noch ein verletzter amerikanischer Soldat und ein weiterer unverletzter, der bei ihm geblieben war.
J.F.: Was hast du mit ihnen gemacht?
G.F.: Ich habe sie gefangen genommen, abgeführt und später meinem Kommando übergeben (J.F.: die Erinnerung war hier nicht mehr so gut). J.F.: Wie ging es weiter?
G.F.: So lange wir an diesem Abschnitt waren (noch einige Tage) gab es keinen weiteren Angriff der Amerikaner.

[Angel Farré]

You are a lucky one, nice for you, he spent two years as French guest only walking by the country, yes it is irony two years POW and cleaning mines not a pleasure I think.

Keep coming.

Thanks again

Angel

[Lionel H.]

"Luck" with a lot of Work, Mountains of Letters, well, it is IMO not only "Luck", Angel.... Here are the first 4 Pics he sent me... Well, nothing very special in It, but nevertheless the Feeling to know this Guy somebit better than just owning his Soldbook..... I will follow with the other Pics later.... <p><img src="http://cdn04.trixum.de/upload2/h/O/hO6KGbk5m7eL139818746946P1683.jpg"></p>
<p><img src="http://cdn01.trixum.de/upload2/Q/h/Qhe7zEO1pgcA139818747953P1683.jpg"></p>
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[Angel Farré]

Lucky in the way that you have obtained something after a lot of work, we all know that this is not always the case and normally we only find the usual info that is on the web or in published works, now you have some more info and an photos to complete the view ot this man wartime and postwar service and life.

Congratulations my friend.

Angel

[jmark]

Good work, Lionel! A small story from history recorded before the veteran passed away.

"Luck" usually comes after a lot of hard work.

Jason

[Lionel H.]

Tks Jason !! Here are the last Pics received from the Son. Note the Ju.88 is wearing the Unit-Insignia from the FFS (C) 7. The training Pics could have been taken in Clermont-Ferrand. Maybe my Friend Christoph will confirm !! Thanks ! Lionel. <p><img src="http://cdn02.trixum.de/upload2/J/s/JsBmKdxFuUlT139877078489P1683.jpg"></p>
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