Holland 1944 Bridge of Nijmwegen KIA Frundsberg

[Schuasta]

I want to show here a nice Wehrpass from a collector friend of me. We want to research more about this Guys last unit Btl. Vesel - killed in action as a Part wit Battle Action of Division FRUNDSBERG !

Know some about this Batallion ? More informations about Battle of Nijmwegen ?

Last picture is interesting - "Lebenszeichen Oktober 1945" - i think this Guy Survived the War ?

What do you think ?

[Schuasta]

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[Schuasta]

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[Schuasta]

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[zeitenwende]

A really interesting Wehrpaß !
I think he was involved in Operation Market Garden.

Thanks for showing!

regards

[dutchcollector]

Definatly market garden, the operation started on the 17th of september, so he died three days after the beginning of the operation.

[dennisb]

Hm, difficult to answer this question. Bataillon Wesel did excist. It was an Alarm unit that was created in September 1944. Info can be found here.
Whether or not the unit itself fought in and around Nijmegen is difficult to say. It is known that this unit was identified around Nijmegen. This could mean that the unit itself was sent to the Nijmegen area during Market Garden. It can also mean that parts of this Bataillon were sent to another unit around Nijmegen so that the Bataillon itself stayed in Wesel.

Since the Bataillon Wesel only excisted out of three Kompanies, it is strange that there is a entry for the 11. Kompanie. It is known that several Kampfgruppe/Bataillons that were created ad hoc formed 'one' unit. For example Kampfgruppe Knaust excisted out of 4 Kompanies: 1-4 + a Pz.Kp. Kampfgruppe Bruhn also excisted out of 4 Kompanies: 5-8. To me it is unlikely that Bataillon Wesel had such a structure. It is still possible though!

[Bjorn S]

Hi,

Yes, he survived the war and died in 2012. I send you a pm.

Kind regards, Bjorn

[patrick h]

A nice one! How did you find out Björn, please share your info with us!

[Schuasta]

Many Thanks for all the help ! i think this unit was a verry late "alarm-Unit" Possible ....i think the Germans are verry surprised about Operation Market garden...and have no organitions for her units....

[Jean-Loup]

So this is a case of a German soldier being reported KIA when he had in fact survived.
During my research in the Nice area, I uncovered two such cases of soldiers being declared killed, and latter turning up alive as POWs. I also found one case of a soldier killed and still buried in a Volksbund cemetery, who in fact died around 2010. A lot of mistakes were made at the time it seems.

JL